Montricher walks

A superb snowshoe hike takes you to the summit of Dent de Vaulion with a 360° panoramic view of the Alps. Good weather is really a must for this walk if you want to enjoy the exceptional view of the Alps in particular, not to mention the three lakes: Léman, Joux and Brenet.

Stage 3: From Les Rousses to Lake Constance via the Jura ridges. From the beach at Lake Joux to Le Pont, you reach Vallorbe via the Dent de Vaulion (1,483 m) before following and crossing the River Orbe. Since the Middle Ages, Vallorbe has been an important centre for the iron industry thanks to its iron ore deposits and wood reserves. At the Vallorbe Iron and Railway Museum, you leave the town following the shore of Lake Day. The route then passes close to the Day Viaduct, a beautiful arch bridge built in 1925, before arriving at the Day Dam, which holds back the waters of the Orbe, and then Ballaigues, located on the southern slope of the knoll, above the course of the Orbe

Start from the car park at Pont station at the far end of Lac de Joux. Mostly on small tarmac roads. There is just one slightly technical section, but it is well signposted and secured by a cable for the more cautious.

A beautiful but long walk around Lac de Joux with no difficulty apart from a short climb to go round a small cliff plunging into the lake. You walk along exceptionally well-maintained paths, with the verges mown. You cross the protected wetlands on raised boardwalks. Benches placed at regular intervals along the path, and magnificent log-built picnic tables surrounded by barbecues, invite you to take a break and admire the view. After a short climb and a walk through a small housing estate, the scenery changes as you cross summer pastures and spruce forests, where you may encounter various groups of chamois, which are not shy provided you remain quiet and unobtrusive.

During this fifth stage, you will reach the highest point of the Swiss Jura and also of this 6-day route: Mont Tendre. This summit offers a splendid view of the Vaud region, Lake Geneva and the Alps. You will also see numerous "murgers" stretching for miles. These are stone walls built to mark the boundaries of plots of land or enclosures for grazing animals.

Second stage From Les Rousses to Lake Constance via the Jura ridges. Mont Tendre, at an altitude of 1,679 metres, dominates the peaks of the Vaud Jura. The climb from Col du Marchairuz to Col du Mont Tendre crosses a landscape that resembles a park. From the summit of Mont Tendre, the view is stunning. Discover Savoie, the Bernese Alps, the Vosges and La Dôle. Shortly after the summit is the Chalet du Mont Tendre. From the terrace, the panoramic view of Lake Geneva and the Alps is magnificent. The food here is delicious. Then the descent begins to the shores of Lake Joux. To reach the lake, there are a few descents to conquer. The portions are rustic, varied and very generous.

This Swiss hike was done on snowshoes but could easily be done on foot, especially in autumn or spring, to enjoy the beauty of nature. The Col du Marchairuz connects the Vallée de Joux to Lake Geneva.

This last stage also offers a panoramic viewpoint at Crêt de la Neuve (1,493 m). At your feet, you can admire Lake Geneva, Geneva, the Alps and even Mont Blanc. On the way down, stop off at the ruins of the Oujon convent, a former Carthusian monastery.

For this fourth stage, after a good hour's walk, you will reach the highest point of the day: the Dent de Vaulion. The lakes of Joux and Brenet will be at your feet. The water from these two lakes flows underground, shaping the karst cave of the Orbe, near Vallorbe. On a clear day, you can see up to eight lakes.

The Gorges de l’Orbe offer magnificent scenery in all seasons. This route, on the left bank, is better suited to the wetter months than the one on the right bank. There are no major difficulties, but some downhill sections can be tricky if you’re walking after rain, with mud and a risk of slipping. Walking poles are not a bad idea, which is why I’ve classified the route as of medium difficulty This route partly overlaps with the Gorges de l'Orbe route featured on the website.

A short circular loop of about 1½ hours, or a return trip with the option to stop and visit Sarraz Castle (Horse Museum). Start behind Saint-Loup Hospital or from its upper car park. From the top of Sarraz, simply follow the orange sign for the footpath. You can return via the same path as the outward route to avoid walking alongside the road; please note that the road has a footpath from Sarraz to Pompaples.

Visit to the Dard waterfall starting from the Diaconat de Saint-Loup, with the option of returning via a short detour above the cliff. No major difficulty apart from the climb when taking the detour. It takes less than an hour at a normal walking pace to reach the waterfall and return via the same route, or 1½ hours via the detour (significant elevation gain at the start of the detour over about 100 m, but accessible to all walkers). You can park either at the Saint-Loup hospital car park or in the village of Pompaples. If parking in the village, you can park above the cemetery (Rue du Four) and join the path that follows the Nozon stream directly below the cemetery (staircase alongside the cemetery).

Setting off from Croy, you follow the Nozon, a charming river through its gorges and past the Dard waterfall. You will pass through the pretty village of La Sarraz and its castle before heading to the former abbey church of Romainmôtier, which was founded in the mid-5th century.

This hike will take you from one alpine chalet to another on Mont d'Or.

An easy hike in clear weather, ensuring you can see the Mont Blanc massif. The elevation gain is reasonable. There are some steep but short climbs, panoramic views, and the pleasure of reaching Le Morond and admiring the landscape from Mont d'Or. Please note that you may have to cross fields where cows graze freely.

A beautiful walk along the shores of Lake Geneva, passing through the historic centre of Morges in the canton of Vaud. You will discover its magnificent castle and cross the Parc de l'Indépendance, which hosts the Tulip Festival in spring. In good weather, you can also admire the peaks of the French Alps.

Stage 4 From Les Rousses to Lake Constance, via the Jura ridges. From the southern slopes of the Knoll, above L'Orbe, the climb to the ridge offers a magnificent panorama: Lake Neuchâtel, the plain and the Alps in the background. The trail crosses the peaceful pastures of the Jura before reaching the Col de l'Aiguillon, close to the French border, marked by anti-tank obstacles and bunkers. The hike continues along the Crête des Aiguilles de Baulmes, lined with 80-metre cliffs, with breathtaking views of Mont Blanc, Lake Geneva, La Dôle and Chasseral. The descent leads to Sainte-Croix, renowned for its music boxes and automatons.

This third stage leads to Mont d'Or, from where the view stretches across the French and Swiss Alps. The route passes by the source of the Doubs, winds through forests and mountain pastures, and climbs to the summit of Mont d'Or before descending to the CAF refuge at Gros Morond.

This pleasant, easy hike combines valleys, meadows, woods and forests, taking you on a journey through a rural landscape dotted with chalets. You are in the heart of a site classified as a Sensitive Natural Area by the Doubs department for its remarkable landscape, wildlife, flora and geology.

A short, very easy walk with a nice mix of mountain forest, peat bog and the banks of the Doubs. Flat, easy to access, done with a pregnant woman and a 2.5-year-old child...

A lovely, easy walk along the Orbe river.

Starting from Mouthe, a small village nestled in the heart of a wide valley bathed by the first meanders of the Doubs, this walk invites passers-by to discover the resurgence of this river, which is listed in the department's inventory of natural sites, and then the Moutat peat bog.

This varied route has a special charm, taking in very different environments: lakes, marshes, peat bogs, rivers, meadows and forests. The highlight is the Belvédère des Deux Lacs, which offers a unique view of the Lac de Remoray National Nature Reserve and its natural environments.