Château de Joux

Nid d'Aigle car park, at the foot of Château de Joux. White-red and yellow-blue markings. Some sections without markings.

(S/E) Head towards the castle entrance if you wish to visit it first. Otherwise, descend via the no-entry road, which already offers beautiful views of the two fortresses facing each other. At the foot of the walls, take the stairway on the right, overlooked by steep rocks and curious chamois. Be careful of slippery logs. Head left towards the hamlet of La Cluse with the Larmont anticline topped by Fort Mahler in front of you. At the first houses, go up to the right towards the main road.

(1) Turn right onto the main road. Cross carefully at the first pedestrian crossing and follow the road (the black spot of this walk) to Frambourg. At the hamlet, turn left up the first small street.

(2) You will pass the distillery owned by Émile Pernot's sons and arrive at the town hall/library. Head to the rear and climb the beautiful stone path, which offers stunning views of the valley.

(3) You will arrive at a superb viewpoint overlooking the Château de Joux, with benches and picnic tables. Shortly after the tables, at the fork, continue climbing up to Fort Mahler via the same stony path on the right.

(4) Go to the fort's gate. Please note: entry is prohibited. Turn back a few steps and, at the corner of the ramparts, turn right (despite the crosses) and walk along the walls to the viewpoint overlooking Château de Joux. Set off again by taking the half-stone, half-grass path on the left that descends below the fortification.

(3) You will rejoin the previous path, which you follow downhill to the right, passing the picnic tables again. There are two options:

• (3a) You can descend to Frambourg via the same path;
• (3b) Shortly after the bench, at the bend, climb over the fence on the right using the small wooden steps. Descend following the small line of rocks bordering the pasture, carefully approaching the ledges, and turn sharply left at a 90° angle. A goat or chamois trail will lead you back to the path. At the hairpin bend and the next bench, a few metres after the bend, descend the hillside via the path on the right. Return to Frambourg.

(2) Cross via the passage in front of the distillery. Cross the main road at the pedestrian crossing in front of the hairdresser's, then turn left and immediately right onto the small tarmac road (no entry) that leads up to the castle.

(5) Quickly turn right onto the gravel path towards the Toussaint Louverture memorial. Return to the small road and climb up to the foot of the castle (S/E).

Rocky and slippery paths in places. Sturdy footwear is essential and walking sticks are recommended.

Add a good hour to the duration of the hike to allow time for a visit to the château. Places are limited to 60 people per visit, so arrive in advance. Warm clothing is recommended. Dogs are allowed on a leash. For safety reasons, visits are guided only, allowing you to discover its main treasures: from the buried fort to the keep, from the main courtyard to the large well, 10 centuries of military architectural history. The friendly guides will tell you about the escapades of Mirabeau, the tragic fate of Berthe and the ill-fated Toussaint Louverture.

Opening times

• From 8 July to 3 September: reception open from 9.30am to 5.30pm. First tour at 10am, last tour at 5.30pm. 12 tours per day.
• From 1 April to 7 July and from 4 September to 5 November: departures at 10:30 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 2:30 p.m., 3:15 p.m. and 4 p.m.

More details on the château's website: Château de Joux.