A watchmaking getaway

In Le Brassus, a simple potion is all you need to slip into an enchanted world. The infusion is called “Vaulion Memories” and is best enjoyed under the tree roots growing from the ceiling at the reception of the Hôtel des Horlogers. One sip and the tone is set: spectacular and authentic; an homage to the Vallée de Joux.

The visionary Hôtel des Horlogers is the first Swiss establishment to have been officially certified Minergie ECO for its particularly environmentally friendly building and daily operations. The structure’s elegant, diagonally tiered façade blends in seamlessly with the surrounding hillside, with the rooms arranged along gently sloping hallways. The large, wide windows offer spectacular views of the valley, with its mysterious autumn mists and bucolic spring season, dotted with fields, pine trees, and the blue streak of the Orbe River. Here you can expect a truly unique experience, complete with extraordinary ambiance and architecture, at both the Hôtel des Horlogers and the Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet.

The coil of time
Watchmaking has reigned in this valley for almost three centuries. Audemars Piguet created the Musée Atelier to celebrate the extremely precise art of watchmaking and the aesthetic that accompanies it. Danish architect Bjarke Ingels of BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) designed both the hotel and the museum, with its spiral-shaped pavilion entirely supported by curved glass. The museum’s steel roof coils are covered with local grass, making the structure seem like a natural part of the surrounding countryside.

The building’s walls are breath-taking — 108 load-bearing walls made of glass that are 12 cm thick! As the distinction between inside and outside blurs, natural light fills the museum and workshops. It’s in this building that the most complicated watch movements and adornments meticulously take place. The watchmakers work with a view over the valley, amongst a display of 300 exceptional watches.

The museum’s spirals guide your visit, which is highlighted by two exceptional timepieces: the 1899 Universelle pocket watch in the centre of the spiral on permanent display, and the Code 11.59 Ultra-Complication Universelle RD#4, which is part of the “Simply Complicated” exhibit on display until late 2024. Inspired by the original Universelle, this 2023 model is as complex as it is ergonomic, uniting 1100 components, 17 technical innovations, 40 functions and 23 complications that are beautifully controlled by only 3 push-pieces and 3 crown-pushers.

The Table des Horlogers
Since February 2024 the valley has welcomed a new addition: the Table des Horlogers at the Hôtel des Horlogers. As a compliment to the hotel’s existing Brasserie Le Gogand and the Bar des Horlogers, the more intimate Table des Horlogers takes guests on a gourmet culinary journey that highlights local ingredients. Fine dining aside, André Cheminade, the establishment’s Director, highlighted the establishment’s overall mission: “The Audemars Piguet Foundation board wanted to ensure we remain accessible to everyone in the valley. That’s why we have the best priced coffee in the area and a daily lunch special for around 20 CHF. The truth is we have enough points to be classified as a five-star establishment, but we prefer to keep at four — it’s less intimidating!”

“We invite you to take your shoes off and experience a walk through the Risoud Forest,” smiles the maître d and sommelier dedicated to the Table des Horlogers. With your feet gently planted in wood chips and moss beneath the table (which seats 2-8 people), the immersive experience features décor that evolves to match the seasons. At the time of writing, it’s the final moments of winter with a hint of spring that welcomes guests around a central table, where they peck delicately like birds on the various chips and appetizers placed on wooden platters. The menu features 8 courses and numerous sides that celebrate both local ingredients and talents with one core value: it’s all homemade. The concept is the brainchild of Chef Emmanuel Renaut (three Michelin stars at Flocons de Sel in Megève) and the hotel’s Executive Chef Alessandro Cannata, who is running the show backstage in the kitchen with her team. Root bullion, asparagus tart, black truffle gnocchi, pine needle lake fish, coffee veal fillet… every dish surprises and delights. The coffee itself is torrefied in the village — a requirement of the Minergie ECO certification, which obliges that ingredients be sourced from a close proximity.

Here, the region’s heritage is highly respected and beautifully complimented by excellence and ingenuity in every bite.

museeatelier.audemarspiguet.com
hoteldeshorlogers.com