Yverdon
©
Yverdon

Yverdon

Swiss spa town on Lake Neuchâtel, known for thermal springs and a Savoy castle.

Yverdon-les-Bains sits at the southern tip of Lake Neuchâtel, a small city that has been a spa town since Roman times. The thermal baths are still the main draw — the Centre Thermal is fed by sulphurous springs at 29°C — but Yverdon has more to offer than hot water.

The 13th-century Savoy castle on Place Pestalozzi now houses the town museum, and the old town around it is pleasant for a stroll. The real surprise is the Maison d'Ailleurs, a museum of science fiction and utopia that is unique in Europe, with a collection ranging from Jules Verne first editions to contemporary speculative art. North of the centre, the Menhirs de Clendy — a 6,500-year-old neolithic alignment — stand on the lakeshore, where the calm waters of Lake Neuchâtel are good for swimming in summer. Yverdon makes a relaxed base for exploring the Jura foothills and the northern Vaud countryside.

Guide

Eating Out

Yverdon eats well for its size. The old town has half a dozen good restaurants tucked into the lanes around Place Pestalozzi, plus a string of summer terraces along the lake.

Hôtel de Ville on Rue du Lac is a long-running bistro with a short, careful menu — perch fillets from the lake, rösti, and seasonal game in autumn. Le Bel-Air on Place Bel-Air does a good plat du jour at lunch for around 22 francs and serves until late. For something simpler, the falafel and Lebanese plates at Yallah Mama, just off Place Pestalozzi, are a reliable cheap eat.

In summer the Buvette de la Plage down by the lake is open for sandwiches, glace, and beer; the Marina restaurant next door does grilled lake fish on a deck over the water.

Guide

Getting There

Yverdon sits on the main Geneva–Lausanne–Bern railway line, with InterCity trains running every half hour. From Lausanne the journey takes about 25 minutes; from Geneva around 65 minutes; from Bern roughly 55 minutes. Zurich is about two hours away with one change.

By car, Yverdon is on the A1 motorway between Lausanne and Bern. Driving from either takes around half an hour. There is a paid car park beneath Place d'Armes and several free or cheaper lots around the edge of the town centre. The main railway station has a large bicycle-rental point if you want to ride along the lake.

Guide

Things to Do

Yverdon's pleasures are concentrated: the thermal baths, the medieval castle on the central square, and a curious science-fiction museum that is unique in Europe. Add a stroll along the lake and through the old town and you have a full day.