Monts Castle (Le Locle)

The history of Château des Monts began in 1778 when Jeanne-Marie Sandoz-Gendre bequeathed the Les Monts estate to her daughter, Marie-Henriette. Marie-Henriette was married to Samuel DuBois, an officer and watchmaker. Between 1780 and 1790, DuBois had a representative stately home built on his wife's inherited property, which he later expanded. Gabriel DeLaGrange is presumed to be the architect. Locals quickly named the building “Château des Monts.” In 1820, the property passed to the grandchildren Frédéric-William and Julie-Françoise. Frédéric-William DuBois, a talented watchmaker and socialist, left his mark on the estate. The DuBois family line ended in 1911. The following year, Georges Ducommun, the founder of Doxa, acquired the château. He had the farmhouse demolished and the park landscaped in the English style. The château later passed to his daughter Hélène Nardin, who sold it to the city of Le Locle in 1954 to establish a historical museum and watch museum there.

Château des Monts is located in Le Locle, in the district of Le Locle, Canton of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, at an altitude of approximately 1046 m above sea level.

Today, Château des Monts serves as a museum. Its interior furnishings are largely preserved in their early 20th-century state, offering an authentic glimpse into the life of wealthy bourgeois families in the Neuchâtel mountains.

• Château Borcarderie (Valangin), approx. 12.8 km away
• Château Valangin (Castle), approx. 13.1 km away
• Château Peseux (Castle), approx. 13.5 km away
• Château Fenin (Castle), approx. 13.8 km away