Iam proposing a few small hikes of varying degrees of difficulty, to let you see new things, get some fresh air and relax a bit. Don’t forget: doing nothing is bad for your health. Here’s hoping you have fun hiking in pleasant and sunny weather.
La Dôle (1,677 metres) by snowshoe or
on foot
From Gex, drive up to the Col de la Faucille. At
the top, continue towards Dijon on the Route
nationale 5. After about 3 and a half kilometres,
you will come upon La Vattey cross-country ski
centre, the starting-point.
Start out in the direction of the Puthod forest
cabin. Follow the forest route, along which you
pass by la Grande Grand, le Petit Sonnailley and,
finally, la Dôle. You will need about an hour and a
half to 2 hours for this stretch; you can return by
the same route in an hour and a half, for a total trip
time of 3 to 3 and a half hours and a change in altitude
of 416 metres.
An alternative route starts at Hauts de la Rippe,
Vaud, by a parking lot beside a camping area at point
574 on the map. Follow the new markings for the
GRJ (Grandes Randonnées Jurassiennes), a yellow
trail; this route includes a change in altitude of 1,100
metres and can be completed in 3 and a quarter
hours. It takes 3 hours to return by the same route.
Indispensable: an official map from the
Fédération suisse de tourisme pédestre
(Office fédéral de topographie), the map of
walking paths and hikes between the Jura
and Léman. For the alternative route, try
maps 1261 Nyon and 1260 Col de la Faucille.
Don’t forget to wear good hiking boots and
weather-suitable clothing.
Good trekking!
(English translation by David Winch).
