Hôtel des Horlogers: There Is Still Time
In the Vallée de Joux, much revolves around time. In the workshops of the great watchmaking manufacturers, it is translated into tiny gears, springs and movements, into precision that proves itself even after years and decades. At Hôtel des Horlogers, the clocks seem to follow a rhythm of their own.
Architecture in Harmony with the Landscape
Outside, in the Vaud Jura, different units of measurement apply. The forest begins just behind the hotel, Lac de Joux lies between the hills, and with a little luck, the lake freezes over enough in winter to glide across its surface. Hôtel des Horlogers in Le Brassus stands right in the middle of this landscape and firmly within its traditions. The former Hôtel de France was long a meeting place for travellers, watchmakers and people from the region. Today, it has become a hotel with 50 rooms and suites, designed by BIG, the architectural firm of Danish architect Bjarke Ingels. The building winds through the terrain in a series of bends, as though making way for the landscape rather than rising above it. Paths and ramps lead across the building and back out into the open air. You can quickly find yourself outside without feeling as though you have left the hotel.
The Vallée de Joux at Your Doorstep
The surrounding landscape remains present indoors, too. The materials and shapes draw on motifs from the region: the Risoud Forest, fossilised ammonites, mycelium, dry-stone walls and the lakes of the Jura. The rooms are quietly designed, with large windows and views of the greenery. There are spaces to retreat to, but little reason to spend the entire day inside them. The Vallée de Joux is right on the doorstep, and the valley lets you choose how to explore it: on foot, by bicycle or, in winter, on cross-country skis. Some 220 kilometres of trails run through the region; when temperatures allow, Lac de Joux becomes one of Europe’s largest natural ice surfaces.
Where Precision Has a Long Tradition
The hotel’s name tells the story of its origins. Watchmaking has a long history in the Vallée de Joux, and manufacturers such as Jaeger-LeCoultre and Audemars Piguet continue to shape the area today. Anyone curious to discover what precision means here can visit the workshops and museums. Those who prefer the more elemental things can head into the forest. Both belong to this region: the patient work on a tiny mechanism and the sight of a landscape that remains entirely unimpressed.
Regional Cuisine and Time for Yourself
At Hôtel des Horlogers, the cuisine is also closely connected to the region. At Brasserie Le Gogant, seasonal products from the surrounding area are served. In the local dialect, the name refers to an exceptionally imposing fir tree – a fitting image for a hotel that prefers to blend into the landscape rather than outshine it. For a special evening, there is the Table des Horlogers, where chef Emmanuel Renaut, awarded three Michelin stars, creates menus using regional ingredients. Dining takes place in an intimate setting with a maximum of eight guests.
Experiencing Time Differently
The idea of reclaiming time reveals itself here less through grand gestures than through the ordinary rhythm of the day. A walk that lasts longer than expected. A lunch where nobody looks at the clock. An afternoon at Spa by Alpeor, whose skincare products are based on Swiss plants and scientific research. The hotel follows a regenerative approach intended to go beyond energy efficiency and waste reduction: it works with the Jura vaudois Nature Park, supports local producers and donates an amount to the nature park for every bottle of water purchased. In the end, “Make Time” does not mean creating a new schedule with more free hours. It is more about the possibility of experiencing time differently.
In the Vallée de Joux, you do not have to do much to achieve that. You can take the forest path, stop by the lake or order another coffee. The clock keeps ticking. You simply look at it less often.
Photos: Gregor Hofbauer
