On the lakeshore just east of Yverdon, Champ-Pittet is the Pro Natura nature centre, and the easiest, most family-friendly way into the Grande Cariçaie, the great reedbed that fringes the south shore of Lake Neuchâtel and one of Switzerland’s most important wetlands.
The centre
It is built around an old country house, the Château de Champ-Pittet, which holds interactive exhibitions on the marsh and its life, an ecological laboratory for hands-on discovery, and gardens to wander, the Observatorium and a pleasure garden among them. A restaurant looks out over the reserve, so a visit can stretch into lunch.
Out into the marsh
From the centre, discovery trails with marked stations run out to the edge of the wetland, to bird observatories and hides where you watch the marsh do its quiet work: great egrets stalking the shallows, kingfishers flashing low over the water, and the migrants that make these shores so rich. There are search-and-find games to keep children looking. The trails, gardens and observatories stay open year-round, even when the centre is shut.
Practical notes
- Season: the centre is open 28 March to 1 November 2026, Tuesday to Sunday and holiday Mondays, 10:00–17:30 (restaurant to 17:00).
- Entry: CHF 8 adult, 7 student/senior, 6 child under 16; Pro Natura members and the Swiss Museum Pass free.
- Where: Ch. de la Cariçaie 1, 1400 Cheseaux-Noréaz, a few minutes east of Yverdon, an easy ride along the lakeside cycle path or a short local bus.
Combine it
Champ-Pittet sits on the shore walk between the Clendy menhirs and the open reedbeds of the Grande Cariçaie: deep history at one end, a great wetland at the other, an easy half-day on foot or by bike.
