Broye Valley

The Broye Valley is a quiet agricultural region on the western Swiss Plateau, running between the cantons of Vaud and Fribourg and draining toward Lake Neuchâtel. Its centre, for visitors, is the small town of Payerne, in the canton of Vaud, which has an unusual place in Swiss history because of its great Romanesque church, the Abbey of Payerne. The valley’s landscape is gentle: wide, fertile plains planted with grain, rapeseed and tobacco, low wooded hills and farms and villages that retain a rural character. It is a landscape that lies between the better-known Lake Geneva region and the Jura, and it rewards visitors who like quiet countryside and history.

The Abbey of Payerne is the main reason to come. The church was built in the 11th century as part of a Cluniac priory, a monastic house linked to the great Burgundian abbey of Cluny, and the foundation of the priory is traditionally linked to Queen Adelaide of Burgundy in the 10th century. The church is the largest Romanesque church in Switzerland, and it is considered a masterpiece of the style. Inside, the nave is high and plain, with sturdy round arches and massive piers, and the sculpted capitals of the columns carry vivid carvings of animals and figures. The simplicity of the architecture gives the interior a calm, solid feel. Over the centuries the abbey passed through different uses, including after the Reformation, when it served as a storehouse and barn, and then underwent restoration that brought back its original appearance. The tomb of Queen Bertha of Burgundy, a 10th-century queen remembered in Swiss legend for her goodness, is associated with the church.

Beyond the abbey, the town has a compact historic centre with old houses, a market square and a medieval tower, and it is a pleasant place for a coffee or lunch. The region’s cooking is that of French-speaking Switzerland and the Vaud countryside, with sausages, cheeses, local bread and wines from the vineyards of Vaud. Payerne is also known as the home of a Swiss air force base, which adds a modern note. In the valley you can walk or cycle along the Broye river and quiet farm roads, and nearby places such as Avenches, with its Roman remains, and the lakeside town of Estavayer-le-Lac make good additions to a day trip.

The valley is reached by train from Lausanne, Fribourg and Neuchâtel, with regular regional services. It suits history and architecture lovers, cyclists and anyone interested in rural Switzerland away from the main tourist routes.