Leaving the Doubs River behind us, we continued south and finally found ourselves in the foothils of the Alps! We were particularly looking forward to this next étape in the trip: the Jura mountains. They stretch along the French - Swiss border, the highest peak of the region being the “Cret de la Neige” at 1720m. Our legs definitely felt ready after the Vosges.
So we started climbing into the alpine! We were just about to leave the last few houses behind us when we double checked the map and realized there were no rivers or streams anywhere to be seen on route. Not a problem we were used to yet - there was water everywhere in the Eifel and Vosges! We really wanted to camp up there so we rang the bell of a random house, asking to refill our bottles. Fully loaded with a couple days of food and 4 liters of water each, we finally started the ascent. There goes ultralight. The blistering hot days (35 degrees) made water all the more important.
We slowly climbed into Switzerland’s beautiful Forêt du Risoux. The forest was packed with fantastic trails, fairly technical but incredibly fun. Here, we probably had our best day of riding yet. Even the hike-a-bike sections were fun. There are mountain refuges scattered across the forest, which you’re allowed to bivouac in. We intended to do just that! They’re pretty simple, just a stove, a table, and a place to shelter. We reached one of these cabins at 8pm and decided to call it a day. It’s hard to find a tent spot in these woods, it’s either too wild or too sloped, so we were happy to have it. We rolled out our mats and sleeping bags and made it a cozy place to call home for the night.
Switzerland ended up being just a brief detour and we soon headed back into France, climbing over peaks and valleys. We soon got to start the long climb up to the Grand Colombier. Along the way, we’d get views of the surrounding peaks and through the haze we could see the Alps in the distance. We were surprised how wild the Jura still was. The Alps are close by and they draw the big crowds. It reminded us of a Thoreau quote we love: “I would rather sit on a pumpkin, and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion”. We couldn’t agree more.
The land was scattered with lots of cattle. You could hear them from a mile away. Up here, the cows wear bells, and it must drive these cows absolutely crazy. It does bring a certain charm to the region. Babette had bells ringing in her ears for days. Each evening, she could hear phantom cows lurking in the distance. She’s okay now, I think. We’d be opening and closing cattle fences throughout the route and once in a while we’d have to push our way through a herd blocking the road.
Our last night camping in the mountains, we were taking it all in when the sky started flashing unlike anything we’d ever seen. We stared up at the sky all evening. The day had been a very hot one so we weren’t sure what exactly was going on. We finally got to sleep when a huge thunder roar made Babette literally jump up like a cat having a bad nightmare. The wind and rain quickly lit up and suddenly we were in the middle of a thunderstorm. Pretty scary when you’re in the middle of a creaking forest! Fortunately, no trees fell down on us and by morning the tent was dry again - as if nothing ever happened.
From the Grand Colombier, we did a huge, rocky 800m descent to reach Culoz, the end terminal of our Jura traverse. The off-road descent was long and rough and our hands and bodies were sore after it. Our brake pads needed to cool down a few times during the descent. At the same time, it felt great to trust our gear completely through such a rough section.
The route was created a few years ago and we learned the hard way a couple of times. We would get lured into a beautiful trail but it would get fainter and fainter - until it would cease to exist. At that point, we’d be too deep in to bail. We ’d bushwack our way through those sections, carrying our heavy bikes over fallen trees, getting stung by nettles, brambles and even a wasp, and getting slapped in the face by branches. Our spiky pedals would occasionally catch our heels and we’d be crying out. It would take us an hour to cover 2 kilometers. Not good for statistics! Don’t worry, our legs are almost scratch-free again. We’re trying to do ourselves a favour and avoid these overgrown trails nowadays.
We followed the Rhine river out of Culoz and into the Isère region. That means we’re out of the mountains for a while but that doesn’t mean we’re not climbing anymore. The route is leading us over some nice pilgrimage trails in these hilly lands. Down here, it feels even hotter, and we needed to cool down and rest so we’ve pitched our tent next to beautiful Lac de Paladru for a few days. We’re trying out some of the local wines, jumping in the lake, exploring the little towns along the lake, and indulging in fresh bread and fruits. We’re happy to ditch the oatmeal breakfasts for few days. The simple joys of life!
