In summary
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Sports
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Duration6 days
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LevelIntermediate
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DestinationBurgundy-Franche-Comté / Jura
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AgeFrom 18 - 90 years
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CO₂-Emissions73.77 kg CO2
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Type of stayIndependent traveler
In a few words
Explore the Jura Mountains on snowshoes , following a route specifically designed for this sport! Between spruce forests, clearings, and vast valleys offering unobstructed views of the Jura Mountains, you'll enjoy enchanting landscapes. In winter, there are no marked paths, only tracks, to guide you along a route marked by discreet ribbons that will lead you from village to village. You'll navigate using a map, sometimes through fog and by breaking trail after snowfalls!
The highlights
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Typical landscapes of the Haut-Jura: snow-covered valleys, frozen lakes, spruce forests, villages
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Possibility of being accommodated in a double room
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We prepare your stay, you hike independently
Photos
Sport
Level
Snowshoeing
The expert's opinion
Hikers level 2 on a scale of 5.
A hilly or mountain route with an average elevation gain and loss of 200 meters. Short stages allow you to complete the route at your own pace, regardless of snow conditions or your fitness level. This also gives you ample time for a well-deserved lunch break in a mountain refuge or to visit the museums in the villages along the way.
Average elevation gain: 200 m Maximum elevation gain: 300 m
Average length: 10 km Maximum length: 12 km
Average time: 5 hours Maximum: 5 hours 30 minutes
In figures
Snowshoes
- Average duration/day: 5h
- Average distance/day: 10 km
- Average daily elevation gain: 208 m
- Average daily descent: 199 m
Management
Program
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Welcome to Chapelle des Bois
- Accommodation 2-star hotel
- Breakfast not included
- Lunch not included
- Dinner included
Starting at 5:00 PM at Chapelle des bois.
Check-in and dinner at the accommodation.
Day 1 -
Chapelle des Bois – Bois d'Amont.
- Activity Snowshoes
- Duration of the activity 5h
- Distance 10 km
- Positive elevation gain 246 m
- Negative elevation 252 m
- Accommodation 2-star hotel
- Breakfast included
- Lunch not included
- Dinner included
Crossing the Risoux forest, via the La Roche Bernard viewpoint.
Magnificent view over the Chapelle des Bois valley. Glacial lakes, spruce forests, magical clearings and mulled wine at Chalet Gaillard!
Night in Bois d'Amont.
Day 2 -
Bois d'Amont – Les Rousses
- Activity Snowshoes
- Duration of the activity 4h30
- Distance 10 km
- Positive elevation gain 137 m
- Negative elevation 115 m
- Accommodation 2-star hotel
- Breakfast included
- Lunch not included
- Dinner included
Along a beautiful and vast valley typical of the upper Jura, with a viewpoint overlooking Noirmont and Lac des Rousses.
A journey back to the source of the Orbe, along its meanders, crossing a peat bog covered in snow.
Night in Les Rousses or Prémanon.
Day 3 -
Les Rousses – Lajoux
- Activity Snowshoes
- Duration of the activity 5h30
- Distance 12 km
- Positive elevation gain 259 m
- Negative elevation 224 m
- Accommodation 2-star hotel
- Breakfast included
- Lunch not included
- Dinner included
Short transfer to the start of the hike (10 min).
A beautiful route through the Massacre forest to reach the Combe à La Chèvre and Lajoux. A tale of knights, mutated spruce trees, and the wildness of a secluded valley in the Haut Jura.
Night in Lajoux.
Day 4 -
Lajoux – Bellecombe
- Activity Snowshoes
- Duration of the activity 5h
- Distance 10 km
- Positive elevation gain 232 m
- Negative elevation 170 m
- Accommodation 2-star hotel
- Breakfast included
- Lunch not included
- Dinner included
Through the superb landscapes of the Hautes Combes.
The heart of the Jura massif beats here, a memory of stone carving, harmony of undulating relief and unbelievable perspectives!
Night in Bellecombe.
Day 5 -
Bellecombe – La Pesse
- Transportation Car - 01h40 - 57km
- Activity Snowshoes
- Duration of the activity 4h30
- Distance 8 km
- Positive elevation gain 163 m
- Negative elevation 233 m
- Accommodation 2-star hotel
- Breakfast included
- Lunch not included
- Dinner not included
Through the valleys and up to the Crêts du Berbois which offer views of the Jura Mountains.
Arrival in La Pesse, an alternative town with an inventive population, a laboratory for sustainable development!
Return shuttle at 3:30pm to Chapelle des Bois and end of stay.
Day 6
Note
SNOW COVER
As the seasons change, winter hikes are evolving. There are times when certain sections of this route are done on foot with snowshoes on your back!
We are primarily hikers, and if there isn't enough snow, we won't cancel our snowshoeing trips. The winter atmosphere and light will still be there even if you can't use snowshoes.
The GTJ winter route sometimes crosses wet areas which are not passable without snow, we indicate in the road book the route to follow to avoid them, it is often a small road.
The mountain is very different in winter, the colours are not the same as in summer, and the sun is lower on the horizon offering sunset lights throughout the day!
FEE
Access to marked and secured snowshoe trails has required a fee for several years. For the GTJ snowshoe route, several options are available:
- Alternatively, you can purchase a "Weekly Nordic Pass for the Jura Mountains" (€24 per adult, €12 for children up to 16 years old), which is recommended for stays of 5 days or more. This pass is valid for 7 consecutive days at all Nordic sites in the mountain range.
- You can purchase a day pass each day at the starting point of your hike. The price varies between Nordic sites. Between €3 and €5 per day per adult.
We advise you to buy the weekly pass at the last minute on site in Chapelle des Bois (refundable chalet).
Accommodation
Room Package : 5 nights in guesthouses, hotels, or bed and breakfasts, in double rooms, exceptionally triple rooms. Toilet and shower in the room or on the landing. This is not a hotel service, but it allows you to stay in a double room every night.
Hot dinners and breakfasts are served. Please bring your own pillowcase, sleeping bag, and soap. Some guesthouses do not provide bed linen.
Day 1: Hotel, double room
Day 2: Hotel or Bed and Breakfast, double room
Day 3: Hotel, double room
Day 4: Hotel, double room
Day 5: Hostel, double room
Access
WELCOME
Meet on day 1 at La Chapelle des Bois from 5pm at the gîte located in the centre of the village.
DISPERSION:
Day 6 at La Chapelle des Bois at 5:00pm or at Morez train station at 4:45pm for those departing by train.
Return to car:
Dispersal at Chapelle des Bois after the return transfer from La Pesse, around 5 p.m.
Return train:
We provide a shuttle service on the last day, included in the price of the hike.
We can drop you off at Morez train station. Timetable available at https://www.sncf-connect.com/billet-train/horaires
Return flight : The return shuttle stops at La Cure train station…
Accommodation before or after the hike:
See section "dates and prices".
Go to the starting point
Morez SNCF train station (St Claude – Dijon line):
TGV Paris – Dijon, then TER Dijon – Morez or TER Lyon-St Claude-Morez
Timetables are available at https://www.sncf-connect.com/billet-train/horaires
"The 'Swallows' line' between St Claude and Dijon is absolutely beautiful and includes many engineering structures.
If you arrive by train, we offer a shuttle service from Morez train station to Chapelle des Bois. This can be booked when registering, specifying your train's arrival time. (Prices valid until 7:30 pm)
By air : Geneva-Cointrin Airport, then train to La Cure. From La Cure train station (Switzerland), we offer a shuttle to Chapelle des Bois; please book when registering, specifying your train arrival time. Timetables are available at https://www.sbb.ch/fr
To reach Chapelle des Bois:
By road, Michelin map no. 243
- From Lyon: A42 motorway then A404 to Oyonnax then D31/D436 to St Claude, then D69 to Les Rousses and Morez, then RN5 to Morbier and D18 to Bellefontaine and Chapelle des Bois
- From Paris: A39 motorway to Poligny (exit 7) then RN5 to Morbier and the D18 to Bellefontaine and Chapelle des Bois
You can leave your car all week in the municipal parking lot designated for hikers. We recommend leaving your keys at your accommodation. This will prevent you from losing them during your hike. (Do not engage the handbrake; simply put the car in gear and lift the windshield wipers off the windshield.)
Price details
The price includes
- Organization fees
- Food and accommodation on a half-board basis
- Lending IGN maps with highlighted routes
- The travel journal
- The return shuttle La Pesse – Chapelle des Bois
The price does not include
- Luggage transport
- Drinks and personal expenses
- Lunches
- Snowshoes and poles
- Personal equipment
- The means of transport to the meeting place
- The shuttle bus runs from Morez train station to Chapelle des Bois or from La Cure train station (CH) to Chapelle des Bois
- Cancellation, assistance, repatriation, and trip interruption insurance
- The “solo supplement” if you are travelling alone
Options
- Luggage transfer : CHF73.18 / person
- Single room : CHF128.07 / person
- 5 Picnics : CHF59.46 / person
- Transfer from Morez train station : CHF41.17 / reservation
- Transfer from Morez train station : CHF64.04 / reservation
- Transfer from La Cure train station : CHF54.89 / reservation
- Transfer from La Cure train station : CHF91.48 / reservation
- Additional night in Chapelle des Bois - Shared sanitary facilities : CHF64.04 / person
- Additional night in Chapelle des Bois - Private bathroom : CHF75.01 / person
- Discount for 4 people or more (with luggage transfer) : CHF-109.78 / person
- Discount for 4 people or more (without luggage transfer) : CHF-36.59 / person
- Flex fare and insurance
Practical information
Specific formalities
Specifics
Before your departure, check with the embassy or consulate regarding the entry and stay requirements for your destination country. You can also find this information on the France Diplomatie website ( https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/dossiers-pays/ ).
In the case of flights with stopovers operated by different airlines, also check the entry requirements of the countries you are transiting through.
It is your responsibility to ensure you are in compliance, particularly regarding the validity of your identity documents (for example, some countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months after your return) , visa requirements, necessary vaccinations, and health recommendations. And don't forget to consider any customs restrictions and other potential requirements of your destination or transit country.
ℹ️ Information may change up to the departure date, remember to regularly check official websites.
FEE
Access to marked and secured snowshoe trails has required a fee for several years. For the GTJ snowshoe route, several options are available:
- Alternatively, you can purchase a "Weekly Nordic Pass for the Jura Mountains" (€24 per adult, €12 for children up to 16 years old), which is recommended for stays of 5 days or more. This pass is valid for 7 consecutive days at all Nordic sites in the mountain range.
- You can purchase a day pass each day at the starting point of your hike. The price varies between Nordic sites. Between €3 and €5 per day per adult.
We advise you to buy the weekly pass at the last minute on site in Chapelle des Bois (chalet at the start of the cross-country ski trails) or online:
If there is insufficient snow or if you are forced to cancel your stay at the last minute, the pass is non-refundable.
Equipment
Equipment provided on site
If you do not have your own equipment, you can rent it from the Mont Noir Sports shop located near the first accommodation.
It is open from 8:30am to 6:00pm and we have negotiated a special rate of €30/person for the 5 days of snowshoeing.
For 2 or 3 pairs of rackets, it is not necessary to reserve.
From 4 pairs It is best to reserve the equipment as soon as you have received the registration confirmation, tel: 03 81 69 27 28. A deposit will be required.
Equipment to bring
- Your snowshoes and poles (rental available on site)
- A 35/40 litre backpack with a flexible frame, equipped with a waist belt and allowing for the attachment of snowshoes.
- A large plastic bag to protect the inside of the backpack.
- A pair of excellent quality sunglasses with side protection
- A thermos or a preferably insulated water bottle (1.5L minimum)
- An Opinel-type pocket knife
- A small pouch (preferably waterproof) to put your money, identity card, health insurance card and assistance contract in.
- Toiletries (opt for the essentials, small sizes, samples and travel kits)
- A quick-drying bath towel
- Toilet paper
- Sunscreen and lip balm
- Airtight plastic container (minimum capacity 0.3L), cup and cutlery
- A headlamp or flashlight
- A sleeping bag sheet and a pillowcase
- A camera, binoculars (optional)
- Small field repair kit in case of emergency: Phillips screwdriver or Swiss Army knife, a piece of cord
Clothing to bring
- A sun hat or a cap
- A scarf
- A beanie
- A pair of mittens, possibly with silk gloves, and an extra pair of gloves
- Short-sleeved T-shirts in breathable material are preferable (one for every 2 to 3 days of walking)
- A long-sleeved undershirt in breathable material or a shirt
- A fleece fur jacket
- A waterproof and breathable windproof jacket (gore-tex type) with a hood
- A rain cape or a bivvy bag if you own the jacket above.
- Loose-fitting trekking trousers
- Waterproof and breathable overtrousers
- Hiking socks (one pair for 2 to 3 days of hiking). Opt for wool or hiking-specific socks. Be careful with cotton as it can cause blisters.
- A pair of hiking boots that provide good ankle support and are waterproof, with Vibram soles. Remember to test new shoes and those that haven't been worn for a long time beforehand. Absolutely avoid ski boots and après-ski boots.
- A pair of gaiters
- Underwear
- A swimsuit (optional)
- Comfortable trousers for the evening
- A pair of lightweight casual shoes for the evening
They traveled with us
