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Recommend an establishmentMotorcycle DestinationJura · Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
The Jura is a playground for riders who love back-to-back bends and breathtaking panoramas. Between turquoise lakes like Chalain and Vouglans, the spectacular reculées of Baume-les-Messieurs, and the winding roads of the Haut-Jura, every ride delivers its share of thrills. The Col de la Faucille and the hairpins of Septmoncel have to be earned, while perched villages like Château-Chalon and Arbois are perfect excuses to stop and eat well. The Hérisson waterfalls, the Route des Sapins, the ridgelines overlooking Switzerland — the sheer variety of landscapes turns every kilometre into a discovery. Comté cheese, vin jaune, local dairy cooperatives: the Jura's gastronomy keeps the good times rolling long after you've parked up.
Terrain
Plains → Hautes Combes
Iconic roads
Faucille, Septmoncel
Best season
May to October
What to see and do in the Jura?
The Jura packs in a remarkable collection of natural and heritage sites. The lakes of Chalain, Vouglans and Clairvaux invite you to swim and get out on the water, while the Hérisson waterfalls cascade through seven drops over nearly four kilometres. The reculées — those deep, enclosed valleys typical of the massif — deliver dramatic scenery: Baume-les-Messieurs, with its imperial abbey and cave system, is listed among France's Most Beautiful Villages. Château-Chalon, perched on its rocky spur, surveys the vin jaune vineyards below. Dole and Arbois charm with their urban heritage and their connections to Pasteur. Salins-les-Bains reveals its UNESCO-listed salt-mining history, while Saint-Claude keeps its artisan traditions alive. The resorts of Les Rousses and Métabief offer hiking and outdoor sports. Between spruce forests, high-altitude combes and vineyards, the Jura delivers a uniquely diverse range of landscapes and experiences.
Hérisson Waterfalls
NatureSeven successive waterfalls including the Saut de l'Éventail and the Grand Saut, strung along a spectacular hiking trail.
Ménétrux-en-Joux
Reculée de Baume-les-Messieurs
HeritageA listed village nestled at the foot of a deep enclosed valley, complete with abbey, caves and a stunning tufa waterfall.
Baume-les-Messieurs
Lac de Chalain
NatureThe Jura's largest natural lake with turquoise waters, perfect for swimming and water sports in an enchanting setting.
Marigny
Lac de Vouglans
NatureA 35 km reservoir offering emerald waters, via ferrata and breathtaking viewpoints from the heights above.
Cernon
Château-Chalon
VillageA village perched on a rocky spur, birthplace of vin jaune and listed among France's Most Beautiful Villages.
Château-Chalon
Arbois
VillageCapital of Jura wines and Pasteur's hometown, with wine cellars, vigneron houses and outstanding heritage.
Arbois
Dole
HeritageA city of art and history, former capital of the Franche-Comté with an imposing collegiate church and picturesque Tanners' Quarter.
Dole
Salins-les-Bains
HeritageA UNESCO-listed Grande Saline and renowned thermal spa in a town with a rich salt-making past.
Salins-les-Bains
Les Rousses Resort
SportA ski resort and four-season destination featuring the Fort des Rousses, where comté cheese is aged in spectacular cellars.
Les Rousses
Saint-Claude
CultureCapital of pipe-making and diamond cutting, a town of artisan traditions at the heart of the mountainous Haut-Jura.
Saint-Claude
Poligny
Food & DrinkCapital of comté cheese, with dairy cooperatives, the Maison du Comté and a national dairy school that's well worth a visit.
Poligny
Belvédère des 4 Lacs
NatureAn exceptional panoramic viewpoint overlooking the lakes of Ilay, Narlay, Petit and Grand Maclu in the Pays des Lacs.
Le Frasnois
Pic de l'Aigle
NatureA summit with 360-degree views over the Jura lakes and plateaus — an accessible hike with a seriously rewarding panorama.
La Chaux-du-Dombief
Lacs de Clairvaux
NatureA group of popular lakes for swimming and water sports, in a family-friendly setting at the heart of the Pays des Lacs.
Clairvaux-les-Lacs
Lac de Bonlieu
NatureA small lake nestled in the forest beneath a rocky ridge, close to the starting point of the Hérisson waterfalls trail.
Bonlieu
Grottes de Baume
NatureAn impressive underground network with galleries, a river and a lake 120 metres below ground, with a monumental 70-metre entrance.
Baume-les-Messieurs
Nozeroy
VillageA characterful little medieval town with fortified gates and old stone houses, gateway to the Parc du Haut-Jura.
Nozeroy
Toy Museum
CultureOver 2,000 games and toys from all corners of the world and every era — a playful journey through the history of play.
Moirans-en-Montagne
Haute Vallée de la Saine
NatureA wild, unspoilt valley with alpine scenery, hiking trails and remarkable natural spaces deep in the Haut-Jura.
Foncine-le-Haut
The best motorcycle roads in the Jura
The Jura serves up demanding and varied roads that riders absolutely love. The Col de la Faucille from Gex strings together hairpin after hairpin, with a stunning view over Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc waiting at the top. The hairpins of Septmoncel, carved straight into the rock, demand full concentration and technical precision between Saint-Claude and Les Rousses. The Route des Sapins (D471) cuts through the Haut-Jura forests for nearly 40 kilometres, offering cool air and flowing bends. The D437 hugs the shores of Lac de Vouglans with vertiginous viewpoints over the emerald water below. The D70 connects Lons-le-Saunier to Baume-les-Messieurs through vineyards and reculées. The Hautes Combes plateau around Bellefontaine and Morbier reveals Nordic-feeling landscapes and sinuous roads winding between pastures and spruce trees. The D436 between Champagnole and Les Rousses crosses the plateau des lacs with stops at Chalain and the Belvédère des 4 Lacs. The Jura is tailor-made for loops that combine the wine plain, the lakes and the summits.
1
Col de la Faucille from Gex
A legendary climb with tight hairpins and a spectacular view over Lake Geneva and the Alps — an absolute must in the Haut-Jura.
2
Hairpins of Septmoncel
A relentless series of technical switchbacks between Saint-Claude and Les Rousses, a demanding road carved into the Jura mountains.
3
Route des Sapins (D471)
A 40 km forest ride between Champagnole and Levier, with flowing bends beneath the majestic spruce trees of the massif.
4
Lac de Vouglans Loop (D470-D301)
A spectacular loop overlooking 35 km of emerald water, with vertiginous viewpoints and impressive dam structures.
5
Reculées and Vineyard Route (D70)
A ride between Lons-le-Saunier and Baume-les-Messieurs via Château-Chalon, winding roads between vines and limestone cliffs.
6
Hautes Combes Plateau (D25-D29)
High-altitude roads between Bellefontaine and Morbier, Nordic landscapes and sweeping bends through upland pastures at 1200m.
7
Lakes Circuit (D39-D27)
A loop linking Chalain, Clairvaux and the Belvédère des 4 Lacs, alternating between forests and stunning lakeside panoramas.
8
Jura Ridgeline (D436)
A panoramic road from Champagnole to Les Rousses via Morez, crossing the Parc du Haut-Jura with views stretching into Switzerland.
Frequently asked questions
The Col de la Faucille and the hairpins of Septmoncel are must-rides for their technical character. The Route des Sapins, the loop around Lac de Vouglans and the Hautes Combes roads offer varied riding through forests, lakes and summits. The vineyard area between Arbois, Château-Chalon and Baume-les-Messieurs provides gentler routes that are just as scenic.
Absolutely — the Jura packs a huge variety of roads and landscapes into a compact territory. From lakes and reculées to vineyards and high mountain terrain, you shift between completely different atmospheres within just a few kilometres. Roads are generally well-maintained, mountain passes are accessible from May to October, and great food stops are everywhere.
The Jura pairs naturally with the Vosges to the north, the neighbouring Doubs, nearby Switzerland via the Faucille, and the Alps to the south through the Ain and Haute-Savoie. You can also link up with Burgundy to the west. Its central position makes it a brilliant base for wider loops across Franche-Comté and beyond.
Three to four days lets you cover the highlights: lakes, waterfalls, the Col de la Faucille, the vineyards and a few villages. A full week gives you time to explore the Hautes Combes, stack up the twisty roads, mix technical riding with heritage stops, and properly enjoy the local food scene without rushing.