On 1 January 2009, the former municipalities of Boveresse, Buttes, Couvet, Fleurier, Les Bayards, Môtiers, Noiraigue, Saint-Sulpice and Travers merged to form the administrative district of Val-de-Travers.

[2] The village is often associated with absinthe[2] ("the green fairy"), since a nearly 100-year ban on the liquor[3] was lifted when the French Senate voted to repeal the prohibition in April 2011.

The foundation was established by Gerard and Theresa Burkhardt-Felder in 2002, who had lived in Australia for 25 years, where they developed an interest in both Aboriginal Australian art and motor cars.

[6] Jean-Jacques Rousseau sought and found protection in Môtiers from 1762[6] under George Keith, who was the local representative of the free-thinking Frederick the Great of Prussia.

After his house was stoned on the night of 6 September 1765,[citation needed] Rousseau left to seek refuge, first on St. Peter's Island,[6] and then in Great Britain with David Hume.