Château de Vaumarcus, Castle in Vaumarcus, canton of Neuchâtel, Switzerland

Château de Vaumarcus is a medieval castle built on a rocky outcrop at the edge of Lake Neuchâtel, in the canton of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. The building is classified as a class B Swiss cultural property of regional significance and shows several phases of construction, visible in its uneven, tall profile.

The castle was originally held by the Vaumarcus family, who sold it in 1308 to Count Rollin of Neuchâtel due to financial difficulties. After Swiss forces burned it following the battle of Grandson in 1476, it passed through several hands, including the Bonstetten and Büren families.

The castle's name comes from the Vaumarcus lordship, whose last heiress, Anne, married Johann-Ulrich von Bonstetten on 3 November 1577, bringing the estate to the Bonstetten family. From 1599 Johann-Ulrich headed the lordship, raised to a barony four years earlier. A local court kept civil and criminal jurisdiction until 1832.

The castle is open to visitors and since 1978 has housed a conference centre, a café, guest rooms and a cultural centre. It stands on a spur above the La Vaux valley near Lake Neuchâtel, and the exterior can be reached on foot from the village of Vaumarcus.

The original entrance to the castle was more than 23 feet (7 meters) above ground level and could only be reached by a removable wooden stairway that was taken away in times of danger. This arrangement shows how much the inhabitants feared attack and how far they went to protect themselves.