The north shore of Lake Neuchâtel is a long, gentle slope of vineyards running down to the water, with villages of honey-coloured stone and the Jura rising behind. At Bevaix, on the shore below the village, archaeologists have found traces of prehistoric pile dwellings at a site known as L'Abbaye, named after a medieval priory that once stood nearby. It is one of the Swiss components of the Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps World Heritage site. Nothing is visible on the surface; the remains lie underwater or in the lake sediments. But the lakeshore is beautiful, and there is a pleasant path along the water.
The region around Neuchâtel has a special place in European archaeology. At La Tène, at the northern tip of the lake, nineteenth-century excavations uncovered a huge collection of Iron Age weapons and objects, and the name La Tène was given to an entire Celtic culture. The Laténium, a museum at Hauterive near Neuchâtel, displays many of these finds, along with objects from the pile dwellings, and it is one of the best archaeological museums in Switzerland.
The vineyards around Bevaix, Cortaillod and Boudry produce some of the best wines of western Switzerland: Chasselas, Pinot Noir and the local rosé, Œil-de-Perdrix, the partridge's eye. Boudry also has a museum of the vine and wine in its castle. A tasting in a village cellar is a fine way to end a ride.
The riding here is varied and excellent. The lakeshore road is busy, but the roads that climb into the Jura are a pleasure: from Boudry, a road follows the gorges of the Areuse towards Val-de-Travers, the home of absinthe, and the climb towards Creux du Van, a vast natural rock amphitheatre, offers views over the lake and the Alps. The Jura passes, such as La Tourne and the Vue des Alpes, have good surfaces and many bends. Speed limits are strict, as everywhere in Switzerland.
Bevaix, Cortaillod and Boudry have fuel, shops and restaurants; Neuchâtel, a short ride away, has everything. Try fish from the lake, such as perch, or a Neuchâtel fondue. Autumn here brings the grape harvest and golden vines, and the wine festival in Neuchâtel in late September is a lively celebration. Wet spells roll in from the west, so watch the sky above the Jura.