Cross-country skiing and mountain biking in the Jura
France > East > Skiing
The nature of the Jura's terrain – its high plateaux guaranteeing winter snow but without excessively steep gradients – has made it France's most popular destination for cross-country skiing, or ski du fond. The goal of any superfit fondeur is the 210-kilometre Grande Traversée du Jura (GTJ), which roughly follows the long-distance GR5 footpath across the high plateau from Villers-le-Lac to Hauteville-Lompnes.The same gentle topography and established infrastructure which enable cross-country skiing have made this region an ideal high-summer venue for mountain biking, with hundreds of waymarked cross-country skiing pistes used out of season as trails for adventuresome mountain bikers. The 300-kilometre GTJ–VTT, starting near Montbéliard, has become the greatest long-distance challenge in the area. Many people cycle on the roads in the area; there aren't that many cars, so if you can handle the hills, go for it. Cycling in the Doubs region is flatter and very scenic, with proper cycling paths. The 65-kilometre Tour des Lacs takes in some caves and waterfalls. There are 21 routes listed in the Guide de Cyclotourisme du Doubs (€6), published by ADED, 7 av de la Gare d'Eau, 25031 Besançon, and also available from the tourist offices in the Doubs. The headquarters of the departmental tourist board, the Comité Departemental du Tourisme de Jura, 8 rue Louis-Rousseau, Lons-le-Saunier, in the south of the region (tel 03.84.87.08.88), can supply plenty of information, maps and literature – in English – on outdoor leisure opportunities of all kinds in the Jura.
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