Populated since prehistoric times, colonised by the Romans, ravaged by the barbarians and coveted by feudal lords, Estavayer retains from its rich history a 12th century Savoyard castle, a Gothic collegiate church, cobbled streets, an impressive enclosure still pierced by its ancient gates.

It is also a mecca for water sports: marina, beaches, camping and caravanning sites, sailing, windsurfing, pedal boats, water skiing and even... water ski lift!

The surrounding countryside is dotted with hiking and cycling trails and the gentle hills of the hinterland provide the perfect backdrop for a caravanning trip, with the opportunity to stock up on tasty local produce from farmers and fishermen.

Beyond the developed areas of the lakeshore, the protected nature reserve of the Grande Cariçaie, which occupies the entire southern shore of Lake Neuchâtel, is home to 1,000 plants and 10,000 animal species, i.e. a third of the total inventory of Swiss flora and a quarter of all animal species recorded on Swiss territory!

Estavayer-le-Lac is a simply fascinating place, as you can see in the fusions.ch slideshow and photo gallery, where our photographers focused primarily on the streets and buildings of the medieval town!

(very loosely adapted from information from Switzerland Tourism)