Date and Time of Visit: September 18, 2017, approximately 3:00 p.m.
As of September 2017, there were 27 villages that had been selected as the most beautiful villages in Switzerland; this is the 14th installment in the series, and we’re just about to turn the corner.
This time, Romainmotier is a French speaking village. On this day, we visited 8 beautiful villages around Lake Neuchâtel, but Romainmotier is located a little bit far from Lake Geneva. It is located in the middle of the forest. Even though it is far from the lake, it is only 30 minutes away by car. It is located in a very quiet and comfortable forest.
Because it was in the forest, we couldn’t see the village from a distance. It was only when we were only 1km away from the village that we could see it. It was so beautiful. It was by far the most beautiful village I’ve ever seen in Switzerland. I was so excited to finally see the most beautiful village in France. No, it is a village that ranks quite high even if it is compared with the most beautiful villages in France.
Anyway, we drove through the village to find a parking spot. Apparently there was a large free parking lot at the entrance on the opposite side of the street from where we came. It was quite large. Perhaps because of its beauty, the oldness of its history, which will be discussed later, it may be famous there. A lot of tourists could be seen comparatively.
The history of Romainmotier is very old. There was already a monastery there in 515 AD. Few of the most beautiful villages in Switzerland have such a long history. It was succeeded by the Abbey of Cluny in 928, which lasted until the 15th century. After that, the monastery declined under the influence of the Reformation, but in the 18th century, many of the buildings, especially the church, were rebuilt from the 11th century.
Many of the remaining buildings in the village seem to have been built around the 14th and 15th centuries. The clock tower, the symbol of the village, is said to be from the 14th century.
There is a slightly higher spot just outside the village, so we had a nice view from there. It’s just a bit beyond where the car park is.
There were also accommodations and restaurants, though not many. If you want to relax and appreciate the beautiful village, you may want to stay in such a place. It’s probably dark at night, so you may not be able to take a leisurely stroll around the illuminated town, but it’s a great idea to take a walk in the quiet early morning before breakfast.
There are also kittens.
It is one of the most beautiful and historic villages in Europe, including France, with a 5 star rating. It’s the most beautiful village in Switzerland that I would most recommend!