Valangin Castle sits on a rocky outcrop above the village of Valangin, about 7 km north of Neuchâtel, commanding the gorge that leads into the Jura. It is smaller and more intimate than the main castle in Neuchâtel — a genuine medieval fortress rather than a later palatial adaptation — and now houses a regional history museum covering the life and craft traditions of the Jura.
The village below the castle is one of the best-preserved medieval villages in the canton, with a covered market hall and a collegiate church whose interior contains exceptionally fine late Gothic tombs. The combination of castle, church, and village makes Valangin a worthwhile half-day excursion.
The gorge itself — the Gorges de l'Areuse — runs east from Valangin and offers good hiking through a dramatic limestone canyon.