Snowshoeing raid in the open spaces of Swiss Jura
Duration : 3 days
France, Jura, Switzerland
Level : sporty
from 362 € / p. from 4 to 8 persons
Infos & Booking
Description
Close to the village of Les Rousses, the Swiss Jura offers our snowshoers wide open spaces shaped over centuries. During this four-day trek, you will explore a true winter wonderland reminiscent of Lapland.
This route takes place above 1400 meters of altitude with often good snow cover, even in recent years!
Highlights:
- Breathtaking panoramic views from the ridges connecting the summit of Mont Tendre (the highest point in the Swiss Jura) and Crêt de la Neuve.
- Authentic mountain huts (sometimes unmanned depending on the season), where a mountain atmosphere reigns.
- A magnificent high-altitude route that winds through the gigantic valleys beneath the highest peaks.
Notes:
- The mountain huts are staffed on certain weekends but do not offer meals. This trek is therefore semi-autonomous, requiring you to carry your own food.
- Stages 2 and 3 are between 14 and 15 km long. This trek is therefore suitable for athletic individuals.
If you fancy another adventure in this region, I also offer a 4-day snowshoe trek in the Hautes Combes of Jura.
You can also join me for a stay or a snowshoeing weekend in the Champsaur valley.
Program
D1: Les Chaumilles - Mont Tendre - Cunay hut.
Meet at 9am in Bois d'Amont, near the Tourist Office, before heading to the Marchairuz Pass in Switzerland, a 20-minute drive away.
Briefing and equipment check before starting our trek.
The vast expanses of the Swiss Jura offer us a taste of Lapland: a feeling of freedom guaranteed!
The goal for the day is to climb Mont Tendre, the highest point in the Swiss Jura at 1679 meters above sea level. From the top, there is a breathtaking view stretching across the Alps and the entire Jura mountain range.
We then continue on our way to the Cunay hut, an isolated refuge nestled in the heart of the mountains. Its location in front of the Alps and its atmosphere make it an ideal haven of peace.
Accommodation at the Cunay hut on a self-catering basis (bring a picnic for lunch).
Distance: 11km, positive altitude difference: 450 meters, negative altitude difference: 200 meters.
D2: Cunay hut - Marcahairuz pass - Pralets hut.
After a good night's sleep, the longest day of the trip awaits us. We begin our route with a gradual descent to the Col du Marchairuz (1447m), before plunging into the Combe des Amburnex, a true geological masterpiece. It is one of the longest and most majestic valleys in the Jura, alternating between open landscapes and shaded areas with majestic spruce trees.
We reach the Neuve mountain pasture before descending to the Pralets hut, an authentic Jura mountain chalet. A friendly atmosphere awaits us there, ideal for enjoying a good meal!
Picnic lunch.
Accommodation at the Pralets hut on a self-catering basis.
Distance: 15km, D+: 150m, D-: 450m.
D3: Pralets hut - Mont Sâla - Combe des Amburnex - Les Chaumilles.
For this last day, we head for the Combe des Bégnines at an altitude of almost 1500 meters. This is a perched syncline, a vast area of summer pasture that takes on the appearance of the far north when winter comes. The walk is pleasant, with views of Geneva and the Chalet à Roch, an area of alpine chalets.
Last picnic in the great outdoors.
La Sèche des Amburnex awaits us before a very short climb back to our starting point.
Distance: 14km, D+: 475m, D-: 300m.
The price includes
- Supervision by the mountain leader.
- Self-catering accommodation.
- Catering from Day 1 dinner to Day 3 picnic.
The price does not include
- Return transport to the meeting point in Bois d'Amont, an hour and a quarter's drive from Geneva or Pontarlier.
- Picnic lunch on Day 1.
- Personal expenses (drinks in mountain huts or other purchases).
- Anything not mentioned in "The price includes".
Accommodation
In guarded huts.