Trans Swiss Trail, Stage 5/32

From the watch town to the granary of the Neuchatel region. Here the trail leads through a gorge, typical of the limestone Jura chain. Descent through a shady forest into the Val de Ruz. The valley is dominated by the Chasseral with its large antenna.

The approximately 15-kilometre hike begins at the St-Imier stop. The trail leads through the village and past the Collégiale de Saint-Imier before leaving the houses behind. Yellow-marked hiking trails lead to Sonvilier. From there, stretches of woodland and open meadows and pastures characterise the ascent; settlements become less frequent, and the Jura heights dominate the scenery.

Continuing over a succession of ascents and descents, the route heads towards Mont d’Amin. After around nine kilometres, it reaches its highest point at approximately 1,180 metres. By then, most of the total ascent of around 560 metres has been completed. Derrière-Pertuis soon comes into view, and the trail later crosses open countryside to Les Vieux-Prés. The final section gradually loses elevation and ends in Chézard St-Martin. Just over four hours should be allowed for the entire route. The Chézard-St-Martin, Grand-Chézar stop is just under 250 metres from the finishing point.