The Pro Natura Center allows you to discover the region's flora and fauna.
A gateway to Swiss nature and biodiversity
- The center is located in Grande Cariçaie, Switzerland's largest lakeside marshland, on the southern shore of Lake Neuchâtel.
- It covers around 40 hectares of reed beds, wet meadows, alluvial forests, and marshes—habitats that are rich in flora and fauna.
- Grande Cariçaie is home to remarkable biodiversity: around 800 plant species and 10,000 animal species.
A historic site & discovery center
- The heart of the center is located in the Château de Champ-Pittet, built between 1788 and 1791. This historic building is classified as a “cultural asset of national importance.”
- Since 1985, the castle and estate have been home to the Pro Natura nature center, as well as the organization's headquarters in French-speaking Switzerland.
Visits, trails, and nature activities
- You can walk along several nature trails (marshes, forest, meadows, gardens) — many of which are accessible with strollers or wheelchairs.
- The marsh trail has ~2 km of footbridges/pontoons, crossing reed beds, wet meadows, and quiet areas. There are observatories for observing flora and fauna (birds, amphibians, etc.).
- There are also themed gardens—a garden of yesteryear, a “garden of feelings,” a garden of heirloom varieties—which illustrate plants, traditional gardening techniques, and associated biodiversity.
