15th Watchmaking town planning Festival

The towns of Le Locle and La Chaux-de-Fonds have had parallel lives. Although Le Locle, the common mother town, was founded almost a century before its neighbour, both towns, which had been heavily involved in the watchmaking industry since the mid-18th century, saw their centres ravaged by fire. These tragedies prompted the authorities to think hard about how to plan the reconstruction and future development of the two towns.

The 2024 edition of the Fête de l'urbanisme horloger will focus on the villages of Le Locle and La Chaux-de-Fonds as they were when Charles-Henri Junod drew up the town plans. It's an opportunity to show how the major development of the watchmaking industry in the Neuchâtel mountains in the first third of the 19th century shaped the way they look today. The exceptional universal value of these urban ensembles was included on UNESCO's World Heritage List fifteen years ago.

On Saturday in Le Locle and Sunday in La Chaux-de-Fonds, you can look forward to a host of free events, including guided tours on foot and by miniature train, a show, a randocroquis, puppet-making and the inauguration of the Fire & Place trail. An aperitif and a brunch will also provide an opportunity to enjoy some convivial moments around watchmaking urbanism.