Hôtel DuPeyrou, garden and outbuildings, including the History Galleries

Hôtel DuPeyrou in Neuchâtel is an eighteenth-century mansion with a garden in the heart of the Swiss town, listed in the national inventory of cultural property. The courtyard outbuildings hold the Galeries de l'histoire, a display of city models.

What is the Hôtel DuPeyrou?

Bernese architect Erasme Ritter designed the mansion, and construction ran roughly from 1765 to 1771. The client was Pierre-Alexandre DuPeyrou, born in Suriname, whose fortune came from plantations there. The symmetrical, neoclassical-leaning facade was meant to show off the owner's standing.

What is the Rousseau connection?

DuPeyrou was a close friend of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and, after the philosopher's death, took charge of publishing his writings. The first complete edition of the works appeared in Geneva in 1788, and the second part of the Confessions followed in 1790. Rousseau-related manuscripts went to the city library, today's Espace Rousseau. The sphinxes at the garden entrance are what remains of a planned Egyptian-style monument to the writer that was never built.

What is the garden like?

The estate originally had an orangery and a French-style garden. In 1765 DuPeyrou received permission to lay out a public promenade behind the house, the origin of today's English Garden. The grounds were fully renovated and officially reopened in August 2023. It is a quiet place for a stroll right in the centre.

What will you see in the Galeries de l'histoire?

The north building of the courtyard houses seven models showing Neuchâtel's urban growth from the year 1000 to 2000. They make it easy to follow how the town spread around its castle and down to the lake. A municipal report notes that this building was historically not part of the mansion's ensemble, although the Swiss inventory lists it together with the hôtel and garden.

What happened to the building later?

The house changed hands several times. Frédéric de Pourtalès bought it in 1799, and the city acquired it in 1858. Its salons were restored under architect Léo Châtelain. Today the palace hosts a gastronomic restaurant.

How do you get there, and when should you go?

The site lies in Neuchâtel at about 46.994° N, 6.933° E, close to the lake and the old town, within walking distance of the centre. The garden is best from late spring to early autumn, when the planting is at its fullest. Check the city or museum websites for gallery opening times before you visit.

Frequently asked questions

Who built the Hôtel DuPeyrou? Erasme Ritter designed it for Pierre-Alexandre DuPeyrou, and it went up between about 1765 and 1771.

Is the garden open to visitors? Yes. It is a public garden, officially reopened after renovation in August 2023.

What do the Galeries de l'histoire show? Seven models of Neuchâtel's development between 1000 and 2000.

Why are there sphinxes at the garden? They survive from a planned Egyptian-style monument to Rousseau that was never completed.