Les Rousses walks

A family trail starting from Les Rousses, offering views over the peat bog on the edge of Lac des Rousses.

First stage: From Les Rousses to Lake Constance via the Jura ridges. After passing through La Cure, you will enter Switzerland and reach Saint-Cergue. A road will take you through the Jura pastures to the ruins of the Oujon convent. From Les Frasses, a steep forest path leads to a panoramic viewpoint. The climb continues through enchanting scenery, between flower-filled meadows and chalets, towards Crêt de la Neuve, the highest point of the stage. Here you can enjoy breathtaking views of Lake Geneva, the Vaud Alps and Mont Blanc. The hike ends in the Vaud Jura Park, along a pretty forest path leading to the Col de Marchairuz (1,446 m).

This exceptional hike links Les Rousses, in the heart of the French Haut-Jura, to the city of Constance (Konstanz), on the shores of the lake of the same name, following the ridges of the Swiss Jura. A demanding but magnificent 405 km route that crosses the most iconic landscapes of the Jura mountains: high-altitude pastures, deep forests, alpine viewpoints, villages steeped in history and forgotten military ruins.

This short route allows you to discover Lac des Rousses, the only lake in Franche-Comté located in the basin that flows towards Switzerland and the Rhine. It is surrounded by peat bogs and you can discover remarkable flora and fauna . In summer, you can swim in its clear, shallow waters, enjoy the water sports centre or contemplate the beauty of the surrounding landscapes, and in winter, watch the skaters and iceboats when the lake is frozen .

This circular route, entirely in Switzerland, takes you through the beautiful valleys of the Jura, near the resort of Les Rousses. After climbing Le Noirmont, you will reach Mont Sâla via Creux du Croue. In clear weather, there are magnificent views of Lake Geneva and the Alps. The route is not particularly difficult, but the climb up to Le Noirmont is quite steep and quite long.

Fifteenth stage of the Échappée Jurassienne. In the heart of the Haut-Jura Regional Nature Park, this stage will quickly take you to the highest point, the Belvédère des Dappes. This is followed by a crossing of the Forêt du Massacre, rich in exceptional flora and fauna, with varied landscapes alternating between thick forests and open valleys. You will also discover some curiosities and pretty summer chalets. Enjoy this beautiful forest, taking care not to stray from the marked paths and trails to preserve the tranquillity of the area! From the Combe à la Chèvre and its tall gentians, you will reach the village of Lajoux, home to the Haut-Jura Regional Nature Park.

Follow this route to discover an old path leading from Prémanon to Les Rousses via the Perroud bridge (a picturesque stone bridge) over the leat de la Chaille. You can then walk around the Fort des Rousses, where you can visit the Comté cheese maturing cellars or enjoy an adventure course, depending on what you feel like doing.

Explore the surroundings of Prémanon. From the Belvédère des Maquisards, above the Morez cluse, to the coolness of the leat de la Chaille gorges, this is a fairly easy and varied route with a mix of forest, geology and history.

A beautiful hike across the Swiss peaks bordering the frontier, offering spectacular views of Lake Geneva, the Lake Geneva basin and Mont Blanc, weather permitting. A steep climb takes you to the magnificent site of the Creux du Croue; continuing the ascent, you reach the summit of the Noirmont des Francais, and further on, the Noirmont. A long descent through the ski slopes will take you to the other side of the mountain, where you’ll begin a long climb through the mountain pastures. After passing several farms, a short detour to Mont Sâla will reward you with a wonderful panorama. After a brief stop at the curious Creux de la Neige, the return journey halfway up the slope, passing various farms, will offer you views of Lac des Rousses and the village of Bois d'Amont.

Mont Sala offers remarkable views of Lake Geneva and the Alps, particularly its highest peak.Important note mentioned by a hiker: this route is located in an area regulated by the Federal District of Le Noirmont; in winter, only marked trails are authorised in order to preserve wildlife, so access to Crêt des Danses and summit 1515 is prohibited.

Without doubt, the shortest path up to the summit of La Dôle (1677m altitude) from the French side of the border. In good weather, the views are breathtaking and go on for over 250km: from the Swiss Alps to Mont Blanc and on to the Vanoise and the Ecrins, all of this with plunging views down over Geneva and its lake.

This route respects the work of the piste groomers in winter. It is a magnificent walk which, from the arrival at the Col de Porte, allows you to admire the view of Lake Geneva and the Alps, including Mont Blanc, for the rest of the route.

This beautiful hike will take you to the summit of La Dôle at an altitude of 1,677 metres, where you can enjoy breathtaking views. A steep path through the mountain pastures will lead you to this unmistakable peak with its dome housing the Geneva airport radar. On the descent, you will no doubt see herds of chamois frolicking in the scree below the summit ridge. The rest of the route takes you along dirt tracks, roads and grassy paths over much less rugged terrain, but often offering magnificent views.

A walk through unspoilt nature, across meadows, woods and scree slopes, following beautiful valleys with views of the Alps. The highlight of this walk is, of course, the Creux du Croue, a deep and magnificent depression.

A lovely circular walk starting from the Givrine train stop on the Nyon–Saint-Cergues–Morez line. A gentle stroll through the pastures of the Swiss Jura, a stone’s throw from the French border, which presents no particular difficulty. Many sections are tarmac-surfaced, but you can walk on the short grass at the side of the path at any time.

From Morez, I suggest a lovely route overlooking the Bienne Valley, mainly through woodland, with a few scenic viewpoints. The length of the route and a few steep slopes are the main challenges (see the Practical Information section).

This circuit, starting from Morez, will take you on a tour of the surroundings of the Bienne and its Trou Bleu, as well as the Saillard Viaduct, crossing two Himalayan footbridges. Information panels are dotted along the route.