The Grande traversée du Jura on foot - GTJ pédestre

The Grande traversée du Jura à pied (Great Jura Crossing on foot) takes backpackers all along the Jura crescent, following the paths of the legendary GR®5 and GR®9.

The route generally starts in the north, in the Montbéliard region. Don't hesitate to take the time to visit the town of the Princes of Wurtemberg. The route quickly moves up to the higher plateaux and then down to the beautiful Doubs river. Alongside the Swiss border, the route meanders as far as Villers-le-Lac, before giving way to a pastoral setting of meadows grazed by Montbéliard cows and deciduous forests. This is the land of the typical Comtois farmhouses with their imposing "tuyés" where sausages and hams are smoked, and which you are sure to eat as you stop off. Once past Pontarlier, the Fort de Joux and then Lake Saint-Point mark the approach to the summit of the Doubs: the Mont d'Or (1,463 m). From here, a magnificent panorama of the Alps will force you to contemplate... here you are in the Haut-Jura Regional Nature Park. From spruce forests to lush green valleys, the path winds its way through this unspoilt area with its rich natural heritage. At Mouthe, a village notorious for its harsh winters, you arrive at the source of the river that you have been following since the start of your journey, and which gave its name to the département, the Doubs. You will then pass through Chapelle-des-Bois, its combe and its two lakes, nestling between the Mont-Noir forest and the Risoux cliffs. In Les Rousses, let yourself be told the story of the Massacre forest before crossing it, and imagine the bird that lives here, because if you tread on its territory, you're unlikely to come across it: the capercaillie, which still lives in our forests, is a very discreet animal. Its presence is the result of a preserved natural environment, the heritage of a natural and rustic mountain. A little more effort as you cross the beautiful Hautes-Combes and you'll be able to admire the high Jura chain that will soon be welcoming you.

Hiking here is a feast for the eyes. The landscapes that open up to you will remain etched in your memories. To the east, behind the Lake Geneva basin, the Alps with their white-capped peaks sparkle in the sunshine. To the west, the Jura plateaux fold down to the plain.

You leave the Jura for the Ain department, home to the highest peaks in the massif. This is your introduction to mountain hiking, with some vertiginous sections. After the Bellegarde-sur-Valserine valley, you climb up to the wild Retord plateau. In spring, its fields are covered with daffodils. These delicately scented flowers are picked and sent to the great perfumers.

All that's left to do is stop off at the magical Arvière Carthusian monastery, which is sure to charm you with its meditative location.

The Grand Colombier awaits you with a breathtaking panorama of the Rhône. Your journey through unspoilt countryside, rich in colour, scent and sound, is coming to an end. The adventure you've had along the way, stopping off in the evening to meet the people who live here and make this living land what it is today, will leave unforgettable memories in your heart.