They go back to the Big Bang … walking. On the heights of Neuchâtel, the time path opens in a whole new version. Created in 2000, this forest course was refurbished for the summer and presented in early July. Jonathan Grétillat, municipal councilor in charge of tourism in Neuchâtel said “that thanks to the help of Neuchâtel tourism and the Museum of Natural History, the city was able to renovate this path to make it more accessible, fun and immersive. »»
Now, visitors start from our era, in terms of the arrival of funicular, to reach the rock of the hermitage and thus go back billions of years to the birth of the solar system. All in the other sense than before: “it makes it possible to make narration more intuitive”, details Thierry Malvesy, conservative to the Museum of Natural History. “Everything is thought and thinks: indeed, 100 meters correspond to 100 million years,” he adds.
In addition, modernized panels, a temporal frieze, illustrations and a quiz for children mark the layout, while areas of redeveloped rest punctuate the ride. Colorful signage, in the form of wooden terminals, also symbolize the millions of years traveled.
According to Léna Brina, delegate to tourism in the city of Neuchâtel, “the contents were also rewritten and popularized to suit children from the age of 8, while remaining scientifically rigorous. Each panel corresponds to a major geological era, illustrated by anecdotes or speaking examples, in French and German. “The objective of this revaluation is therefore to learn while having fun,” smiles Léna Brina.
This new Time Trail wants to be part of “a broader vision of promoting soft mobility, valuation of natural heritage and dynamization of the tourist offer in Chaumont”, adds Léna BRINAT.
From left to right: Léna Brina, tourism delegate, Jonathan Gretillat, municipal councilor, and Thierry Malvesy, curator at the Museum, were present this Thursday, July 3 in Chaumont. They presented the renovation of the time path.
The site is freely accessible and free all summer. Additional installations, such as playgrounds and picnic, are still expected for this year and in 2026. The renovation of the path is part of the motion accepted last May by the General Council. The text asked to strengthen the tourist attractiveness of Chaumont while respecting and focusing on public transport. Of the 300,000 francs allocated by the city council of the city, between 200,000 and 250,000 francs have already been engaged to materialize the various developments. /Ifr
