The Jura Mountains

The Swiss Jura is a limestone mountain range known for the Creux du Van, a cliff amphitheater, and for two UNESCO-listed watchmaking towns.

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The Jura is a range of limestone ridges, pastures and forests running from Basel toward Lake Geneva. Its best-known sight is the Creux du Van, a cliff amphitheater above a bowl of pasture, reached on foot from villages along its rim. The range is also home to watchmaking. La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle are UNESCO-listed for town layouts built around the watch industry, and the International Watch Museum in La Chaux-de-Fonds covers the trade.

The Jura suits hikers, train travelers and anyone interested in watchmaking. The Doubs river cuts gorges through the range, and Saint-Ursanne, a medieval town on its banks, is a stop along the way. Summer is the main season for hiking, and winter brings cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Because the sights are spread across the range, choose one or two bases instead of trying to cover all of it.

The Jura Mountains in five

Pick one slice: Creux du Van, Doubs or ChasseralSwitzerland Tourism names Creux du Van, Chasseral, the Doubs, Neuchâtel and Saint-Ursanne as the region's highlights. They are separate trips, so choose one base and one or two of them.
Spend half a day on the watchmaking townsLa Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle are a UNESCO site for watchmaking town planning, laid out after fires in the early 19th century. The International Watchmaking Museum in La Chaux-de-Fonds lists over 4,500 exhibits.
Hike Creux du Van between May and OctoberThe 15 km loop from Noiraigue takes about 4 hours 35 minutes with 780 m of descent. Parking at the rim is limited, and in winter many paths are not accessible.Neuchâtel
Ride La Route Verte by e-bikeThe seven-stage route runs from Schaffhausen to Geneva through all six Jura regional nature parks, following the arc of the ridge. Choose a single stage if you only have a day.
Add Saint-Ursanne for the DoubsSaint-Ursanne is the village at the heart of the Doubs Nature Park, in the canton of Jura. Pair it with a river walk rather than treating it as a stop on the way somewhere.

Things to do in The Jura Mountains

See all attractions in The Jura Mountains

Sight · The Jura MountainsGrottes de Réclère

Sight · The Jura MountainsPréhisto Parc

Sight · The Jura MountainsCreux du Van

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to The Jura MountainsPut the places you like in The Jura Mountains on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Need to know

Gateways: Basel, Bern and Lausanne are the nearest large cities
Getting around: Regional trains and buses; check upland timetables first
Best base: Neuchâtel, La Chaux-de-Fonds or Saint-Ursanne
Extent: Between Basel and Lake Geneva, including the cantons of Neuchâtel and Jura
Time needed: 2–3 days for one slice

Weather by month

Rainy days
Snowy days
Days with storms

Best
Good
Mixed
Poor

JanuarySnow15 rainy days5 snowy daysHigh3°Low-3°Snow, cross-country
FebruaryRain13 rainy days3 snowy daysHigh6°Low-1°Snow, cross-country
MarchRain15 rainy days3 snowy daysHigh8°Low0°Late snow
AprilRain13 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh12°Low3°Thaw
MayRain19 rainy daysHigh15°Low6°Pastures green
JuneRain18 rainy daysHigh21°Low11°Hiking
JulyRain16 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh22°Low12°Hiking, cheese
AugustRain14 rainy daysHigh22°Low13°Warm hikes
SeptemberRain14 rainy daysHigh18°Low9°Clear, calm
OctoberRain13 rainy daysHigh14°Low6°Autumn color
NovemberRain15 rainy days3 snowy daysHigh7°Low1°Quiet, mist
DecemberRain14 rainy days5 snowy daysHigh5°Low-1°Snow possible

Average daily high and low in La Chaux-de-Fonds, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Right now in The Jura Mountains

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: -3°
Humidity: 83%
Wind: 19 km/h
Chance of rain: 0%

The Jura Mountains

09:48 PM

Monday, November 2

GMT+1

Today2°-2°0%Monday: Cloudy. High 2°, Low -2°. Chance of rain 0%.
Tue3°-1°0%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 3°, Low -1°. Chance of rain 0%.
Wed4°-1°0%Wednesday: Fog. High 4°, Low -1°. Chance of rain 0%.
Thu7°0°0%Thursday: Cloudy. High 7°, Low 0°. Chance of rain 0%.
Fri10°2°13%Friday: Cloudy. High 10°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 13%.
Sat8°2°13%Saturday: Cloudy. High 8°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 13%.
Sun6°1°40%Sunday: Rain. High 6°, Low 1°. Chance of rain 40%.

Updated 09:10 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 0.8245 CHF

Amount

Converted to

CHF · Swiss Franc

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

What's on in The Jura Mountains

Concerts, festivals and big events in and around the city

Events calendar

Every year

Feb–MarCarnival of BaselBasel, a day trip
Feb–MarCarnival in BernBern, a day trip
Feb–MarChienbäseBasel, a day trip
JulMontreux Jazz FestivalMontreux, a day trip
Jul–SepMenuhin Festival GstaadBernese Oberland, a day trip
JulGurtenfestivalBern, a day trip

Day trips by train

Neuchâtelby regional trainA lake town with a castle, old town and the Chaumont funicular, a good base for the Jura.Read the guide
La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locleby regional trainThe UNESCO watchmaking towns, with the International Watchmaking Museum.
Saint-Ursanneby regional transportA village on the Doubs in the canton of Jura, at the heart of the Doubs Nature Park.

Before you go to The Jura Mountains

Rail and bus passesCompare before riding regional linesRead the guide

Hotels in the Jura townsNeuchâtel, La Chaux, Saint-UrsanneCheck availability

eSIM for the Swiss JuraMaps on ridge and gorge trailsRead the guide

Insurance for Jura hikingCover for trail injuries and weatherRead the guide

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Rules for The Jura Mountains, checked

Creux du Van loop from Noiraigue: 15 km, about 4 hours 35 minutes, season May to October; parking at the rim is limited, so use public transport.Checked Oct 3, 2026 · Source

Plan around The Jura Mountains

Neuchâtel

The lake town that links most Jura day trips

Read the guide Fribourg and the Three Lakes

Murten, Fribourg and Gruyères, southeast of the Jura

Read the guide Basel

The northeast gateway to the Swiss Jura

Read the guide Bern

The federal city on the Jura's southeast edge

Read the guide Lausanne

The southwest gateway on Lake Geneva

Read the guide Swiss Travel Pass

What it covers on regional trains

Read the guide All of Switzerland

Regions, rail passes, money and entry rules

Read the guide

The Jura Mountains FAQ

Is the Jura worth visiting?

Yes, if you prefer pastures, gorges and watchmaking towns to glaciers. It is quieter than the Alps and suits slow trips by train, bike or on foot.

What are the main sights in the Swiss Jura?

Creux du Van, Chasseral, the Doubs and Saint-Ursanne, and the UNESCO watchmaking towns of La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle, plus lake towns such as Neuchâtel on the edge.

How do you reach Creux du Van without a car?

Take a train to Noiraigue and walk the 15 km loop, or reach the Restaurant du Soliat by bus. Parking at the rim is limited, which is why the official guidance favors public transport.

When is the best time to visit the Jura?

May to October for hiking and cycling. Winter brings cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on the high plateaus, but many Creux du Van paths are closed.

Is the Jura better by bike?

For a long trip, yes. La Route Verte runs from Schaffhausen to Geneva in seven stages through the six regional nature parks of the Jura, a gentle ride along the ridge.