Guided Tour: Watchmaking Town

During this tour you will learn more about his works, quirks, and revolutionary ideas. The philosopher, educator, composer and botanist Jean-Jacques Rousseau, fled in the year 1765 to St-Peter’s Island to escape from the disputes his writings had brought him. He found peace, serenity and pure nature. After Rousseau’s stay, the small unknown paradise became an important stage for travelers on the educational Grand Tour between London and Rome. Take a walk along the same paths, enjoy the lovely countryside and listen to excerpts from his musical composition. Feeling the esprit of the 18th century has never been so easy.

During this tour you gain insight into urban living, the economy and the combination of city and nature in Biel. Shaped by the congress house and the alternative Chessu culture centre, Place de l'Esplanade is the starting point for this guided tour. With Hugo Bikes, the participants pass residential areas, the railway freight yard, and soon reach the new district surrounding the Swatch Group. A mix between contemporary architecture and the revitalized Schüss shows a new side to this multi-faceted and vibrant town through sustainable projects.