Pompaples walks

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).

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.

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.

A lovely, easy walk along the Orbe river.

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.

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.

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.

Some lovely gallops, beautiful woodland (Bois du Jorat), more tarmac roads at the start but a magnificent route with a lovely shelter by the river halfway along for a picnic. Be careful to adjust your route and avoid riding along the edges of forests or fields if they haven’t been mowed!

From bright, flower-filled mountain pastures, you will climb towards the ridges through the silent Bataillards forest, skirting its steep limestone cliffs, the first slopes of the Jura, cut into needles that offer views of the Alps, Mont Blanc, Lake Geneva and Lake Neuchâtel. On the other side, the panorama stretches from La Dôle to Chasseral, via the Knoll and the Dent de Vaulion.

Starting from the ski car park at Entre-les-Fourgs. A beautiful hike towards the Knoll, opening up to 360° views.

A lovely French-Swiss walk with magnificent views of the Alps and Lake Geneva.

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.

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 circular hike that follows the ridge of the Aiguilles de Baulmes. Magnificent views all along the way of the Alps, which seem very close, and, at both ends, of some of the peaks of the Jura. It is not guaranteed that you will be able to follow the tracks all along the route.

A circular route with no major difficulties, which runs along the cliffs of Mont-d’Or and its viewpoints over Lake Geneva, the Alps and Mont Blanc, before reaching the typical alpine farms of the Haut-Doubs.

A walk along the Arnon, a river that, over time, has carved out the Covatannaz Gorges and its impressive cliffs. Passing through the village of Baulmes and following the Baumine river upstream towards the Aiguilles de Baulmes, a series of peaks rising to 1,560 m. The path along the ridge offers a magnificent 180° panorama of the Alps, Lake Neuchâtel, Lake Geneva and the Vaud plateau.

Coming from the north, Morond is the first iconic peak in the Jura to be reached. It rises to an altitude of 1,419 metres. The summit can be reached in half a day from Métabief or Les Hôpitaux-Neufs. The climb offers remarkable views of the region and Switzerland, including Lake Geneva. You can combine this walk with the Métabief summer toboggan run or the tourist train ride starting in Les Hôpitaux-Neufs.

This hike will take you up Mont d'Or, where you can enjoy the view, then look down on it from below. You will pass through different environments and see a rich and diverse range of flora depending on the season.

The highlight of this third stage will be the Suchet. At your feet, you will enjoy a panoramic view of Lake Neuchâtel. You will also be very close to the French-Swiss border. In Vallorbe, you will notice the presence of old railway crafts.

Stage 5 From Les Rousses to Lake Constance via the Jura ridges. From Sainte-Croix, the birthplace of music boxes and automatons, you set off across the vast pastures of the Vaud Jura towards La Casba and Les Avattes. The path then winds its way to Les Petites Roches before reaching the mysterious Pierre de la Paix, a place full of energy and serenity. One last effort takes you to the summit of Chasseron, at an altitude of 1,608 metres, where a magnificent panorama opens up over Switzerland and France. At your feet lie Lake Neuchâtel and, further south, the majestic Lake Geneva. Nearly 250 kilometres of Alpine ridges stretch out on the horizon, creating a breathtaking natural fresco. The descent is gentle to the hamlet of Les Rochats, at the start of the Les Cluds cross-country ski trail, where an old military barracks remains, a discreet witness to a forgotten past.

Set off to explore the two wind farm sites in Sainte-Croix, passing through hamlets, pastures, undergrowth and forest. You will pass Mont de la Chèvre, Mont des Cerfs (1,280 m) and its rural lodge, then make a round trip to see the Creux des Neiges chasm. The return journey is via the Sentier des Bornes trail.