Discover Tancua: hiking in the Bienne Valley

Tancua is a village in the Bienne Valley. A good starting point for getting to know the area is the Les Cuisiniers hike: it begins in Tancua and follows easy paths and shaded trails to viewpoints and flowering dry grasslands. The hamlet of Les Cuisiniers is also part of local history. When planning your trip, it is worth distinguishing this connection to the area from the activities in nearby Morbier.

Hiking and history in Tancua

Les Cuisiniers brings together a variety of experiences along the route. The Les Cuisiniers hike takes you along easy paths and shaded trails to viewpoints and flowering dry grasslands.

The history of the Ligne des Hirondelles comes to life in the hamlet of Les Cuisiniers: the hamlet bears witness to the history of this well-known railway line, which crosses the Haut-Jura. In addition to hiking, Tancua therefore offers a connection to the region’s transport history.

Putting Tancua and Morbier on the map

From Morbier, follow the D26, the Route de la Vallée, for about 4 km to the hamlet of Tancua. The Les Cuisiniers hike starts in Tancua, while several leisure and cultural attractions are in Morbier.

Hiking or mountain biking in Morbier

In Morbier, Le Tour des Préhez is an easy mountain bike loop that takes one hour and covers 7.3 km. Both the ascent and descent are 141 m. The route begins with a gentle climb through the countryside, then descends for a long stretch through the forest. It also includes a singletrack variant that is playful and technical in places. On the Les Cuisiniers hike, you’ll follow easy, shaded paths to viewpoints; Le Tour des Préhez, by contrast, is a one-hour mountain bike loop covering 7.3 km, with 141 m of ascent and descent. Trail conditions can change; check them before setting out. Ludy Park is also accessible from the loop’s starting point.

Heritage and architecture in Morbier

The Le Tour des Préhez route features a facade clad in split spruce shingles. These shingles are called tavaillons; the Jura technique developed in the 15th century and is still used today. At Église Saint-Michel, you’ll encounter another part of the area’s history: the church preserves traces of Morbier’s watchmaking tradition. Its fittings include a monumental clock with three dials and a two-coloured sphere showing the phases of the moon. The two examples highlight different aspects: a building technique that has been passed down, and the watchmaking tradition with its unusual clock.

Winter activities and seasonal attractions

The ESF de Morbier offers on-site lessons in skiing, snowboarding, and biathlon. It also holds torchlight descents during the holidays; dates and availability may change. If you’d like to plan your stay around a lesson or a descent, check the latest schedule. The Station des Gentianes is dedicated to teaching alpine skiing to all age groups; its operation is seasonal. These activities differ from choosing your own route: they depend on lessons, dates, or seasonal opening.

In Morbier, tubing on large inflatable rings is also available year-round on three specially designed runs. Operating conditions may vary by season. Plan d'eau des Bruyères is a small artificial lake near the swimming pool and campsite. Seasonal fishing is permitted there for trout, whitefish, pike, carp, perch, zander, black bass, and tench. Fishing regulations and seasonal conditions may change; check the current rules before fishing.

Discover more destinations

Jouhe, Villard-Saint-Sauveur, Villeneuve-sous-Pymont, Morez, Annoire, Censeau, Mérona, Saint-Maurice-Crillat

For the main travel overview: Jura.