Franche-Comté: Lakes, Hiking Trails and Saltworks

High ridges, plateaus, secluded valleys, gorges and waterfalls shape the landscape of the Haut-Jura. The Parc naturel régional du Haut-Jura covers around 178,000 hectares and extends across the départements of Doubs, Jura and Ain. You will find a wide variety of landscapes here, from open uplands to narrow valleys.

Landscapes, lakes and archaeological traces

The open habitats of the Haut-Jura include peat bogs, dry grasslands, meadows and alpine pastures. The “Tourbières et lacs de la Montagne jurassienne” site is France’s first Ramsar site in a mountain region. At 40 metres deep, Lac Narlay is the deepest natural lake in the Jura. These landscape and nature conservation features give the Haut-Jura a distinct character that goes beyond individual hiking destinations.

History can also be explored at a specific site: three successive religious settlements stood on Île de la Motte in Lake Ilay. Future research may refine the archaeological interpretation of this sequence. The site thus connects the lake landscape with a history that cannot be read solely from its present-day surroundings.

Hiking and trails in the Jura Massif

The Tour des quatre lacs is a 10.8-kilometre circular route that takes three hours. It is graded as moderate and marked with GR and PR trail signs. The Échappée Jurassienne covers a much greater distance: this marked GR hiking trail runs 352 kilometres from west to east through the Jura Massif. The routes differ clearly in scale—a single loop with a stated duration versus a long crossing of the massif.

Hiking and cross-country skiing are both popular activities in the forests of the Haut-Jura. The outdoor experience therefore encompasses more than hiking routes and also includes winter sports. Route distances and markings may be updated; check the latest route information before setting out.

Salt history and architecture

The Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans is a major work of Enlightenment industrial architecture; construction began in 1775. The saltworks at Salins-les-Bains operated for 1,200 years and closed in 1962. The two sites represent different aspects of salt history: the architecture of the 18th century at one, and a long history of production at the other.

The Grande Saline traces 1,200 years of salt production in Franche-Comté and opened to visitors in 1966. The site includes a 165-metre-long underground gallery with a 19th-century pump. Check the latest access conditions before visiting.

A saltworks can also be included as a cycling destination: the Doubs cycling route offers a detour of around 30 kilometres to the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans. This is an approximate distance; the route connection may change.

Cheese and regional food culture

Comté is considered a signature specialty of Franche-Comté. It is made using traditional methods at around 140 village cheese dairies. Comté fruitières are mostly village cooperatives, with a history dating back eight centuries. This form of organization links the cheese to local village traditions, not just to its production.

At the Fruitière de la Vallée du Hérisson, visitors can watch Comté, Morbier and other raw-milk cheeses being made from a visitors’ gallery. Visitor offerings may change; check the current visitor arrangements before your visit. On a broader scale, gourmet routes in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté bring together producers, markets, selected restaurants, cellars, farms, workshops and culinary events. Offerings and participating locations may change.

Discover more destinations: Doubs, Haute-Saône, Jura, Territoire de Belfort.

Back to the main travel overview: France.