6 Mountain passes along the Jura mountains

Route details

This easy Tourer from Nyon to Biel runs along the Jura mountains over the Col du Marchairuz, Col du Mont d'Orzeires, Col des Etroits, Col des Roches, Col des Pontins and Chasseral.

The Tour begins in Nyon, where you can enjoy a magnificent view over Lake Geneva as far as Geneva. The ride starts at a leisurely pace and from Genolier you gain the first Elevation gains, with the panorama of Lake Geneva spreading out in the background. On a well-maintained and wide road and through wide curves, the route leads towards Saint-George, where the first highlight of the Tourer awaits: the Col du Marchairuz, a beautiful Mountain pass that usually has little traffic. After this first climb, you reach Lac de Joux, at the end of which lies the picturesque village of Le Pont - ideal for a first break.

From there, take the Main road over the Col du Mont d'Orzeires and continue along the L'Orbe. Shortly before reaching the valley, the route branches off to the left and passes the Château des Clées. This is followed by a quiet section before the route begins to climb up to Sainte-Croix - along a beautiful road with numerous Switchbacks and impressive scenery.

From Sainte-Croix, the Tourer descends into the Val-de-Travers and on to La Brévine. Here the solitude is perfect and traffic is minimal. A personal highlight is the route from La Brévine to Le Locle, which leads through lush pastures and dense forests. From Le Locle, the route then heads to La Chaux-de-Fonds, the second largest town on this Tourer. On the way down to Saint-Imier, the pace becomes more leisurely before the last major highlight awaits.

From Saint-Imier, the Main road first leads up to the Col des Pontis, a wide, well-maintained road, and finally to the Chasseral. Here the road becomes narrower and bumpy in places, which makes this section challenging - but the effort is worth it: the view over the Seeland is breathtaking. The last section of the Tour leads down to Twann on Lake Biel, and the final stretch along the lake provides a picturesque backdrop to the end of this varied Tour.