A short hike for the whole family with breathtaking views of Château de Joux and Fort Malher!
Country:
France
District:
La Cluse-et-Mijoux (25300) 
Park in the car park below Les Jantets farms.
(S/E) Start by taking the marked path to Fort Malher.
(1) After admiring the view, retrace your steps and take a path that descends to the left.
(2) Continue to the "Fer à cheval" viewpoint, then follow the yellow and blue markings to the tarmac road.
(3) Take the road and then turn right onto a path that cuts across to the right (quite a climb!!!).
(4) Return to the tarmac road and head towards Les Jantets farm (S/E).
I recommend taking walking sticks.
When you arrive at Fort Malher and the "Fer à Cheval" viewpoint, hold your children's hands!
Visiting Château de Joux.
Overall rating : 4.3 / 5
Date of your route : Jul 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No
A pleasant short hike with beautiful views of the Château de Joux in particular.
Fort Malher is closed, but feel free to walk around it for some great photos.
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Overall rating : 4.3 / 5
Date of your route : Dec 27, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No
The view of Château de Joux is magnificent when you arrive at the fort. It's interesting to descend a little towards the cluse and mijoux from the fort. I also think that the climb from the cluse and mijoux to the fort must be interesting to do. Then the route mainly goes through the forest. However, the last few kilometres back up to the car park are on the road and it's a steep climb. We cut corners in the pampa. Good training for the thighs 😁
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Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of your route : Dec 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No
A pleasant route in all weather conditions. In winter, expect some muddy sections in the forest.
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Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of your route : Jul 26, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No
The route starts from Cluse and Mijoux, at the Post Office car park. This adds about 4 km to the route.
However, the view of Fort de Joux as you climb is interesting.
Beautiful view of Pontarlier from the steep climb.
A beautiful route that can be combined with another to make a full day's outing.
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Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of your route : Jun 01, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes
A peaceful hike, apart from the climb through the cow pastures, which gives it a mountainous feel.
Beautiful view of the Château de Joux and Fort Malheur, as well as the valley and the stream that winds through it.
A lovely family walk
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Overall rating : 4.3 / 5
Date of your route : Dec 31, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Relatively weak in terms of culture (very closed) but nice in terms of landscape
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Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of your route : Dec 26, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
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Overall rating : 4.3 / 5
Date of your route : Jun 24, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
An easy but very beautiful hike with stunning views. The route varies between forest and pastureland. Take care with children as part of the route is on the road.
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Overall rating : 4 / 5
Date of your route : Nov 19, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
The hardest part is finding the starting point, otherwise it's no problem.
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Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of your route : Feb 11, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
The path is largely passable even with snow and trees on the trail. There are no major difficulties in following the route. Unfortunately, the view of the Château de Joux was obscured by fog, but it was still worth the trip.
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Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of your route : Jul 26, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Hike to do with the family
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Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of your route : Aug 16, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
...just a quick comment on my comment from 14 August about the hike with views of the two castles: if I had looked more closely at the Visorando website, I would have seen that there was a tab at the bottom of the hike description saying "how to get to the start of the hike"...and I would have had less "trouble" finding the starting point ;-) Don't act!
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Overall rating : 4.3 / 5
Date of your route : Aug 12, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
A very beautiful walk, not very long (just under 2 hours with my 13.5-year-old daughter) with a lovely view of Joux and its valleys...just a little tricky to find the starting point. Coming from Pontarlier, turn off at Cluse Mijoux-D678 (you enter the village) then turn left after about 400-500m towards Les Jeantets. Follow the road to Les Jeantets. At the three-way junction near the farm, take the road that goes downhill and you will arrive at the starting point of the hike with various signposts...including the one that leads to the fort.
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Overall rating : 4.3 / 5
Date of your route : Jun 20, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
a lovely walk, but at this time of year there are lots of horseflies, small, very aggressive flies that devour you.
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Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of your route : Nov 12, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
A lovely family hike in the snow under beautiful sunshine.
It is very accessible for the whole family; we didn't need walking sticks.
Beautiful views.
The last climb is a bit tough (especially in the snow), but it warms you up :-)
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