The Maison de l’Absinthe is a museum dedicated to topic of Swiss absinthe production. You will find the museum in Switzerland’s Val-de-Travers, within the canton of Neuchâtel. This valley lies among the Jura mountains in French-speaking Switzerland.
Maison de l’absinthe
In the former courthouse where Swiss absinthe distillers used to be prosecuted during the ban on this notorious alcoholic beverage, also known as the “green fairy,” a new museum opened last year: the Maison de l’absinthe. Located in the charming village of Motiers, it taught me some surprising facts about the history of absinthe in Switzerland, including a fascinating tale involving an absinthe soufflé. During the ban, which lasted for nearly 100 years, absinthe production continued in secret, despite the potential consequences facing distillers if they were caught.
Along with many other absinthe-related facts, the museum teaches you about the ingredients used to produce a beverage once believed to cause hallucinations and psychosis. Thujone, a toxic component found in two key ingredients for absinthe — Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) and Roman wormwood (Artemisia pontica), supposedly induced these symptoms. In large quantities, thujone can be detrimental to your health. However, the amount of today’s absinthe you would have to drink to reach these toxic levels would likely kill you first.
Sampling absinthe at the museum’s café
Altogether, it takes about an hour or so to tour the museum. After your visit, you can stop in the museum’s absinthe bar for a taste of the formerly clandestine drink. My husband and I shared three different types of absinthe, each getting progressively stronger.
Our absinthe was served with a fountain of ice cold water dripping into the glass. When you add water slowly to the absinthe, it takes on a cloudy white color. For the last absinthe we tried, the strongest and most green of the three, we laid a special flat and slotted spoon over the glass with a cube of sugar on top. As we added the water slowly into the glass, the cube of sugar dissolved and sweetened the bitter drink.
Serving absinthe to the French President
At the Maison de l’absinthe, I heard an interesting story that explained how the ban on absinthe, which started back in 1910 (Swiss citizens voted in favor of the ban in 1908), was eventually lifted in Switzerland. Apparently, when French President François Mitterand visited the Hôtel duPeyrou in Neuchâtel, Switzerland in 1983, the chef served him a soufflé glacé à la Fée made with absinthe (although during the trial he evidently changed his story and said it was pastis). It caused a major political scandal. This led to a trial that lasted about two years and ultimately paved the way, to some extent, for the legalization of absinthe in Switzerland in 2005.
Today, despite its past, you can easily buy absinthe in Switzerland. It’s added to chocolate and desserts, and I’ve seen it in recipes with fish. We could even have a bottle of absinthe delivered to our home, along with our normal groceries from the supermarket. However, the absinthe currently in our cupboard came from a Christmas market a few years ago. We rarely drink it, but I feel tempted to have some again after our recent visit to Val-de-Travers!
Route de l’absinthe
The Maison de l’absinthe is just one of many stops along the Route de l’absinthe. This trail highlights absinthe-related landmarks in Switzerland and across the border into France. After we left the museum in Motiers, my husband watched the kids at a nearby playground while I took a 15-minute walk to a nearby village. My goal? To catch a glimpse of another historic site on the route: Le Séchoir à absinthe. This building, located in Boveresse, represents the last remaining barn from the pre-ban era. Farmers used it for drying plants, such as wormwood and lemon balm, to make absinthe. The main structure was built in 1893 and the lean-tos were added in 1901. The Musée regional du Val-de-Travers acquired it in 1998.
More information:
If you would like to visit the Val-de-Travers and experience absinthe in its place of origin, here’s some more information:
Updated: December 28, 2022
Categories: Culinary travel, Spirits, Switzerland
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