Val-de-Travers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Val-de-Travers
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 Val-de-Travers
Location in Switzerland
Val-de-Travers
Location in Canton of Neuchâtel
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Neuchâtel | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 124.74 km2 (48.16 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 737 m (2,418 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 10,579 | |
| • Density | 84.808/km2 (219.653/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
2112
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Val-de-Travers is a town in the canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland. It was formed on January 1, 2009. This happened when nine smaller towns decided to join together. These towns were Boveresse, Buttes, Couvet, Fleurier, Les Bayards, Môtiers, Noiraigue, Saint-Sulpice, and Travers.
This area is also famous for making a special drink called absinthe.
Contents
History of Val-de-Travers
Val-de-Travers was first written about in the year 1150. Back then, it was known by its Latin name, Vallis traversis.
Geography and Nature
Val-de-Travers covers an area of about 125 square kilometers (48 square miles). A big part of this land is covered by forests, about 50%. Another large part, around 42%, is used for farming. The rest of the land has buildings, roads, rivers, or lakes.
The town is located in a valley within the Jura Mountains. This valley is an important pathway. It connects the Swiss Plateau with the region of Franche-Comté in France.
The L'Areuse river flows through the valley. It's mostly a shallow river, about 10 meters wide. Near Noiraigue, the river narrows into a deep gorge. In the past, this river was a key source of water and fish for the valley's people.
People and Population
Val-de-Travers has a population of about 10,800 people. Around 18% of the people living here are from other countries. Over the last ten years, the population has slightly decreased.
Most people in Val-de-Travers speak French as their main language. About 89% of the population speaks French. Italian is the second most common language, followed by German.
The population is almost evenly split between males and females. About 25% of the people are children and teenagers (under 19 years old). Adults (20-64 years old) make up about 56% of the population. Seniors (over 64 years old) are about 19%.
Important Historical Sites
Several places in Val-de-Travers are very important. They are listed as Swiss heritage sites. These include:
- The Farm House no. 1201, also called Monlési.
- The Maison des Chats, or Petitpierre.
- The Séchoir à absinthe, which is a special drying shed.
- Ivernois Castle and the Maison Boy de la Tour.
- The Hôtel des Six-Communes.
- The old medieval church of St-Pierre.
- The Temple in Môtiers.
- The Areuse Bridge.
The villages of Buttes, Les Verrières, Môtiers, Couvet, Fleurier, and Travers are also recognized as important Swiss heritage sites.
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Farm House no. 1201 or Monlési
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Maison des chats
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Séchoir à absinthe in Boveresse, used to dry wormwood for absinthe.
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Ivernois Castle, Maison Boy de la Tour
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Motiers-Hotel-Six-Communes, once a resting stop for travelers.
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Medieval church of St-Pierre
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Temple of Môtiers
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Areuse Bridge
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Economy and Work
In 2010, the unemployment rate in Val-de-Travers was 6.6%. Many people work in different types of jobs.
- About 322 people work in farming and related businesses.
- Around 1,980 people work in manufacturing and industry.
- About 2,188 people work in service jobs, like shops, hotels, and offices.
Many people travel to work. About 13% use public transport, and 57% use their own cars.
The La Presta Asphalt Mine used to be a big part of the economy. It stopped operating in 1986. Now, it is a museum where you can learn about its history.
Education System
In the canton of Neuchâtel, most towns offer two years of optional kindergarten. After that, children have five years of required primary school. Then, they go to secondary school for four more years. Many students travel to larger schools outside their home town for secondary education.
During the 2010-2011 school year, Val-de-Travers had 10.5 kindergarten classes with 198 students. There were also 29 primary classes with 528 students.
Transportation Links
Val-de-Travers has seven railway stations. Two stations, Travers and Noiraigue, are on the line that goes to Neuchâtel and France. The other five stations are on a local line that also serves Travers. This makes it easy for people to travel around.
Famous People from Val-de-Travers
Many notable people have come from Val-de-Travers:
- Emer de Vattel (1714–1767) was an important international lawyer.
- Ferdinand Berthoud (1727–1807) was a scientist and a skilled watchmaker.
- Jonas de Gélieu (1740–1827) was a pastor and beekeeper.
- Salomé de Gélieu (1742–1820) was an educator and governess to royal families.
- Léo Lesquereux (1806–1889) was a botanist who studied mosses and ancient plants.
- Édouard Piaget (1817–1910) was an entomologist who studied lice.
- Charles Édouard Guillaume (1861–1938) was a physicist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1920.
- Édouard Bovet (1797–1849) was a watchmaker who started the Bovet Fleurier watch company.
- Denis de Rougemont (1906–1985) was a Swiss writer and thinker.
- Fritz Tschannen (1920–2011) was an accordion player and former ski jumper.
See also
In Spanish: Val-de-Travers para niños
