The Jura has the character of a low mountain range. Deep valleys, wild gorges, bare peaks and green plateaus characterise the landscape. Roughly localised, the Jura stretches along both sides of the French-Swiss border for around 250 km from Basel to Geneva. The Grande Traversée du Jura (GTJ) runs on tarmac roads. We also took a look around off the signposted route. Conclusion: It's beautiful everywhere!
Tour itinerary
Montbéliard - Charquemont - Villers-le-Lac - Morteau - Pontarlier - Malbuisson - Chaux-Neuve - Morez - St.Claude - Lajoux - Mijoux - Lélex - Menthières - Bellegarde
Approx. 320 km, about 5400 metres in altitude
Altitude: 310m - 1200m
Journey
By train via Mulhouse to Montbéliard. The TER regional train takes bicycles without registration. Return journey from Bellegarde via Geneva and Basel.
Best time to travel
From May to October. Even in summer it is quite fresh in the mornings. Rain gear belongs on board. The Jura is one of the rainiest regions in France, and August is the month with the most rainfall!
Worth seeing
Fort St Antoine
Around 100,000 Comté cheeses are matured in the former fortress near Malbuisson. To visit the "Cathédrale du Comté", book at the Office de Tourisme Malbuisson. Tel. 0033 3 81 69 31 21, www.comte-petite.com
Saut du Doubs
Boat trip to the Saut du Doubs waterfall via the Lac de Chaillexon in Villers-le-Lac.
Musée de la Lunette, Morez
The eyewear museum in Morez documents the development of spectacles since their "discovery" - the first metal spectacle frame was made in Morez in 1796: Over 2500 exhibits, optical instruments, tools and much more.
Musée de la Lunette, Place Jean Jaurès, 39400 Morez, www.musee-lunette.fr
Accommodation
There are hotels, guest rooms and campsites along the route. Symbols on the map in the guide provide information. Book in summer!
Food and drink
Franche Comté is famous for its cheeses (Comté, Morbier, Mont d'Or, Bleu de Gex) and for the sausages from Morteau and Montbéliard. A typical, simple dish is the "cancoillotte": skimmed milk cheese melted over a low heat, flavoured with garlic, shallots and white wine, served with potatoes, smoked sausage and fresh salad. Served with wine from Arbois.
There are numerous good restaurants to suit all budgets.
Hotel-Restaurant Le Bois de la Biche, Route de la cendrée , 25140 Charquemont, www.boisdelabiche.fr
In the gîte "La Chandoline" near Lajoux, Valérie and Leyla cook so well (simple, plentiful and "organic") that you won't be tempted to go to the restaurant.
Gîte La Chandoline, Le Manon, 39310 Lajoux, tel. 03 84 41 26 93, www.lachandoline.com
Bike shops
In Montbéliard, Morteau, Pontarlier, Saint Claude and Bellegarde.
Map
Michelin No. 321: "Doubs, Jura" from the series "Departements France" 1:150 000 4.50 euros
Cycling guide
La Grande Traversée des Montagnes du Jura à vélo, Dakota Editions, 12.80 euros, ISBN 2-84640-155-1
The guide contains lots of information about the route (maps, route, key data, bike shops, accommodation, interesting facts about the country and its people, culture, history, etc.) - indispensable! Unfortunately only available in French.
Also for French speakers only: From the Michelin series "Le Guide Vert" the guide "Franche Comté Jura".
Information
Atout France, P.O. Box 100128, 60001 Frankfurt/Main, www.rendezvousenfrance.com
http://radfahren.franche-comte.org/Radwege/Radwege/GTJ-fuer-Rennrad-und-Trekkingrad (Route of the "Grande Traversée du Jura à Vélo" on Google Maps)
The complete article was published in Trekkingbike issue 5/2015. You can read the entire issue in the Trekkingbike app (iTunes and Google Play) or order the issue in the DK shop.
You can download the individual articles as PDF files here.
