Town

Moutier

Founded by St-Germain around 640 AD, Moutier has been known worldwide for over a century for its exceptional expertise in machine tool construction and for its religious and architectural heritage.

Moutier
Moutier. © Jura bernois Tourisme
Between nature and industrial savoir-faire
Although surrounded by deep gorges and wild, unspoilt mountains, there is nothing isolated about Moutier. This small city of Moutier considers itself to be a major city when the subject is its heritage. With its administrative buildings, schools and colleges, parks and other ancient buildings, it is possible to see that the town once played an active role in writing history. Machine tools were born here, and the town remains a pioneer in the development of precision engineering. The Musée du Tour Automatique retraces the fascinating history and evolution of this field of engineering.

Gorgeous frescos and stained glass windows
Moutier shares the rich heritage of the glass-maker’s art which abounds in the Jura arc. The windows of the church of Notre-Dame de la Prévôté and the collegiate church of St Germain are made from an untold number of varied pieces of glass which admit a diffuse multi-coloured light.

Major gathering and events
Moutier enjoys a long tradition of major events of a regional, national or perhaps even global significance. It is home to the “Salon des moyens de production microtechniques”, (the Micro-engineering and Tools Exhibition), the Festival Stand’été, (a summer music, theatre and art festival), as well as all kinds of sporting events.
Good to know
Good to know
    • The brochure "On foot" describes a walking tour of about 1 hour to discover this small town
    • It is available at the tourism office
    • Possibility of guided tours
Highlights

The guided tour of Moutier gives the visitor the opportunity to discover the city from all angles.

Museum dedicated to the history of the automatic lathe and the industry in Moutier.

Museum of contemporary art in Moutier.