The Absinthe Festival in Switzerland

Absinthe is a much-maligned drink, associated with mad artists and green fairies, but it really doesn’t deserve the bad reputation. In the Val-de-Travers in Switzerland, the birthplace of absinthe, the annual absinthe festival seeks to put to rest those old attitudes and to celebrate this distinctive tipple.

The whole valley comes alive for a weekend every June for the ‘Absinthe en Fête, with distillers opening their doors to travellers and absinthe-lovers from around the world. The joy of the absinthe festival is the community of passionate absinthe-lovers who congregate there each year – it’s like a convention.

The absinthe festival usually takes place on the second or middle weekend in June – it is usually confirmed 6 months ahead of time via the Absinthe en Fête facebook group.

The Mystery of Absinthe

Absinthe has a mystique that has kept people curious across the centuries. From it’s conception in Couvet, Switzerland in 1792; to the prohibition which began in its native land in 1910 and then spread to many other countries in the world. This ban wasn’t lifted in Switzerland until 2005. The mystery surrounding absinthe is proliferated by the boot-legging that kept the secrets of this delicious drink alive.

As a proponent of this tipple, I recommend you don’t get drawn into all the myths of absinthe. It’s not deadly, you won’t see green fairies, and you most definitely should NOT set it (or the sugar) on fire! Come to the Val-de-Travers one year, and discover it for yourself.

FUN FACT: Absinthe has been legal in the US since 2007. Despite many bans around the world, it was never banned in the United Kingdom or Canada!

To prepare an absinthe, place a measure into an absinthe glass and triple its size with ice cold water, dripped slowly in to release the oils and flavours – this process is called a ‘louche’. Especially with the delicate Swiss blanche style absinthes, no sugar is needed.

The Absinthe Festival

How to get there

The closest airport is Geneva – and it’s a super easy 2 hour train ride or drive up into the hills.  The train is 2-3 connections from Geneva Airport, depending on the time of day, and usually has a short change in Lausanne. It costs 50-60 CHF return, depending on when you book.

The Swiss roads are a pleasure to drive on and if you have a party of people travelling the car hire is cheaper than the train.  The drive up into the hills is spectacular, especially the view of the Creux du Van you get on your way up the valley.

Places to stop on the way include:

• Lunch at the beautiful Port Ouchy near Lausanne, overlooking Lake Geneva and the promenade
• A boat ride on Lake Neuchâtel (free with the Neuchâtel Tourist Card that comes when you book a hotel in the area)
• Visit the Asphalt Mines in Travers

Where to stay at the Absinthe Festival

Couvet is a great option, as it has a train station, and many distilleries. Môtiers and Fleurier are my other picks for convenience and amenities.

• Couvet – The Hotel de l’Aigle is a traditional Swiss inn, with large rooms, good food and drink, a continental breakfast, and a lovely patio to enjoy it on. It isn’t the cheapest option, but we love it.
• Môtiers – The À Côté Bed & Breakfast is right downtown and convenient for all the festivities.
• Fleurier – Fleurier is a bigger town and has more options, including a campsite. Try the Hôtel-Restaurant du Moulin or Hôtel Le Bec Bed and Chocolate.

Absinthe En FÊte

In early years, the Absinthe Festival was based in Boveresse, one of the villages in the Val-de-Travers without a train station. And while it was always an excellent day, it was a little harder to get to than the other towns.

In more recent years, the layout of the festival has changed. The new ‘Absinthe en Fête’ is all about spreading out the fun amongst the many cellar doors of the valley, and providing extra transport to help get people around. Shuttle buses provide regular transport in a couple of loops, taking in Couvet, Boveresse, Môtiers, Fleurier, and a few other off the beaten track places. It’s a bit like an absinthe pub crawl, but with way better scenery!

You can also use the valley trains, although these are at extra cost.

Here’s what is put on for the absinthe festival day itself:

• Tickets are on sale at any of the distilleries involved – you will get an absinthe glass and holder, a guide and tokens for tastings for 20 CHF
• There are many cellar doors open around the valley, plus the (Maison de l’Absinthe) in Môtiers, and the drying sheds in Boveresse are open for viewing; and show how the precious wormwood is dried ready for inclusion in the absinthe
• Restaurants will also put on special absinthe dishes
• Shuttle buses running from 10am – 6pm on the Saturday
• There is an evening party with food trucks, concerts and more absinthe, usually at the park in Môtiers from 6pm

The Val-de-Travers

The Val-de-Travers is a scenic valley in the canton of Neuchâtel, in western Switzerland, near the French border. Beyond absinthe, the valley offers striking Jura landscapes, dotted with forests, limestone cliffs, and caves. The charming villages, quiet roads, and a more low-key, local vibe are a breath of fresh air compared to Switzerland’s more tourist-heavy regions. 

Couvet

Couvet is home to the Artémisia-Bugnon Distillery – home of La Clandestine absinthe.  Claude-Alain Bugnon is a fantastic and passionate absinthe distiller – one of the many absinthe makers active clandestinely in the valley before the ban was lifted in 2005. He was the first to jump through the government hoops when it became legal again, and paved the way for many more after him.

We are proud to be friends with Claude-Alain and his wife, Karine. They welcome us each year with their many beautiful absinthes and fantastic tasting rooms (the main one in Couvet, and a satellite store in Môtiers).

Couvet’s other distilleries include: Absinthe La Valote Martin, Distillerie Wanner, Distillerie Wyttenbach and Distillerie d’Absinthe Persoz (where the charming hostess, Gaudentia, dresses as a fairy for extra effect)!

Môtiers

Môtiers is home to the Maison de l’Absinthe (Absinthe Museum), where you can learn more about the history of absinthe in the area and process of production. They also have a bar, full of hundreds of types of absinthe to try.

I highly recommend a spot of lunch at the marvellous Les Six Communes restaurant.

We always pay a visit to distiller Christophe Racine’s absinthe distillery shop in Môtiers, alongside his own great offerings, they sell boutique absinthes from all over the area.

My favourite absinthe comes from Môtiers, from Distillery Absinthe Bovet La Valote. Françoise makes some beautiful absinthes in the name of her father, Willy Bovet – my favourite is ‘Nostalgie’, a subtle and endlessly delicious blanche.

Fleurier

In Fleurier, you’ll find commerce, a history of horology (Parmigiani Fleurier, Vaucher, and Bovet), and plenty of amenities. Look up into the jagged mountains and see Chapeau de Napoleon, a former restaurant perched up an impossible hill.

Distillers in Fleurier: Absinthe Grand, Distillery Stillerie, Absinthe de l’Herboriste, Absintherie Celle à Guilloud.

Other things to do on a Weekend in the Val-de-Travers

Séchoir à Absinthe

Visit the Absinthe drying house to learn about how they dried this famous herb. Farming equipment, drying racks and history of this ancient practice can be seen in an unassuming shed in Boveresse.

Where there are distillers based too far out of town to have a cellar door, these are sometimes showcased here at the Séchoir during the festival.

Visit a Secret Fountain

A visit to one of the many secret fountains in the hills is a must. The locals will tell you where to find one. Sitting in the forest, louching your absinthe from a mountain spring, it is quite the most gorgeous thing!

They are often quite hidden, but ask the right people and you’ll be given instructions on how to find one. You’ll find a cabinet (usually carved from a tree stump), with glasses and a bottle of absinthe (stocked by local distilleries), and a stream with which to louch your absinthe.

Surrounded by the gorgeous forests, it is truly a magical moment.

Visit a Mountain Auberge or Fondue Restaurant

The absinthe festival may take place in June, but you must enjoy some of the remote inns dotted around the valley and the hearty Swiss fare. Here are some of our favourites:

• Take the ski-lift up to Restaurant Chez Katon à la Robellaz – gorgeous in all seasons
• Go off the beaten track for fondue at Hôtel de la Truite in Brot-Dessous
• Climb into the mountains, amongst the cowbell-wearing cows, for Röschti pizza at Les Preisettes
• Admire the Creux du Van at restaurants either above (Restaurant Le Soliat) or below (La Ferme Robert)

Pontarlier

If there is time, visits to the Distillerie Les Fils d’Emile Pernot in La Cluse-et-Mijoux; and to the Guy distillery in Pontarlier are a must for absinthe fans. Just over the border in France, it is worth visiting Pontarlier for a look at the early adopters of French absinthe.

We had a wonderful tour of the Guy distillery and private museum on one of our visits, and they had an array of pine liquors that were fascinating too!

The Absinthe Festival in Switzerland

The Absinthe Festival / Party weekend in Switzerland is a truly lovely weekend of great food, drink and company. If you are in town on the Friday night, there is usually a fondue party organised for the crew of regulars who flock here. Ask your hotel for details, as there are usually a few events surrounding the festival itself.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to share my passion for this misunderstood drink with you; and to show you the magic of the Val-de-Travers.

Check out our adventures at the Fête de la Musique in France too!

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All photos & content © Hannah Henderson and may not be used without permission (sharing this blog post is fine, though!). Images shot with a Canon DSLR T3i Rebel + Canon EF 35-80mm f/4-5.6 III; and an iPhone.