Neuchatel, Switzerland (Part 2)

 

I'm still making my way around Lake Neuchatel, the largest lake located entirely in Switzerland. This is Colombier Castle which dates back to the 1500's. Located in Colombier (population 5,000), it's still used as a federal military training center.

A view of the entrance into Colombier Castle.

That's Lake Neuchatel with vineyards. Switzerland produces quite a bit of wine. Why don't you ever hear about Swiss wine? Not much is exported as the Swiss drink most of it. 

Cycling though farming villages I unexpectedly come across this complex of new buildings in the outskirts of Boudry (population 6,000). It's a new campus for Bristol Myers Squibb, the big American pharmaceutical company ($47 billion in revenues, 34,000 employees). 

To the right of the Bristol Myers Squibb buildings in the previous photo are two new company buildings rising up. Wow, I corner a woman coming out of the main building and learn the whole complex is a global product supply function/administrative/manufacturing facility with several thousand employees. 

Surrounded by farmland, this is a view of the backside of the Bristol Myers Squibb campus. 

The main street running through Grandson (population 3,300) takes you past medieval Grandson Castle.

Grandson Castle dates back to the 11th century. 

These crazy looking rocks reside on the side of the road as you leave Grandson.