Route of Mont Bayard starting from Saint-Claude

Starting from Saint-Claude, this is a short hike in terms of distance but quite challenging during the climb up Mont Bayard. Walking poles are recommended in wet conditions.

Details

n°1621940

Creation:
13 Nov 2018

Last update:
11 Sep 2026

Last review:
07 Sep 2026

Activity: Walking
Distance: 4.18 mi
Average duration: 3h 25
Difficulty: Difficult
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 1,680 ft
Descent: - 1,667 ft
Highest point: 3,094 ft
Lowest point: 1,427 ft

Country: France
Areas: Jura mountains, Haut-Jura
City: Saint-Claude (39200)
Start/End: N 46.386562° / E 5.865638°
Accessible from the train station Gare de St-Claude.
IGN map(s): Ref. 3327OT
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Description of the walk

Park near Saint-Claude Cathedral.

(S/E) Head towards the Passage des Écoles, then turn right onto Rue des Écoles. Continue left along Rue Rosset until you reach the Salle des Fêtes: just after the bridge and just before No. 8, climb a small flight of steps to come out onto Chemin de la Rochette.

(1) Carry on straight towards the mountain. Climb up a narrow lane with a few steps, then join a path that continues to climb. You’ll reach a track on level ground: take it to the right, following the yellow markings. The slope then rises gently: at a fork, follow the yellow markings to take the path on the right. This path continues to climb gently.

(2) At a fork, go straight on towards the Belvédère de l’Hermitage, following the yellow markings: you should turn left just before the ruins of the Hermitage – there’s a lovely view when you arrive. It’s also possible to follow the lower path, which isn’t marked in yellow, to reach another viewpoint (but this area is not secured).
Retrace your steps to return to the fork in the path.

(2): turn right towards the Grotte Sainte Anne, which isn’t far away.

(3) The Grotte Sainte Anne is a lovely spot where you can spend a little time. Carry on straight ahead, where the difficult sections begin from this point (following the yellow markings): after climbing a metal staircase, the path climbs quite steeply for a short distance. It then descends slightly.

The slope then becomes steep and continues for a fair distance: this is the most challenging part of the route. Further up, you’ll reach the broad ridge of Mont Bayard (with some lovely views at times); the path then continues with a gentle gradient through the woodland. You’ll reach the Cabane du Mont Bayard (or Cabane des Chaumoniers): a lovely spot with a lovely view.

(4) The path crosses in front of the hut and continues gently before descending at a moderate pace with a few bends. It joins a road further down (RD304) at the sign for ‘Sur le Bugnon’.

(5) Carry on to the left towards Chaumont, then, not far on, take the path on the right heading downhill. You’ll reach the village of Chaumont.

(6) Head straight on towards Saint-Claude. Find the road and follow it straight on (passing the Town Hall Annex on the way), then leave it shortly afterwards. Carry on straight ahead, taking the Chemin de la Fontaine. This path joins the road further down: continue to the right, following the downward slope, without following the yellow markings (which are not very visible and run across somewhat steep terrain). After the hairpin bend in the road, carry on for less than 200 metres until you reach a fork in the path.

(7) Take the path on the right (Côte de Chaumont) whilst following the yellow markings; it’s a pleasant walk. Further down, cross Rue Gambetta and turn right (do not follow the yellow markings). Head towards the Cathedral to return to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,430 ft - Cathédrale Saint-Pierre et Saint-Paul (Saint-Claude)
1 : mi 0.16 - alt. 1,467 ft - Chemin de la Rochette
2 : mi 0.71 - alt. 1,985 ft - Access to the - Belvédère de l'Ermitage
3 : mi 0.92 - alt. 2,014 ft - Grotte Sainte-Anne
4 : mi 1.73 - alt. 3,077 ft - Mont Bayard Hut
5 : mi 2.38 - alt. 2,533 ft - Sign for ‘Sur le Bugnon’
6 : mi 2.65 - alt. 2,352 ft - Chaumont
7 : mi 3.4 - alt. 1,923 ft - Côte de Chaumont
S/E : mi 4.18 - alt. 1,427 ft - Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul - Le Tacon (affluent de la Bienne)

Notes

Good walking boots are recommended.
In wet conditions, walking poles are recommended.
The starting point can be seen here.

(3) The main challenge is the climb up Mont Bayard just after the Grotte Sainte Anne; the path is quite steep in places. Take care! In wet conditions, walking poles are recommended.
The rest of the route does not present any major difficulties.

The quality of the route is generally good: regular markings and numerous signposts:
From (S/E) to (1): An urban route posing no problems; no markings,
From (1) to (5): very regular yellow markings and numerous signposts,
From (5) to (6): yellow markings,
From (6) to (7): yellow signposting (except at the hairpin bend),
From (7) to (S/E): yellow signposting, then urban route.

Worth a visit

Saint-Claude: read more here,
Sainte-Anne Cave: read here,
Mont Bayard: read here,

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5

Based on 7 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5

Ease of following the route
4 / 5

Route interest
4.6 / 5

zbh0170

07 Sep 2026 at 22:20 7200

Hello,

I’m following up on the latest messages and it’s true that the difficulty of the route was underestimated (particularly for the climb between the Cave and the Ridge). I’ve just changed it to ‘Difficult’.

Kind regards.

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debrie

07 Sep 2026 at 17:02 7200

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 04, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

This route is classified as ‘moderate’, although it is particularly challenging between the St Anne cave and the ridge of Mont Bayard, and can even be dangerous at times. It should be reclassified as ‘difficult’, for experienced walkers.

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MarieCZ

02 Sep 2026 at 21:21 7200 • Edited: 02 Sep 2026 at 21:29 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 02, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I agree with the comments: this is a walk with magnificent views, but it really ought to be classified as ‘Difficult’.
The climb between points 3 and 4 is very long and at times dangerous, with exposed sections along the mountainside over slippery scree.
It took us 2 hours to cover the first 2 km...
I’d say walking poles are essential, even in dry weather. You need to be in very good physical shape, and I strongly advise against this walk for children.
Although I’m used to hiking, it was thanks to the support of a lovely couple I met at the Grotte Saint Anne that I was able to complete this hike. Without them, I would have turned back. Thank you again, Valérie and Jean-Christophe!
Once at the summit, we were treated to a magnificent panorama that was well worth the effort it took to reach it. The descent is relatively easy and gives you a chance to catch your breath.

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User 30414395

23 Aug 2026 at 10:15 7200

A magnificent hike, but one that should be classified as ‘Difficult’ rather than ‘Moderate’, as the difficulty between points 3 and 4 increases sharply after the cave and once you’ve climbed the ladder. There’s a stunning view, however, once you reach the hut at the very top. The return journey to Saint-Claude is very straightforward.

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jpv1950

13 Jul 2026 at 08:17 7200

The walk to the Grotte Sainte-Anne isn’t too difficult, but I do feel that the route description doesn’t make it clear enough how tricky it is to get over the small rocky outcrops for some people – and especially for children, to whom I wouldn’t recommend this walk. A magnificent walk with breathtaking panoramic views of St Claude.

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sandra1234

06 Jul 2026 at 10:45 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 06, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The walk as a whole is thoroughly enjoyable, with very, very few sections on roads, and offering some stunning views of the surrounding countryside.
Good walking shoes are strongly recommended for this walk.

At the start, we had some difficulty reaching the Chemin de la Rochette via the staircase, which was closed. However, it is possible to reach this footbridge directly via the parallel street.

Between points 3 and 4, the climb is indeed very steep. The slope is slippery on the scree at the start. Further on, you may need to use your hands at times, and it can sometimes be a little difficult to work out which way to go on this rocky ascent.

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User 8209786

17 May 2025 at 22:31 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk. It gets a bit challenging between 3 and 4 km, so you’d best be reasonably fit. Make sure you follow the map carefully, as there aren’t many signposts.

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Rémy CORNIAU

03 Mar 2025 at 09:59 3600 • Edited: 03 Mar 2025 at 10:00 3600

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely ride in early March in lovely dry weather.
A challenging section rated between 3 and 4, with a steep climb and some steep gradients, bordering on ‘rock climbing’ in places. Not for everyone, I think; you’d better be fairly fit. The arrival in the peaceful and pleasant woodland at the top, followed by the view from the hut, is a fine reward after a good effort.
The return to Saint Claude is a little less ‘natural’, but very peaceful nonetheless.
The section through the cave is a nice little bonus!

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Grol

08 Jul 2024 at 22:21 7200 • Edited: 08 Jul 2024 at 22:29 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I did this route in the summer, the day after a heavy downpour: the path was very passable. The section between points 3 and 4 is quite challenging and requires good footwear; I made good use of my walking poles.
The arrival at the cave is unexpected, and I would have liked to have had a head torch to explore it a bit further (there’s a ~2m knotted rope to get over a wall, but without a torch and on my own, I didn’t attempt it – be careful, it’s slippery!)
Reaching the hut would have made for a lovely picnic spot, but I arrived too early, and after an hour’s climb, my stomach wasn’t quite ready for it yet! By this point, the hardest part is well and truly behind us, and we’re facing west (so it’s fine, and in summer that’s a real bonus)
A few hundred metres further on, I lost my way; there’s a 90° turn to the right into the woods, and it has to be said that the markings on this route aren’t always clearly visible. Quite a few crosses are missing, and without VisoRando I would have struggled to know which way to go. Especially as the yellow markings seem to be shared by several paths in the area...
The first part of the descent is gentle through the woodland. After the road, on reaching the village, I decided to take a detour via the Queue de Cheval waterfall (2km round trip + a bit of extra elevation gain) to have my lunch break there. Honestly, it’s well worth the detour and really adds something special to this hike – that little ‘wow’ factor it would otherwise have been missing! It makes it a proper little adventure!
After that, the end isn’t really very interesting (road, tarmac path) but you’ve got to get back somehow. Watch out, there are still some missing “turns” and yellow markings here, but by the time you finish at Saint-Claude Cathedral, all these little inconveniences are forgotten!

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lesbubusalain

03 Mar 2024 at 19:32 3600

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 03, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk, but be warned – it’s quite a strenuous one, with a steep climb in the first half. We did it with our 8-year-old granddaughter (at her own pace), who loved the caves.

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