The site is located in the lieu-dit La Tène, which is related to the Latin tenuis evoking the shallow waters of the lake's northernmost extremity.

However, when Édouard Desor, professor of geology and paleontology, heard of the discoveries, around a year later, he immediately realised the potential of La Tène within the Three-age system.

With the lowered water, the site's topography became much easier to understand; this led to the discovery of the remains of two bridges over an old branch of the Thielle river as well as buildings of an undetermined function.

Six years later, Vouga published a monograph in the form of a typological inventory of the excavation discoveries where he did not try to suggest an interpretation of the site's function.

La Tène remains a particularly difficult site to interpret, mostly due to three major problems: The Neuchâtel Department of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology (Office du Patrimoine et de l'Archéologie, OPAN) organized a rescue excavation when construction works took place in the nearby camping area.

The dig took place through already excavated layers backfilled by Paul Vouga and its aims were to obtain a precise stratigraphy and to date the already known structures.

[2][3] The excavations on the site of La Tène led to the discovery of around 2500 artifacts, including offensive and defensive weapons in iron or wood(swords and scabbard, spears, arrowheads, a bow and shields), tools for industry and agriculture (axes, scythes, knives and a wooden plow), horse harnesses, rings and brochs in iron or bronze, pieces of cloth, a few pots and different Celtic and Roman coinage.

The artifacts discovered in La Tène are now dispersed around the globe, many of which have been illegally sold, which means completing a thorough inventory is extremely hard.