GuardTrailsFrance · July
The classic
The Essential Jura Lakes and Valleys
The stops adventure tour operators put in their flagship trips here — even if it strays a little from your request.
Discover the most iconic natural wonders of the Jura, from dramatic blind valleys to spectacular waterfalls, all from a single comfortable base.
- days3
- bases1
- stages2
- nights2
- transfer days1
- stage to stage53 km
- at the wheel, day by day4 h 58
The season for your dates
- Less favourable20% of days exceed the gust threshold during activity hours, over the whole requested window.
Historical statistics (Open-Meteo), not a forecast.
Who this itinerary is for
This itinerary suits a traveller looking for: a trip in July and days of walking.
The area
the spectacular blind valleys and the famous waterfalls of the French Jura
The map
Loading the map…
The days at a glance
One line per day: where you sleep, what the day is, the road, and how its time is split.
| Day | Evening base | The day | Road | Time of the day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day1 | Evening base : Lons-le-Saunier | Arrival at 12:00Baume-les-Messieurs | Road 1 h 56 | 4.0 h usable |
| Day2 | Evening base : Lons-le-Saunier | Day excursionThe Waterfalls of the Hérisson Valley | Road 1 h 06 | 8.0 h usable |
| Day3 | — | Departure at 16:00Lons-le-Saunier | Road 1 h 56 | 5.9 h usable |
- programme
- road
- free time
- outside the trip
Good to know
What it leaves aside
This itinerary focuses entirely on the central Jura region to avoid unnecessary driving, leaving the high southern crests and northern river gorges for another trip.
Places it did not keep
High Jura Crests (Crêt de la Neige) · Doubs Valley and Saut du Doubs
Getting there
Fly to Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport (LYS), 1 h 56 by road from the start.
Train to Lons-le-Saunier, 26 min by road from the start.
Where you sleep
The region offers a variety of accommodations including hotels, gîtes, mountain refuges, and campsites, but booking in advance is highly recommended during the peak summer and winter seasons.
Safety
France: no warning from the UK authorities (FCDO). Advice of 2026-10-22 · Official advice
Check before booking and before taking out insurance: the advice may have changed since.
Why this version, the cost in detail and the sources are on the method page. Read the method →
When, and for how long
How long?
- You ask for
- 3days
- The area needs, at least
- 4days
- Days kept
- 3days
Travelling in July.
The climate — July
- Daily high, 1 day in 4 is hotter
- 25 °C
- Daily high, 1 day in 20 is hotter
- 27 °C
- Unfavourable day
- 10%
- Windy day
- 20%
Rain, wind and temperature are measured over the 8 h in the middle of the day, on a historical baseline of 20 observations (Open-Meteo). It is a measuring window, not the length of your day: each day of the programme counts 12 h of usable time.
The itinerary, day by day
2 stages over 3 days, in the order of the days. A stage appears on the day you first reach it: you sleep several nights at some, and a day trip leaves from your base and brings you back to it. Each day has its own page.
Every day of this trip has 8 h of usable time, except D1: 4 h; D3: 5 h 56. Room to breathe — we have not padded these days to fill them: the free time left is part of the trip.
- Day 1Baume-les-Messieurs · night in Lons-le-Saunier2 h planned · 1 h 56 on the road · 4 h usableSee the day →
Stage 2 · Lons-le-Saunier
The Waterfalls of the Hérisson Valley
No night here · climate variable
- Day 2EXCURSIONfrom Lons-le-Saunier → The Waterfalls of the Hérisson Valley6 h 30 planned · 1 h 06 on the roadSee the day →
- Day 3DEPARTURELons-le-Saunier · end of the trip3 h 30 planned · 1 h 56 on the road · 5 h 56 usableSee the day →
What it costs, roughly
€296 to €473 per person
€99 to €158 per day
Based on: 4 people.
The cost estimate and the availability of accommodation, transport and activities are as of 6 November 2026: prices and availability change over time.
Where the money goes, and how this figure is obtained →To check
1 point to look at before booking.
D2Too short a stop to enjoy it — less than a day there — The Waterfalls of the Hérisson Valley
4.0 h of content (0.33 day) — you pass by, you do not visit
What the review flagged
Our automatic checks flag these points to verify before booking.
- Days 1 and 3: the programme review flags a point to check (bothersome).
The method
Why this version, what sets it apart from the others, the cost in detail, the interest of the places, the automatic review and the sources.
Read the method →