Country:
District:
Markings: signposts with sticker no. 5 on a green background (Jura Höhenweg).
(S) From your bivouac site, head towards the village of Le Pont to reach the shore of Lac de Joux. Follow the road Sur les Quais on your right and continue until you reach the signpost opposite a bakery.
(1) Turn left onto the small road that climbs slightly. Cross Route de la Petite Corniche and continue straight ahead to begin a steep climb on the gravel path. On Route de la Dent, continue left, south/south-east to the signpost opposite a wooden hut.
(2) Turn right towards Dent de Vaulion. Please note that if you continue straight ahead, you can also follow Vallorbe via the cycle path. As on this route, go through the turnstile and follow the path across the meadow towards the east. Cross Route la Petite Dent Dessous before rejoining it a little further on. Continue to the signpost at the fork.
(3) Continue straight ahead, following the signs for Chalet de la Dent du Vaulion on Route la Petite Dent Dessous. Go over a cattle grid after a few bends and continue northwards until you reach a farm.
(4) Stay on Route la Petite Dent Dessous, which becomes winding before arriving in front of a small alpine chalet.
(5) Continue north to the Petite Dent farm.
(6) Continue along the path that leads to the junction with Route Vaulion-Vaud in front of the Dent de Vaulion chalet and refreshment bar
(7) Turn left (north) and continue along the tarmac road to the Dent du Vaulion refreshment bar (where you can buy food and drink). Go around the building on the right and continue north through the mountain pasture to the fork.
(8) Follow the path on the left, which stays north, and finish the climb to Dent de Vaulion (1,483 m) where, if the weather is clear, you can enjoy a magnificent 360° view, including the Alps and Lake Geneva (bench and orientation table on site).
(9) Begin a long descent towards Vallorbe. After the ridge, continue through the woods until you reach a crossroads.
(10) Keep heading north-east, still descending. After leaving the woods, continue across the meadow until you reach the crossroads below a high-voltage power line.
(11) Ignore this cross-country path and continue downhill on the Jura ridge path. Pass below the Chalet de la Mâche (farm) and continue along the concrete road until you reach the signpost at the entrance to a right-hand bend.
(12) Turn left (north) to enter the woods. After a hairpin bend to the left, ignore the side paths and continue downhill to the north-west until you reach the junction with the Route de Béboux (the Béboux refuge is a few hundred metres to the right).
(13) Cross this road and continue straight ahead. At the hairpin bend, ignore the side roads and continue north-east until you reach the railway line at a place called Les Grands Crêts.
(14) Turn right before the railway line and continue east. After a left-hand bend, cross this line to arrive a little further on at Route des Grands Crêts.
(15) Continue north-east on the tarmac road and stay on it until you reach the signpost at the intersection with Rue de l'Orbe.
(16) Follow the signs for Vallorbe Centre. At the signpost, turn left, then immediately right onto Chemin du Battoir (dead end sign). At the signpost located near a residence, turn right onto the path that runs along the left side of the Frézillon ice rink and its car park before arriving at the signpost on Rue de l'Orbe. Turn left, then quickly right to reach the bridge over the Orbe river.
(17) Cross the river and continue along Chemin des Prés-Sous-Ville, which starts to the right of the Vallorbe campsite. Turn right at the intersection with Rue du Moutier and continue to the Fontaine de la Liberté fountain on the square of the same name.
(18) Continue to the right of the fountain on Grand-Rue (where you can buy provisions in a bakery and supermarkets). At the roundabout, continue straight ahead on Rue des Grandes-Forges, which starts in front of the Hôtel de la Concorde. Pass in front of the Lodge des Grandes-Forges and follow the river on your right until you reach the bridge.
(19) Cross the river and continue to the intersection with Chemin de la Foulaz. At a hairpin bend, head south-west, then at the end of the road, at another hairpin bend, turn north-east onto Chemin des Plans-Praz. Stay on this road until you reach the end of an industrial estate in front of the Vallotech company.
(20) Turn left and walk along the left-hand side of the company before continuing through the fields. At the crossroads, turn left to walk along the river on your left. Continue to the intersection.
(21) Continue along the river until you reach the access road to the Day Viaduct.
(22) Turn left to cross the bridge via the path that passes underneath it. Walk past the Saut Pendulaire (tourist attraction), enjoying the beautiful view, and continue following the signs, passing under the viaduct before arriving at the Combe path on the opposite bank of the river. Continue along the river on your right and walk to the bridge in front of the Jougnenaz hydroelectric power station.
(23) Cross the bridge over the Jougnenaz and continue along the Orbe river on your right until you reach the Day Dam.
(24) Continue to the left of the dam on the Chemin la Combe and stay on this path heading east until you reach the signpost on a large oak tree.
(25) Turn left (north), pass in front of the farm, then follow the path along the right-hand bend after the house to the signpost at the fork.
(26) Turn right towards Ballaigues, cross over the E21 motorway, stay on the tarmac road and pass what appears to be a military installation (Toblerone anti-tank barrier) and continue to an old wash house.
(27) Stay on the right-hand bend, then turn onto Grand-Rue in the town of Ballaigues. (Refreshments available in the street). Continue to the fountain upstream from the Maison de Commune.
(28) At the signpost, turn left onto Rue du Chalet. At the fork, follow the left fork towards the sports field on Route du Signal. Stay on this slightly uphill road until you reach the signpost located in a left-hand bend. In the bend, follow the direction of Le Knoll and continue to the sports field area and look for a discreet place to camp (E).
Visorando member
Moderate 
Association / Club / Walk leader
Easy 
