The Route de l'Absinthe
bsinthe has never belonged to one village alone.
Established in 2007 as a Swiss-French initiative, the Route de l'Absinthe brings together the Val-de-Travers in Switzerland and the Pontarlier region in France: two territories bound by a shared destiny shaped by the Green Fairy. Invented in Couvet in the 18th century and later industrially developed in Pontarlier, absinthe forged an economic, cultural and symbolic link between these landscapes long before modern borders defined them.
Today, the Route connects more than 80 agricultural, historical, cultural and artisanal partners devoted to absinthe. Distilleries, botanical fields, former drying houses, smuggling paths, museum collections and contemporary creators together trace the journey of a spirit that survived prohibition, myth and controversy.
Designed with a philosophy of gentle tourism, the itinerary may be explored on foot, by road or via public transport, winding through forests, mountain villages and quiet Jura landscapes.
The Route de l'Absinthe is a cross-border territory of living heritage.
