Vallée de la Brévine
The Vallée de la Brévine is a high valley in the Neuchâtel Jura , in western Switzerland . It extends in a southwest-northeast direction, is 20 kilometers long and an average of one kilometer wide.
topography
The valley lies in a syncline in the Folded Jura . On its northwest side it is accompanied by the Larmont Jura range (up to 1,300 m above sea level ), across which the border between Switzerland and France runs. A broad ridge stretches on the southeast side, which culminates in the Crêt du Cervelet ( 1308 m above sea level ) and has characteristic extensive high Jura pastures and forests. The north-eastern end of the valley is the Grand Som Martel ( 1337 m above sea level ).
The bottom of the valley itself is largely flat and boggy in various places. It is on average at 1050 m above sea level. M. , the lowest point is 1035 m above sea level. M. in a sinkhole north of the hamlet of Bémont. The Vallée de la Brévine forms a polje . All of the surface water flows underground. There is no longer running water on the surface, small rivulets disappear after a short run above ground in ponors (swallow holes). The water of the Lac des Taillères also seeps into the fissure system of the lake floor.
climate
The high valley is characterized by a harsh climate. Due to its complete isolation from the environment, a constant cold air lake can form here in winter in radiation nights and in low wind locations. Temperatures of –30 ° C are therefore not uncommon. The absolute minimum of -41.8 ° C was measured in La Brévine on January 12, 1987. It is the lowest temperature ever measured at an official station in Switzerland. This gave the valley the name "Siberia of Switzerland".
population
The region of La Brévine was almost completely forested in the 13th century. It was not until the 15th century that the first clearings gradually began and the area was settled. Today there are three municipalities in the Vallée de la Brévine: the eponymous La Brévine in the central part, La Chaux-du-Milieu in the northeast of the valley and Le Cerneux-Péquignot also in the northeast, a little outside the actual valley floor. Numerous individual farms are scattered over the entire valley floor.
Agriculture is by far the most important industry. There is pasture farming with cattle breeding, but hardly any arable farming because of the altitude. In some places between La Brévine and La Chaux-du-Milieu, peat is still cut on a small scale, mostly for use as gardening soil or for personal use. During the two world wars, however, the peat was extracted mechanically and used as fuel.
