Grande Traversée of the snow-covered Jura : Snowshoe trekking

Practical information

Welcome: Meet on day 1 at La Chapelle des Bois from 5pm at the gîte in the village center.

End of stay : Day 6 at La Chapelle des Bois at 5pm or at Morez train station at 4:45pm. The return shuttle on the last day to your car or to the station is included in the price of the stay.

Participants : A minimum of 2 people is required to organize this trip.

Access: Chapelle des Bois is accessible by car or train from Morez station. Shuttle service between Morez station and Chapelle des Bois, subject to reservation.

Accommodation: 5 nights in gîtes, hotels or B&Bs, in rooms of 2, exceptionally 3. WC and shower in bedroom or on landing. This is not a hotel service, but it does allow you to stay in rooms of 2 every night. Dinner and breakfast are served hot.
Please note that you’ll need to bring a pillowcase, a sleeping bag and your own soap. Some gites do not provide sheets.
Day 1: Hotel, double room – Day 2: Hotel or bed-and-breakfast, double room – Day 3: Hotel, double room – Day 4: Hotel, double room – Day 5: Inn, double room

Supervision: Free hiking. No accompaniment.

Luggage transport : Luggage transported by vehicle. All you need to carry is a bag containing your belongings for the day and the lunch provided, which is shared by all. During the week, we ask you to bring one piece of luggage per person, not too bulky (60 cm maximum) and weighing no more than 10 kg.

Internal transfers: Two transfers by minibus on days 4 and 6, included in the program.

Equipment provided: If you don’t have your own equipment, you can rent it at the Mont Noir Sports store located near the^first lodging facility. It is open from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and we have negotiated a special rate of €30 per person for the 5-day snowshoeing trip. For 2 or 3 pairs of snowshoes, no reservation is necessary. For 4 pairs or more, it is best to reserve the equipment as soon as you receive your registration confirmation by calling 03 81 69 27 28. You will be asked to make a down payment.

Snow Conditions: Winter hikes are changing with the seasons. There are times when certain sections of this route are covered on foot, with snowshoes strapped to your backpack! We are, first and foremost, hikers, and even if there isn’t enough snow, we don’t cancel our snowshoe trips. You’ll still get to enjoy the winter atmosphere and sunlight, even if you can’t put on your snowshoes. The GTJ’s winter route sometimes passes through wetlands that are impassable without snow; in the roadbook, we provide directions on how to avoid them—these are often small roads. The mountains look very different in winter; the colors aren’t the same as in summer, and the sun is lower on the horizon, casting sunset-like light throughout the day!

Level: Hilly or mountain itinerary with an average ascent and descent of 200 m. Short stages, so that whatever the snow conditions, you’ll be able to cover them with complete peace of mind. You can also take a midday break at a refuge for lunch or visit the museums in the villages you pass through.

Lunch: If you have not taken the “picnic” option (extra charge), lunch can be ordered from your accommodation provider, or during village visits. For this package, drinks during and outside meals are at your own expense.

Hiking file: We provide you with a complete hiking file that will allow you to hike without a guide. It consists of a guidebook (booklet) with a detailed description of the route and two IGN topographic maps at a scale of 1:25,000, on which the hiking routes are marked (with a highlighter). We also recommend that you bring a compass and know how to “read” a map. This travel guide will be sent to you as soon as we receive the balance, or given to you on the day of departure.

Fee: There has been a fee for access to marked and secured snowshoe trails for several years. For the GTJ snowshoe tour, there are several options available to you: You can either purchase a “Montagnes du Jura Weekly Nordic Pass” (€24 per adult, €12 for children up to age 16), which is recommended for stays of 5 days or more. This pass is valid for 7 consecutive days at all cross-country skiing sites in the mountain range. Alternatively, you can purchase a day pass each day at the starting point of your hike. Prices vary among Nordic resorts. Between €3 and €5 per day per adult. We recommend purchasing the weekly pass at the last minute on-site at Chapelle des Bois (the lodge at the start of the cross-country ski trails) or online: https://pass.espacenordiquejurassien.com/recherche/HAUT-JURA-SAINT-CLAUDE/hautes-combes-du-jura/pass-seance-ski. If there is insufficient snow or if you are forced to cancel your trip at the last minute, the pass is non-refundable.