Walking the Jura Trail

Aug 11, 2013,14:38 PM
 

As promised, here is the last installment of our June 2013 trip to Switzerland.  Previously, we had enjoyed the hospitality of Montblanc Villeret while staying in Neuchâtel, then on to La Chaux-de-Fonds for an extended holiday.  The story continues with our hike along the crest of the Jura Mountains back to Geneva and the flight home.


To begin this chapter, we left La Chaux-de-Fonds by train for the village of Couvet and the charming Hotel de l'Aigle.  The following day we took the train back to Noiraigue for a 14 km hike to the Creux du Van; a natural rock cirque and one of the Jura's best viewpoints.


While the Creux du Van has been audaciously described as Switzerland's Grand Canyon, its 5 km periphery falls far short.  Nevertheless, it affords a wonderful view of the surrounding area and was popular as an end-of-school field trip for scores of youth, not to mention other tourists like us.  We spent the better part of a day walking up through the forest to admire the spectacular views, then returning to Noiraigue via another trail, and ending with the train ride back to Couvet.  A cool beer was welcome as temps reached 30° C!









































































































Our second day's marche à pied began with more pleasant, if hot, weather.  Well-signed trails led us through fields and back roads to the lovely town of Môtiers, where absinthe has become a prime commodity.  I asked a local gentleman for some directions and he invited us for a short walk to his distillery.  There, at 10 am, we had an impromptu tasting session and I became familiar with the cool and refreshing herbal taste of this previously forbidden nectar.


Eventually we pried ourselves away and plunged into the forest, looking for a cleft in the mountains called the Gorges de la Poëta Raisse.  This narrow gorge provided a gateway to what locals called the “Balcony of the Jura Vaudois”; La Chasseron at 1600m.


We ended our day at the Hotel de France in the picturesque town of Ste-Croix.  This town lies on a sunny terrace at 1100m and is the home of the world-famous Reuge music box manufacture.  Our hotel was on the doorstep of the original factory which is slated for condos now that a new factory has been constructed downtown.





































































































































Next morning we started early, anticipating the 22 km walk along the French border to Vallorbe.  Ancient roads and smuggler’s paths crossed our route, which also featured numerous WWII  bunkers and tank traps (aptly called Dragon’s Teeth).  Spotting a chamois in the wild was a highlight of the day!


The town of Vallorbe was at one time the site of large iron ore deposits and has a dingy, industrial feel.  It seemed to reflect hard economic times more than most, although the oldest areas along the river were very picturesque; spoiled only by a drab casino that I studiously avoided photographing.  Mediocre accommodations and restaurants are best forgotten.


















































































































































The following day’s walk was a bit shorter at 13 km and brought us to the heart of historic watchmaking country.  Our travels took us over the Dent du Vaulion to the town of l’Abbaye on the shores of Lac de Joux.


It was in this area we began to notice the isolated stone farm houses with distinctive rows of windows along their top floors, signifying the residence of traditional Swiss repassients who spent the long winters making “rough parts” for the Geneva etablisseurs.  Within an hour of our arrival at the hotel, a most horrific hail storm pounded the area and we said a silent prayer of thanks that we were not caught out in it!


 




























































































































From l’Abbaye we set out for the Col du Marchairuz; a 20 km trek.  I must mention the wonderful Swiss Trails organization, which took care of transporting our luggage every day from hotel to hotel so that our burden was only a small pack with the day’s provisions.  Their service was flawless, with the small exception that our guidebook was in German as they had not yet gotten around to printing an English version.


We passed through a genuine Swiss National Park, where access was forbidden to the cows and crops that had been part of the familiar vista.  It was indeed a very Jurassic landscape, untouched and untamed, but lasted for only a few kilometers before we once again crossed a stone fence into pasture lands and heard once again the clang-clanging chorus of cow bells.  We rested only briefly at the top of Mont Tendre at 1678m as black clouds threatened further hail.


We encountered our worst disappointment at one junction of the trail, as a right turn would take us down to Le Sentier where we had an invitation to visit Nicole and Daniel Roth at their atelier; Jean Daniel Nicholas.  What appeared so close on a map turned out to be a five hour diversion from our route!  With great regret, we realized it just wasn’t in the cards.  We also had to forego a reconnaissance of the ancient village of Cret Meylan where the legendary Louis-Benjamin Audemars had his shops.  We resolved to return to the Le Sentier - Le Brassus area with more time to spend.


The trail was deep in the forest until suddenly our hotel suddenly appeared against the skyline.  We were staying at the historic Hotel du Marchairuz at the top of the Col du Marchairuz.  It proved to be a very popular travel destination and, while enjoying an aperitif on the patio, we were entertained by a steady parade of Lycra-clad cyclists mixed with vintage cars and motorcycles.





































































































Our next day’s travels were a mixed venture, with 17 km of walking to the holiday town of St-Cergue then a further train ride up to the village of La Cure on the Swiss/French border.


The ubiquitous stone walls were always interesting for a prairie boy like me.  Made with backbreaking effort, they revealed where farmers had cleared their fields of rocks.  What surprised us was the occasional discovery of substantial stone walls deep in the woods.  A local explained that the forests we were currently enjoying did not exist a century ago and these walls marked the borders of now-overgrown fields.  It required decades of diligent conservation efforts to return trees to the virtually denuded Swiss landscape.  The Swiss respect for trees is now clearly evident, with selective logging and zero-waste practices rather than the clear-cutting I’m ashamed to say we allow in Canada.


The overcast skies brought occasional rain but welcome cool weather.  Unfortunately it also obscured any hoped-for views of the Savoy Alps and Mont Blanc.  Our stay at the Hotel Franco-Suisse was best described as humorous, as ongoing renovations were attempting to create rustic charm with mixed results.  It appears the actual border runs right through the hotel, though most of the structure has been closed-up as tourism waned.  No wonder though; the prices were in Euros at a much higher rate than even Geneva!  St-Cergue looked far more interesting; however La Cure provided the best launching point for our final section.


We awoke the next morning to sheets of rain and no views.  Considering that our planned objective was to ascend the heights of La Dole for a promised view, the day’s itinerary required a rethink.  The situation failed to improve as we lingered over breakfast so Plan B was implemented.  On to the train we went, to be greeting with clearing skies by the time we arrived in Geneva.  Looking back, we found La Dole still obscured in rain clouds and so felt vindicated.










































































































Overall, it was an absolutely marvelous adventure and we are already considering returning to the Jura Trail, this time to travel northeast from Neuchatel to Zurich.

This message has been edited by Tick Talk on 2013-08-11 14:44:46 This message has been edited by Tick Talk on 2013-08-11 14:48:33


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Comments: view entire thread

 

I spent almost 15 minutes looking at all your pictures.

 
 By: amanico : August 11th, 2013-22:00
And will come back to your post. What a delight! Thank you so much. Best, Nicolas

Passion, Opinion, Information

 
 By: Tick Talk : August 12th, 2013-13:17
I'm very glad you enjoyed this. It was my small contribution to the Purists credo. Forums can become overly commercial without personal conversations to share our lives, opinions, and discoveries.

Soooo great! Thank you very much Tick-talk for showing us...

 
 By: Sandgroper : August 12th, 2013-04:43
this fantastic journey of yours. Great pictures, great writing, wow, I am so ..kind of proud to see such nice pictures and nice comments about my native country. St Cergue, this is the place where I grew up, petty you did not have any picture of it, on a ... 

Thank-you for the tip Francois

 
 By: Tick Talk : August 12th, 2013-13:19
Another destination to add to our list for when we return to Switzerland :-) This tiny country is such a mosaic of European cultures that I could happily spend more time within its borders!

Fantastic post Dean!

 
 By: jrwong23 (aka watchthebin) : August 13th, 2013-01:03
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience and photos on this trip! It's heartwarming to read your post, look at your pictures and immerse myself in your trip. Now I am inspired to make a trip there someday! With my 3 very young kids it's toug... 

Patience Robin

 
 By: Tick Talk : August 13th, 2013-07:40
Your time will come, as long as you don't follow the current trend in parenting and have the "kids" still at home in their 30s! Still, the best advice I can give is to retire as early as possible; remember "work to live" NOT "live to work" ;-)

Good advice!

 
 By: jrwong23 (aka watchthebin) : August 14th, 2013-06:57
Thanks Dean. I will be patient, stay healthy, work hard to bring up my 3 young kids and retire young as you suggested. Time to save up and stop buying expensive watches in the meanwhile! :) Cheers Robin

Oh no!

 
 By: Tick Talk : August 14th, 2013-07:03
There must be some way to have your cake and eat it too?!?! ;-)

Lovely, Dean

 
 By: respo : August 13th, 2013-08:12
You continue to give me some terrific travel ideas. This looks to have been a fantastic trip. Thank you for posting all of these photos. Best always, respo

You're most welcome :-)

 
 By: Tick Talk : August 14th, 2013-07:03
nt

The best Swiss pictorial report

 
 By: jfsuperior : August 13th, 2013-08:23
I nominate your post for a prize and thanks so much for taking your time to share your delightful trip by posting so many mouth-watering pictures on this forum. Best, Jack Freedman

Glad you enjoyed this virtual tour.

 
 By: Tick Talk : August 14th, 2013-07:04
I'll take any prize offered ;-)

What a fantastic photo essay!

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : August 13th, 2013-13:47
It looks like you had a great time! Thank you for sharing this here! :) Best Blomman

Switzerland is like a drug...

 
 By: Tick Talk : August 14th, 2013-07:04
very addictive! Thanks for your kind words.

Brilliant post, some fond memories of a couple of spots I've visited

 
 By: Tim Jackson : August 14th, 2013-11:03
Thank you for taking the time to post this, simply wonderful! Cheers, Tim

I understand you've been to Môtiers

 
 By: Tick Talk : August 14th, 2013-12:55
from your comment at HOME? That lovely town was a real piece of heaven and we would go back in a heartbeat. The abundance of absinthe doesn't hurt ;-)

Thank you for this wonderful report tt...

 
 By: DonCorson : August 16th, 2013-00:25
It is interesting to see our hills through other eyes. I see those hills every day and work and play takes me up there often. But when you are so close you often miss much of the beauty. Don PS: Hotel du Chasseron by day Hotel du Chasseron by night Papara...  

Great pictorial !

 
 By: RobCH : August 16th, 2013-09:10
Wow...I have never seen a thread with so many familiar places :-) My house (well, my village...the house is lost amongst the pixels), the castle where I was married (Motiers), previous place of work (vallée de Joux), exact view from current place of work ... 

I envy you Rob

 
 By: Tick Talk : August 16th, 2013-15:56
Living in such a magical place. Thanks for the offer of a drink in Geneva :-)

Beautiful tour Dean, many places I wanted to

 
 By: timerider : August 16th, 2013-10:49
visit but the watch tours always got first priority. Thanks so much for sharing this great trip! Best, Tim

I understand Tim

 
 By: Tick Talk : August 16th, 2013-15:54
Perhaps you might consider adding a week on either end of SIHH or another watch show and experience Switzerland one bite at a time :-)

An Epic Journey

 
 By: patrick_y : August 21st, 2013-23:12
Where did you two not go? You two look like you both had great fun! And I really like how some of your colorful jackets matched the scenery. Any chance you'll be repeating this hike? Everything except for Vallorbe.

Will return Patrick

 
 By: Tick Talk : August 22nd, 2013-07:05
At least the the Jura region, perhaps to complete the trail's northbound section. There are a few more Swiss National Trails which are very inviting as well, plus we MUST spend more time in the Le Sentier area on a watchmaking historic tour. Just need the...