Dating back to the 11th Century, Grandson Castle is one of the best preserved medieval fortresses in Switzerland.
Some say “you’ve seen one medieval castel, you’ve seen ’em all.” Tested Travel couldn’t disagree more! Grandson Castle is beautifully preserved and restored, manageable in size, and a great place to visit.
Location
Located in central Switzerland, near Lake Neuchâtel, Grandson Castle is easy to get to by car or train (Yverdon-les-Bains train station and then a short local bus ride). Grandson Castle once sat at the edge of Lake Neuchâtel, but flooding-prevention measures lowered the level of the lake in the 1800s. The Castle is now a short drive from the lake (this makes an excellent two-stop visit in the summer months!).
The Fortress
Grandson is a good-size castle that doesn’t get as much notice as other castles in Switzerland. The site contains the interior courtyard, interior rooms to explore, as well as grounds within the fortress walls. There is a 150-meter walkway around the battlement that is a fun (though a bit scary) walk.
More modern additions, the Castle also has a cafe and a great gift shop.
Activites
This is a great visit for travelers of all ages. The Castle has four interesting collections — arms and armor (as many swords as you can possibly imagine!); crossbows; Burgundian treasure (war loot!); and a regional museum which houses a really interesting mix of items collected from the area. Some of the items are ancient (dating back to 4000 BC) and some are more modern (items from everyday life of the 19th Century).
Tested Travel visited Grandson Castle during a festival day. There were people in period costumes, medieval foods and crafts, and the kids could dress up and pretend to be knights. A good time was had by all.
To learn more about Grandson Castle, visit their website.