Travel. Switzerland
Unusual and Fun Places to Spend the Night in Switzerland — Part 2
Nighttime adventures beyond the traditional chalet.
If you are anything like me, you’ve probably dreamt of sleeping in a treehouse as a child. It seemed like the ultimate adventure on par with sailing away on a pirate ship. I grew up in the suburbs with manicured lawns, carefully tended flower beds and recorder lessons after school. No treehouses or pirate ships in sight. A very tame place for a child with a wild imagination.
When I heard about the treehouses in the canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland, I knew this was my chance to make my childhood dream come true. My husband who, as a boy, loved to climb up the cherry tree in his parent’s garden with his best friend was — of course — up for the adventure. He was at least as excited as I was. Because the treehouses in the Neuchâtel Jura region of Switzerland are no longer an absolute insiders’ tip, we only found one date a few weeks away with an opening — in the off-season.
The wait was worth it: When we arrived, we were charmed by the four houses 16 to 26 feet (5 to 8 meters) high up in the sturdy ash trees. Two of the houses are suited for families and groups up to four people and the smaller two are best for singles or couples. The treehouses, affectionally named “Les Nids — the nests”, are close to a camp site with an outdoor swimming pool and a winding nature trail lined with majestic Douglas firs. Situated at the edge of the forest, the treehouses truly look like spacious nests for big birds that have lost their ability to fly — like the famed Dodo.
A wooden ramp leads up to our treehouse named “La Mésange — the chickadee”. It looked cozy and inviting. We opened the door and were impressed by the interior. The tiny house up in the trees is equipped with a double bed, a bathroom with a shower and a small kitchen with a fridge. The best feature, at least on a cool, rainy day, is the high-tech wood pellet stove. The heat can be adjusted by thermostat and the wood pellets burn almost completely without smoke or smells. Through a glass window in the stove, we watched the dancing flames. We immediately felt at home.
As soon as we closed the door behind us, it started to rain. It was wonderful to be inside and to listen to the drumming sound of the raindrops on the roof. The house swayed softly in the light wind and we felt like we were living in our own fairy-tale world.
Soon, a squirrel arrived and looked into our window. It quickly ran away the moment we spotted it. In this area of the world, squirrels are very shy, and we were lucky to see one. We put some sunflower seeds on the ramp’s railing, hoping the squirrel would come back. It did, but as soon as it saw some movement inside our tiny house, it disappeared again. Soon, birds stopped by to check out the new tree top dwellers — we saw nuthatches, chickadees, and robins from our windows.
Jean-Paul Vuilleumier, who owns the nests with his wife Karin, knows a thing or two about dreams and treehouses. A carpenter by trade, he has built treehouses as long as he can remember: for himself as a boy and later for and with his children. When the Swiss Expo came to the Neuchâtel area in 2002, he wanted to offer a special kind of accommodation to overnight visitors.
He built the first treehouse for guests. It was so popular even long after the Expo that he constructed three additional houses complete with heaters, showers and kitchens in 2007 and 2008. “I wanted to offer a unique and comfortable place”, he says, “and a special guest house that people can enjoy throughout the seasons.” While hiking, mountain biking and visits to the nearby picturesque towns are popular in the spring and summer, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are fun winter activities in the area.
After we had cooked and eaten our spaghetti dinner, my husband and I talked about childhood dreams and adventures — like climbing trees and getting into trouble for jumping off the balcony of a building under construction into a sand pile. Those were different times — our parents were strict, but we could still find pockets of freedom to roam, explore and follow our imagination.
The time passed quickly without TV or internet in the treehouse. Tired and content, we fell asleep. I enjoyed the gentle rocking motion of the treehouse as images of colorful birds, dream castles and pirate ships appeared before my inner eye.
The next morning, I woke up to the smell of coffee my husband Stefan had prepared and I had my first cup sitting in bed and looking out of the panorama windows into the trees. Soon after, Jean-Paul Vuilleumier put some freshly baked bread rolls and croissants into a clothes bag. We used the small pulley system to hoist the fragrant baked goods up to our treehouse. The hosts had put butter and jam for us in the fridge. Delicious.
Soon, it was time to go. As the treehouses are only about 10 miles from the French border, we decided to hike along the river Doubs. The hike led us through a forest trail with spectacular views of chalk rocks and moss-covered trees. Further along, we came to a stunning waterfall and eventually to the famous watchmaker town of Le Locle, the third smallest city in Switzerland home to world-famous brands such as Rolex, Tissot and Montblanc (more on that in another article).
The area has much to offer, from beautiful hikes to historic castles to boat tours on one of the three lakes in the region, Lake Neuchâtel, Lake Biel and Lake Morat.
If you are afraid of heights but still want to sleep in an unusual place, the podhouses on the camp site TCS Camping Gampelen Neuenburgersee on the shore of Lake Neuchâtel may be an option. The podhouses are rustic and minimalist. They are perfect for a mini adventure when you want the hassle-free camping feeling but didn’t bring your tent. The podhouses are in the middle of the camp site and while it’s fun to sleep in a tiny wooden house, it is by far not as enchanting and comfortable as sleeping in a treehouse.
Whether you prefer a treehouse, a podhouse, a yurt or an iglu (as covered in part 1 of the series), there are many unique ways to spend the night in Switzerland. Sleeping in unusual places makes for unforgettable adventures and beautiful memories. In my case, it also helped me fulfill a childhood dream and share a unique experience with my husband who loves traveling and mini adventures as much as I do.
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