Jura

Phenomenal and peaceful

This trip is an Eldorado for the true motorcyclist. Indeed, the Jura is a succession of narrow passes and delightful hairpin bends. Pleasant side effect is that this ancient mountain massif does not attract many tourists and is therefore fairly quiet. Your hotel is located between Besançon and Pontarlier in a small French village. It has great views of the Loue valley. The rooms are simple but fully equipped. The hotel has an acclaimed restaurant where the passionate chef uses local products to prepare the most delicious dishes for you.

The outward journey (first day) and return journey (last day) you will drive on your own initiative.

Today's route goes to and through the Parc du Doubs. Named after the river that flows through this area and has left its mark there over the years. The route follows scenic tourist roads full of bends and stunning views. After about 80 km, you first encounter the river Le Doubs at Saint Hyppolyte. You follow the river to the Parc du Doubt. The park owes its name to the river 'Doubs', which forms the natural border with France and Switzerland for about 40 kilometres. After about 20 km you leave the river and continue into the nature park. You continue on a winding road to the Swiss town of Saignelégier. On this winding road you leave the Parc du Doubs after about 195 km. The curves here continue for a while until you drive through the Parc du Doubs again. As you leave the natural park again, you simultaneously pass the border from Switzerland to France. Via the village of Arcon you continue the route back to the hotel.

Today you again have the choice of choosing a long or short route, today's route will take you through the 'Parc du Haute Jura'. During today's trip you will pass a number of beautiful lakes. The views and wonderful steering roads are again the main ingredients of today's route. At the beginning of the route, you are already treated to beautiful roads and views. After about 90 km you enter Parc du Haute Jura and pretty soon you pass the waterfall "Cascade De La Billaude". You cannot see this one from the road, but you can visit it. Shortly after the waterfall, you pass no less than five lakes to your left and right. First on the left you see the Petit Maclu Lac with the Grand Maclu Lac behind it. Immediately right after that, you see Lac de Narlay. After passing the village of Le Frasnois, you see Lac de la Motte ou d'Ilay on your left. This is the largest lake of the five. The route continues through the Parc du Haute Jura and you will be treated to impressive waterfalls, in French Cascade. You drive out of the park again and through the valley you will drive back towards the hotel.

Today's route takes you to "Parc Regional Chasseral", a nature park in Switzerland. Today's route also goes through a small part of "Du Doubs" where you also rode earlier this week. Soon after leaving the hotel you drive into ''Gorges de Nouailles". The rocky surroundings remain typical of the route. After about 75 km, you ride into the Parc Regional de Chasseral and shortly afterward you ride down a series of hairpin bends to the Bielersee or Lake Biel. The towns around Lake Biel often boast pretty promenades along the water and almost all have a beautiful marina. What is also special about this lake is the peninsula Sankt Petersinsel and after this you leave the nature park. You are then immediately treated to a series of beautiful bends and steering roads with several restaurants along the route. The scenery remains beautiful and impressive all the way to the hotel.

For today, you have a choice of long and short routes. Which will take you via beautiful winding roads to and through the Parc Jura Voudais, the area from which the region takes its name. From the hotel, the route heads south to Switzerland. After about 35 kilometres, a winding road will take you up already: Col de la République (1,010m). A beautiful pass through the forest on a narrow road. After this col you pass the river ''the Doubs''. You have already passed this one several times over the past few days. Now, however, you get closer to the source of this river. You continue the route towards the col du Marchairuz (1,447m) and head towards Saint Cergue via an exhilarating curve-fest. The curve-fest does not end with this, it continues until Morez. A little further on, you arrive at two small lakes: Lac de Bellefontaine and Lac des Mortes. From here, the route follows a more continuous character with fantastic views of the Jura back to the hotel.

This route is an extra route you could ride if you spend an extra day in the Jura or as an alternative of one of the other routes. It is a beautiful, but also long route that will take you over eight hours to ride. The route starts heading south and after about 40 kilometres you already ride up the first col: Col de Jounge (1,012m). After this col, you pass the border with Switzerland. You ride above Lausanne and via Lac de Bret the route heads towards Lake Geneva. The mountain scenery below Lake Geneva is very winding. With lovely colls and the regularly beautiful views over Lake Geneva. The remaining part of the route goes through the Jura with nice steering roads and beautiful views of the massif and nature.