La Pesse Roches d'Orvaz

A pleasant route in the Haut-Jura, by mountain bike or on foot through pastures and forests with a panoramic view of the Roches d’Orvaz.

Details

n°809569

Creation:
03 Oct 2017

Last update:
14 May 2018

Last review:
03 Feb 2026

Activity: Mountain biking
Distance: 13.54 km
Duration according to the author: 3 hrs
Difficulty: Moderate
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 200 m
Descent: - 195 m
Highest point: 1,205 m
Lowest point: 1,109 m

Country: France
Areas: Jura mountains, Haut-Jura
City: La Pesse (39370)
Start/End: N 46.285522° / E 5.847764°
IGN map(s): Ref. 3328OT
Type of surface: Not specified
Bike carrying: Not specified
Difficulty: Not specified
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Photos

Description of the route

Start from the Place de l’Église in La Pesse.

Follow the VTT39 signs throughout the route.

(S/E) Head towards Chaudezembre. Descend along the tarmac road to the first junction.

(1) Head towards Chaudezembre. Continue straight ahead on the tarmac road.

(2) Pass a path on your right that climbs to the Croix des Couloirs and continue along the tarmac road.

(3) Pass Cernois Bouillier on your right and continue along a path through the meadows that starts on the left. Join a wider path through the woods until you find yourself a few metres from the D25.

(4) Take a path on your right. Pass a path leading uphill on the right and turn left to join the D25.

(5) Leave the main road immediately and take a path on your right. Join it again at a cattle farm and continue to the right along it.

(6) Turn left at the second junction, towards Route de la Tendue. Keep to the right.

(7) At the junction of Route de la Tendue and Route des Roches, continue straight on until you reach the start of a grassy track on the left.

(8) Stop and climb the hill to admire the view of the Roches d'Orvaz. Then continue straight on until the end of the tarmac road.

(9) At the junction, Montelet / Sapelette, turn left towards Sapelette until you reach a tarmac road.

(10) Turn right onto the tarmac road.

(11) At the end of the tarmac road, continue straight ahead and ignore a path on the right further on. Then cross the meadows until you rejoin the D25.

(12) Turn right and head towards the village of La Pesse via the departmental road (S/E).

Waypoints

S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,159 m - Car park at La Pesse church
1 : km 1.11 - alt. 1,111 m - Route de Chaudezembre X La Chaux des Ambres
2 : km 1.75 - alt. 1,127 m - Start of the Chemin de la Croix des Couloirs
3 : km 2.18 - alt. 1,141 m - Cernois Bouillier
4 : km 4.47 - alt. 1,166 m - Chapuzieux Forest
5 : km 5.54 - alt. 1,145 m - Junction D25/Cernétrou Forest Road
6 : km 6.72 - alt. 1,139 m - Junction D25/ Route de la Tendue
7 : km 7.24 - alt. 1,171 m - Junction of Route de la Tendue and Route des Roches
8 : km 7.68 - alt. 1,189 m - Panorama of the Roches d'Orvaz
9 : km 8.22 - alt. 1,201 m - Le Montelet/Sapelette junction
10 : km 9.64 - alt. 1,149 m - Sapelette junction/Cernétrou forest road
11 : km 10.57 - alt. 1,169 m - End of the tarmac road
12 : km 12 - alt. 1,197 m - D25 junction
S/E : km 13.54 - alt. 1,159 m - Car park at La Pesse church

This route passes through a protected area, which may be subject to special regulations:

Grand tétras - more information

Worth a visit

At the end of your walk, you can stop at the La Pesse cheese shop, where you’ll find local specialities such as Comté cheese or beef tongue. The cheese shop also houses a rural museum, featuring
an old schoolroom.

Reviews and comments

4.1 / 5

Based on 7 reviews

Reliability of the description
4 / 5

Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5

Route interest
4 / 5

User 7868953

03 Feb 2026 at 10:58 3600

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 10, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
Snowshoe hike, with a shortcut from point 5 to point 10.
Note: forest shelter ... on the left shortly before point 4 (visible on another map!).
Forest hut on the left shortly after point 10 ""
These shelters may be of interest to hikers for midday bivouacking... in case of bad weather!
Best regards

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ben1

12 Aug 2024 at 16:02 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

To add to our review: We completed this route in 3 hours 45 minutes, not 3 hours as stated in the guidebook

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ben1

12 Aug 2024 at 15:33 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk; the view of the cliffs is well worth the trip,
One slight downside: there’s a bit of tarmac road, and the end in particular isn’t very pleasant

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Yann MAIRET

01 Apr 2024 at 19:06 7200

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I ran this trail route,
An easy, well-marked route.
A lovely view from the cliffs.
A few sections on tarmac for warming up and resting

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SINETCO

26 Oct 2020 at 21:10 3600

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 25, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk with stunning views.
The final stretch along the road could do with some improvement as it isn’t very pleasant to walk
(fortunately, this section isn’t very long)

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jper

22 Jun 2020 at 13:42 7200 • Edited: 22 Jun 2020 at 13:43 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 21, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

very well signposted, with mostly stony paths.

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alainprudent27

17 Aug 2018 at 19:35 7200

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 17, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

We did this hike on foot; there are quite a few stretches of road, so it’s probably more enjoyable on a mountain bike.

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