The Cascade du Dard is a 20-metre waterfall hidden in the gorge of the Nozon, a short walk from the medieval abbey village of Romainmôtier. The fall drops in a single ribbon into a cirque of mossy, fern-hung cliffs, a cool green pocket that feels far older and wilder than the gentle Jura plateau just above it.
The walk
The falls are a short walk from Romainmôtier, following the signed heritage trail (Sentier du Patrimoine, SwitzerlandMobility route 124) up the wooded gorge of the Nozon. The path is steep in places and, being shaded, can be muddy or slippery after rain, so wear proper shoes; otherwise it is a varied little outing, with the abbey, the river and the waterfall along the way. You can also start from the railway at Croy and walk in, or carry on along trail 124 towards La Sarraz.
The exact route and the official signposting are maintained by the regional tourism office (linked below); the marked trails are also shown on the swisstopo map above, which you can open full-screen.
Getting there
It is an easy trip car-free: trains from Yverdon-les-Bains toward Vallorbe stop at Croy-Romainmôtier, a short walk from the village where the trail begins. See getting here for the wider picture of trains to the region, and the Romainmôtier page for the abbey itself.
Good to know
- Season. Year-round, and fullest in spring with the snowmelt; the gorge is shaded and cool in summer.
- Combine it. Pair the falls with Romainmôtier and its 10th-century abbey church, one of the oldest in Switzerland, a few minutes’ walk away.
- Source. The route and access are from the regional tourism office: Yverdon-les-Bains Region. Map data © swisstopo.
