Visit to the Jurgensen Tower in Les Brenets, Switzerland

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First, visit the viewpoint overlooking the Doubs basins.
Cross into Switzerland via the footbridge, then head towards Les Brenets. Climb up to the Jurgensen Tower, where you will be rewarded with a magnificent 360° panorama of the region.
On the way back, take a short detour to Calvin's Head, where you will see its spectacular hole. If you visit it, be careful, it is dangerous!
A superb hike in a magnificent setting.

Details

n°5556
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 14.09 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 618 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 618 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 971 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 752 m
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Photos

Calvin's head
The Doubs basins
A remarkable tree
Lake Chaillexon

Description of the walk

Departure from the Saut du Doubs car park.

(S/E) Head back towards the former Les Taillards restaurant. Go to the Bassins du Doubs viewpoint. Continue downhill to the small road. Head towards Saut du Doubs.

(1) At the river, take the footbridge.

(2) Head towards Les Brenets and reach the riverbank via a small path that branches off to the right of the small road to Les Brenets. Continue to the hotel. Walk back up to the factory and go around the football pitch on the right.

(3) Walk up the small wild valley following the stream and head towards La Caroline.
At the viewpoint, you will find signs for Tour Jurgensen. Head towards it

(4) To return, go back down to the viewpoint and head towards Les Brenets. Cross the village and follow the signs for "Saut du Doubs". Take the small road again but turn right towards Tête de Calvin. Join the small road further on.

(1) Cross the footbridge again and 50 metres further on, turn right and go to the upper viewpoint on the French side.

(5) Continue along the path to reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 896 m - Saut du Doubs car park
  2. 1 : km 1.01 - alt. 754 m - Footbridge - Doubs (rivière)
  3. 2 : km 3.15 - alt. 831 m - Riverbank path
  4. 3 : km 5.74 - alt. 767 m - Climb up the wild valley following the torrent
  5. 4 : km 7.79 - alt. 971 m - Jurgensen Tower
  6. 5 : km 12.73 - alt. 766 m - Upper viewpoint - Saut du Doubs
  7. S/E : km 14.09 - alt. 896 m - Saut du Doubs car park

Notes

A walking stick is useful for navigating steep sections.

Worth a visit

Viewpoint over the Doubs basins.
Saut du Doubs viewpoint on the Swiss side (+ 1.5km)
Viewpoint over the Doubs basins.
Viewpoint over Lake Chaillexon.
Panorama from the Jurgensen tower.
Rock pierced by Calvin's head (Caution: dangerous, but beautiful)

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 20 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
MASSON Jean-Pierre
MASSON Jean-Pierre

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk despite the rainy weather. Just one small comment: the route lacks detail around Les Brenets for getting to the factory and the football pitches. It was difficult to find the path that goes around these pitches

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françois et sylvie
françois et sylvie

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike that's not that difficult 😉

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Masson Chaumier
Masson Chaumier

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 22, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Reliability description average at Les Brenets but not a problem as there are several options for travelling towards La Caroline.
Climb up to the Jurgensen tower for the view, the tower itself, and the possibility of picnicking near the tower, where a table and benches have been installed.
There are many viewpoints over the valley along the route.
A beautiful hike, but quite a lot of tarmac.

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parikialefkes
parikialefkes

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 26, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Difficulties finding the path after the four football pitches

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zazabebert
zazabebert

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 23, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A pleasant hike in beautiful autumn sunshine, with quite a bit of tarmac, but the village of Les Brennets, the Jurgesen tower and a very beautiful wild valley to discover, not to mention Calvin's head. An interesting hike, thank you.

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gazok54
gazok54 ★

Thank you, Lesgranges256
What problems did you encounter with the route?

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Lesgranges256
Lesgranges256

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 22, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hello,
Superb hike, beautiful views, varied route. Don't forget to climb the Jurgensen tower – the key is on the door. Small problem: near the football pitch, take the road on the right before the stadium, go around the houses to find the path with the stream.

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Saillard Gérard
Saillard Gérard

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 27, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Very beautiful hike, very beautiful landscapes, beautiful views of the Doubs basins.

One small downside is the trail at Les Brenets at the bottom of the descent from the port; you have to veer far to the right to find the

path along the stream. Despite this, it is recommended for experienced hikers without young children.

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camusah
camusah

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 25, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Superb hike, very varied, splendid landscapes, especially with beautiful views from Switzerland over the Doubs basins. Highly recommended!

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janjac
janjac

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 09, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

we went snowshoeing and enjoyed the snow that had fallen during the night, clear skies and beautiful sunshine

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Morbieux
Morbieux

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 11, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

The signposting is perfect on almost the entire circuit EXCEPT:
your instructions at Les Brenets: Go up to the factory and go around the football pitch on the right.
There are two football pitches; it is impossible to go around the westernmost pitch on the right.
Go between the two football pitches
Otherwise, a very beautiful hike
Saw seven chamois.

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Fabelette
Fabelette

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 29, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful walk, to be done quickly before the autumn colours disappear.
Please note: at the Les Rives du Doubs hotel, continue straight on towards the Pargots car park to reach La Caroline via the valley. The description says to go to the factory, but this is not signposted, so we did the loop in reverse, which wasn't a problem, but it would have been a shame to miss the passage through the valley, where we saw chamois and a fairly wild landscape. Otherwise, a lovely time, even with the Doubs waterfall not having much water.

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GUEREROUSSE
GUEREROUSSE

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 02, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very pleasant walk in Switzerland with no real difficulty other than the length of the circuit. With the return trip to the viewpoint on the Swiss side, it is 16 km and takes about 5½ hours. During this dry spell, the Doubs was very low and the torrent very calm, but this did not detract from the beauty of the landscape.

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amiber
amiber

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 18, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

From the Jurgensen turn, we continued along the path to reach the edge of the village (train station, watch factory and return via the children's park). Visit to the Saut du Doubs on the Swiss side (more interesting for photos) and return via the upper viewpoint on the French side via the Sentier du Châtelard and then Les Vions to reach the car park.
The level indicated seems to be overrated.

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Fabien P.
Fabien P.

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 28, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Hello everyone, I went on a very nice parish-specific to Brittany hike starting from the car park at the Belvedere des Deux Lacs viewpoint. The Saut du Doubs waterfall was redundant with the previous hike,
I recommend taking the detour to Brenet at the start of the walk, as the slope is quite difficult.
Very beautiful scenery

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