The Journal
Countryside heritage stays in Switzerland: from Lake Biel to Lake Constance
By Marguerite & Alexandre · Published on
Swiss heritage is not only about mountain chalets: it also lives in medieval towns, on river quays and on lake shores. This guide gathers our addresses of the plains and mid-mountains — five houses between Lake Biel and Lake Constance, by way of Solothurn and the Neuchâtel Jura, where history can be read at street level.
Erlach — Les Rêveries, a house from 1486 and its pavilion
On the shore of Lake Biel, you reach Les Rêveries by the cobbled street or the stairs that climb to Erlach castle. The Loft occupies an old house dating from 1486, fully renovated and furnished with passion: sculptures, lamps made from leather offcuts, furniture designed by atelier Oï. The lodging runs through the whole house — 75 m² — with a shaded terrace and an enchanting south-facing garden (from CHF 190 per night).
In the same old-town garden, the Pavillon plays an entirely different tune: 12 m² built in wooden shingles, designed with great ingenuity, and an unobstructed view of the lake and St. Peter's Island that invites meditation. One of the smallest addresses in our collection (from CHF 125 per night), and one of the most poetic.
Solothurn — In2, between cobbled lanes and the river Aare
On one side of the house, the old cobbled streets of Solothurn; on the other, the Aare. In this 18th-century building on the Ritterquai, In2 cultivates the perfect balance between walls steeped in history and the contemporary touch of interior architects Beat and Raya of studio IN2Design. Three rooms (from CHF 185 per night), and one of Switzerland's most beautiful baroque towns on the doorstep.
Romanshorn — the last fishermen's houses on Lake Constance
Built around 1670, the Fischerhäuser are typical artisans' houses that once stood directly on the shores of the lake, housing boatmen, tinsmiths, coppersmiths and cobblers. They are the last remaining fishermen's and artisans' dwellings of that era in Romanshorn — and they very nearly disappeared: demolition plans loomed until the Thurgau Monument Foundation acquired them in 2009 and renovated them in 2010-2011.
Inside, the timber framework of the walls, remnants of old wallpaper, winding entrances and varying floor levels bear witness to the simple life of the 17th and 18th centuries. Four lodgings (from CHF 140 per night), a restaurant on site, and Lake Constance as your horizon.
La Sagne — Le Cochon rose, the inn of a thousand lives
In the Neuchâtel Jura, at 1,113 metres, the inn of Le Cochon rose is a true witness to the history of the Neuchâtel mountains: formerly the communal hotel (1690), the house successively sheltered the communal administration, a school and an inn. Fully restored with passion by the architect Jonathan Schmid, it has recovered its vocation of hospitality: a hotel and restaurant under the direction of chefs Corin and Arnaud Frascotti, who serve a seasonal, creative and generous bistronomic cuisine honouring local produce. Three rooms and an apartment (from CHF 190 per night) — and a table that alone justifies the detour.
The itinerary we would follow
Two nights at Les Rêveries for the light of Lake Biel, a stop in Solothurn, the table of Le Cochon rose in the heights, then east to the Fischerhäuser to finish with your feet in Lake Constance: a crossing of small-town Switzerland, at the height of history. The rest of the collection — mayens, palazzi and rustici — awaits you in the full guide.
