Loop 12: Tour of the lakes

Three lakes, a Neolithic site, the famous Hérisson waterfalls... This tour harmoniously combines agricultural and tourist activities in the most popular area of the Jura!
It all began more than 10,000 years ago with the melting of the glaciers. They left behind them a number of basins which became lakes, rivers and waterfalls. From Doucier, a small quiet village but very lively in summer, the road follows a 6,000-year-old Neolithic site of lakeside villages on the edge of Lake Chalain as far as Marigny where a multi-century-old lime tree takes pride of place. Further on, at Fontenu, a cute village perched on a cliff above the turquoise waters, the view embraces the whole of the lake of Chalain up to the Heute coast, across the river Ain.
After a short climb, you arrive via Chevrotaine and Frasnois on the chain of lakes. Le Vernois, Narlay, Ilay with the Petit and Grand Maclu in the background, dominated by a 150m cliff (which can be reached by a 3km diversions towards Chaux-du-Dombief from km 21).
At Ilay, the descent to Menetru-en-Joux runs alongside the Hérisson waterfalls. A viewpoint over the Val and Chambly lakes and the entire Hérisson valley, which welcomes 300,000 visitors each year.