Saint-Claude walks

Starting from Saint-Claude, this is a short hike in terms of distance but quite challenging during the climb up Mont Bayard. Walking poles are recommended in wet conditions.

Le Mont Chabot est une des montagnes-phare dominant la ville de Saint-Claude.Il s'agira d'accéder à sa crête en empruntant un parcours en boucle partielle permettant de visualiser de superbes points de vues sur la ville et les alentours. La randonnée est assez courte, mais attention certains passages sont relativement raides et peuvent s’avérer glissants.Attention : le parcours présenté en 2016 vient d'être partiellement remanié (lire § Infos pratiques).

A pleasant little outing to discover this waterfall, which cascades down a sixty-metre drop in two stages. These drops, each around thirty metres high, are spectacular when it has rained. This is therefore an outing to do after a period of rain if you want to enjoy the scenery offered by one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the Haut-Jura.

Starting from Avignon-lès-Saint-Claude, after a short climb lined with dry grasslands, the walk takes you through a lovely woodland setting, featuring the Ponthoux viewpoint and several vantage points overlooking the Bienne Valley, the Plan d’Acier industrial estate and the dam.

I suggest you try this lovely, slightly challenging route from Saint-Claude to the heights of Septmoncel. Along the way, you’ll come across some lovely views.

This hike takes you to the Queue d'Âne and Queue de Cheval waterfalls, then climbs a little to the Septmoncel area, via a good circular route that is a little physically demanding at times.Please note that some sections can be tricky due to wet ground, particularly the section between (9) and (10), which is quite steep.

A circular hike above Saint-Claude that takes you to the Cascade de la Vouivre waterfall, the Belvédère de Cinquétral viewpoint offering superb views of the Bienne valley and the Haut-Jura, and finally the Cascade de Pissevieille waterfall. It is best to do this hike when the snow has melted or after rain to get the most out of the waterfalls, but in this case, the use of walking poles is strongly recommended. Similarly, the climb to the Belvédère de Cinquétral is reserved for experienced walkers.

This circular route on the heights of Saint-Claude offers a magnificent view of the Gorges du Flumen and the ridges of the Haut-Jura from the Belvédère de la Roche Blanche, then takes in the village of Les Moussières before descending via the Crêt Joli and its typical Jura landscapes. The climb to La Roche Blanche is challenging and requires a high level of fitness. The use of walking poles is strongly recommended in wet weather, not only for the ascent but also, and especially, for the descent from the viewpoint (14).

Long closed for safety reasons, the spectacular Gorges de l’Abîme, near Saint-Claude, now reveal a whole new side to themselves. After several years of development and works, this remarkable natural site is once again accessible thanks to a fully secured trail that allows visitors to experience, up close, one of the most impressive landscapes in the Haut-Jura. As you follow the path, you’ll walk amongst steep cliffs, rock faces sculpted by water and specially designed sections offering breathtaking views of the deep canyon carved out by the torrent. This walk combines the untamed beauty of an environment that was long difficult to access with the pleasure of a comfortable and safe exploration. With its geological heritage, woodland atmosphere and the roar of the water echoing at the bottom of the gorges, the route invites you to immerse yourself in the heart of one of the Jura’s most iconic natural sites.

This circular walk will introduce you to some of the Jura’s attractions around the town of Saint-Claude. From the Gorges de l’Abîme, you’ll take a path towards the Crêt Pourri, then, after negotiating a few slopes, you’ll reach a plateau. On the way back, you’ll be able to admire the charming hamlet of Vaucluse. The Gorges de l’Abîme route has been accessible again since 4 July 2026 (for the record, it was previously closed under a municipal by-law dated 4 December 2023).

This loop will allow you to discover the bottom of the Flumen valley (and its waterfalls) as well as the ridges above it.

Starting from Montbrillant, a steady climb up to Septmoncel via the Chemin des Moines, the reward being three viewpoints: two with aerial views of the town of Saint-Claude, and the third overlooking La Roche Blanche. The paths are very easy to walk on, with no technical difficulties.

This hike (which is somewhat demanding) aims to take in a varied route at different altitudes in the Bienne Valley to the north of Saint-Claude, as well as on the plateau overlooking it around Longchaumois. The route is mostly circular, passing close to two waterfalls and a cave.

A very steep section of the Sentier des Chamois trail offers views of the rugged terrain of the Flumen Gorges and the Gendarme's Hat, as well as a cool break at the waterfall. You will need good walking shoes as the slopes are steep.

I suggest a long circular route starting from Septmoncel, allowing you to discover some very pretty landscapes in the Jura.

This challenging hike will take you along steep paths to the Surmontant viewpoint, then on to the Maquis Cave. The viewpoint offers a remarkable view over the Bienne Valley. Three-quarters of this route is unmarked. A good sense of direction and a good command of map-reading and GPS use are essential.

A route for the eyes but also for the ears. No fewer than three viewpoints with superb views of the villages of Ravilloles and Leschères, and to top it all off, one of the most beautiful acoustic sites in the Haut-Jura, where you can discover the pleasure of listening intently during this walk. PLEASE NOTE:The GR®9is closed to all traffic, including pedestrians, from 15 July to 15 December 2020 due to forestry work between "sur la côte" (9) and "sur le château" (1).

A few kilometres from Saint-Claude, beautiful beech forests, a 70-metre-high waterfall, an unusual cave and the magnificent Belvédère de la Corbière viewpoint.