Les Rousses Circular Route

Start at the “Champs de neige” car park (white zone) as all the others are in the blue zone!

(S/E) Head towards the town centre, pass the Tourist Office, turn left, then right to reach the pedestrian crossing. Cross over, then turn right towards the treetop adventure park and Fort des Rousses until you reach the junction.

(1) Head towards the treetop adventure park reception to follow the path to the fort.

(2) Look out for a sign on your left and a path below, and follow the signs for Le Glacis. Keep walking alongside the fort until you reach a junction.

(3) Turn left onto the path leading downhill towards ‘Sous la Muraille’ for about 150 m.

(4) Turn right towards ‘Sous le Fort’ and you’ll reach a four-way junction.

(5) Continue to the left. Follow the signs for Les Entrepreneurs (ignoring the diversion). You’ll reach a fork in the path.

(6) Head downhill to the left along the path towards Le Sagy-Haut, still following lovely trails. You are now on the Grand Tour du Jura. You’ll come to a crossroads.

(7) Cross it and carry on straight ahead, towards Le Bonzon. Continue downhill towards Le Pont Perroud and its small waterfall until you reach a fork in the path.

(8) Leave the GTJ by turning sharply right to reach Le Pont Perroud.

(9) Cross the bridge and start climbing until you reach a Fork in the road.

(10) Turn right onto a lovely climb up a stony path. At the top of this, turn right (ignore the house on your left). Cross the road carefully and continue to a fork in the path.

(11) Immediately afterwards, look out for the yellow signpost on the tree and the road on your left. Follow it to the Belvédère des Maquisards (memorial stone).

(12) Retrace your steps back to the fork you passed earlier.

(11) Carry on straight ahead, towards Chez Jeankessis, along a forest track. At the crossroads, at elevation 994, head down to the right onto the track deep in the forest, towards Chemin des Crottes. Then cross a field and you’ll reach a road.

(13) Follow it to the left to join Chemin Les Arcets (a quiet road), then continue to the left until you reach the junction with Chemin des Crottes.

(14) Leave the road and follow the track straight on until you reach a fork.

(15) Before the house, turn left towards Sous les Pellas, taking the uphill path, which turns into a fairly stony track (the only difficult part of the walk). Beautiful views. You’ll come to a road.

(16) Follow it to the left, towards Prémanon. Walk past the Maison de la Résistance du Haut-Jura, then a holiday centre. Carry on straight ahead all the way to Prémanon.

(17) Head towards the centre, turning left. Walk through the village, following signs for Prémanon d’Amont. At the war memorial, continue along the road to the left (^GRP® de la Haute Bienne and GTJ) until you reach Prémanon d’Amont. Beautiful panoramic views

(18) Take the road downhill towards La Passerelle. Walk past the “Les Trolls” lodge, then look out for a small path on the right and follow it through the forest (it’s not very well marked; if you can’t find it, the other path joins it). You’ll reach a crossroads by a bridge.

(19) Ignore the path climbing steeply uphill and take the path on the left. Cross a bridge and head for the La Passerelle junction.

(20) Turn right and head for the waterfall on your right.

(21) Retrace your steps.

(20) Take the path on the right again, heading up to the road. Follow it to the right, towards Les Cressonnières, until you reach the second car park.

(22) Turn left, head up the road to the house and look out for a small path on your right. Follow it to Fort des Rousses. You’ll come to a junction.

(23) Both paths lead to the same place: I took the one on the right. You’ll reach a junction you’ve already passed on the way there.

(4) Carry on straight ahead, following the opposite direction to the way there, until you reach another fork, which you also passed on the way there.

(3) Take the path on the left, towards La Poterne. You’ll reach the crossroads where four paths meet, which you’ve already passed on the way there.

(5) Head up the path on the right towards La Sentinelle, return to the fort and continue round it on the left. Look out for some steps on the left.

(24) Climb the stairs to reach the treetop adventure course and the original junction.

(1) Follow the route back in the opposite direction to return to the car park (S/E).

It took me 5 hours to complete this circular route.

Fort des Rousses is open to visitors. Access is either self-guided or guided; some areas are free, whilst others require an admission fee.