Vallée de Tavannes
The Vallée de Tavannes, also called Orval, is a rever valley in the Bernese Jura region of Canton Berne in Switzerland.
The valley lies between the Vallon de Saint-Imier and Grandval, and is connected to these two by railroad and mountain pass.
Watchmaking in the Vallée de Tavannes has a long history, with much of the focus being on mechanization and mass production. Water power was provided by the Birse river which flows through the valley to the Rhine. Notable watchmaking towns include:
Sonceboz/Sombeval is just on the other side of the mountains from Tavannes to the southwest, and the road from there forks up the Vallon de Saint-Imier to La Chaux-de-Fonds to the west or Bienne/Biel to the south. Moutier is just on the other side of the gorges de Court from Court to the north.