The Great Jura Crossings offer the opportunity to discover the Jura Massif roaming thanks to 6 different routes and sporting activities. Whether you're a seasoned adventurer, a sports enthusiast who loves thrills and pushing your limits, or a contemplative hiker, there's bound to be a GTJ made for you! But it's not always easy to find your way around, so we'll decipher your different options together...
The Great Crossings of the Jura, or "GTJ" for aficionados, is therefore different routes offered in the heart of Montagnes du Jura and adapted to 4-season sports activities :
The GTJ also offers the possibility of create your own format and build your tailor-made trip for a few days or a few weeks, choosing to complete the entire route, or just sections.
Finally, the GTJ is the opportunity to discover a playground with different reliefs, to observe the diversity of the landscapes of Montagnes du Jura, cross two regional natural parks, to be surprised by preserved flora and fauna, to rub shoulders with neighboring Switzerland, to meet passionate people, to savor the local gastronomy...
In short, it's an opportunity to take the time to experience authentic moments in the heart of nature where silence still has its place...
Northern gateway to the Jura Mountains, Pays Horloger is crossed by several GTJ routes (on foot, by bicycle, by mountain bike, by cross-country skiing). Along the Doubs or on the Franco-Swiss ridges, in the middle of the fields of Montbéliardes or in a fir forest, during a stop in a comté cheese dairy or a restful night at a host located along the route, you will let your senses awaken in the heart of the Pays Horloger.
On the portion Pays Horloger :
“Very quickly, it evolves towards the highest plateaus to descend towards the very beautiful Doubs River. While skirting the Swiss border, it follows its meanders until Villers-le-Lac, then gives way to a bucolic atmosphere between meadows, where Montbéliarde cows graze, and deciduous forests. This is the territory of the typical Comtois farms with imposing “tuyés” where sausages and hams are smoked, which you will certainly eat during the stopover.”. *extract from the GTJ website
Good to know :
From Saint-Hippolyte to Goumois:
From Goumois to Villers-le-Lac:
From Villers-le-Lac to Les Gras:
Focus on the Halte aux Gras bivouac area
This bivouac area, inaugurated in September 2023, is intended to accommodate outdoor activity enthusiasts looking for a picnic spot or shelter to sleep or protect themselves from bad weather. This project is an initiative of the Grandes Traversées du Jura and the Espace Nordique Jurassien to compensate for the lack of overnight accommodation and raise awareness about the preservation of natural environments. Modular, eco-designed in Jura wood, innovative and accessible in all seasons, this facility provides comfort and reassurance to outdoor activity enthusiasts during small or large explorations of the Montagnes du Jura.
To note :
On the portion Pays Horloger : “The climb to the Maîche plateau and then the path along the green banks of the Doubs require a certain amount of technique.” *extract from the GTJ website
Good to know :
From Saint-Hippolyte to Goumois:
From Goumois to Villers-le-Lac:
From Villers-le-Lac to Les Gras:
The youngest of the GTJ routes! Launched in 2023, from Mandeure to Culoz with an average of 7 stages that will take you 383 km.
Download the GTJ gravel GPX track
To note :
On the portion Pays Horloger : The GTJ cycle route takes secondary roads offering lovely panoramas (Corniche de Goumois, road between Fournet-Blancheroche – Grand'Combe-des-Bois – Le Barboux – Villers-le-Lac). Extra caution is advised at certain times when traffic may be heavier (between 16 p.m. and 18 p.m., particularly with cross-border workers returning home).
Good to know :
From Saint-Hippolyte to Goumois:
From Goumois to Villers-le-Lac:
From Villers-le-Lac to Les Gras:
To note :
On the portion Pays Horloger : The Nordic site of Meix Musy, on the heights of Morteau, is the official start of the GTJ cross-country skiing race. Its special feature? Its border location, which will allow you to follow the Franco-Swiss ridges for several kilometers.
Good to know :
To note :
GTJ on snowshoes:
GTJ ski touring:
Bivouacking is tolerated on the “Pays Horloger” of the GTJ. You are driving in the Doubs Horloger Regional Natural Park, which does not impose any additional restrictions. However, you must respect a certain number of rules:
Please note that bivouacking is prohibited or regulated in certain areas of the Haut-Jura.
How to bivouac in the Doubs Horloger Regional Natural Park
It is entirely possible to hike the GTJ with your dog. However, some areas are difficult, regulated, or prohibited.
On the portion Pays Horloger : on the GTJ on foot, in the Doubs gorges, between Goumois and Villers-le-Lac, there are several ladder passages, the highest of which has 30 rungs.
By public transport:
Luggage transport:
Good to know :
To obtain more information on all the GTJ routes and to best prepare your trip, do not hesitate to contact the specialists:
GREAT CROSSINGS OF THE JURA
15-17 Grande Rue
39150 THE MOUNTAIN BOARDS
03.84.51.51.51
info@gtj.asso.fr
