Bois-D'amont lies in an ancient glacial valley between Lac des Rousses in France and Lac de Joux in Switzerland. The two lakes give the area a cross-border setting. Added to this is a distinctive cultural heritage centered on spruce processing, along with seasonal winter activities. The landscape and trails, woodcraft and Nordic offerings each provide a different focus for discovering the area.
Cross-border setting and trails
The “L’Orbe et le mur frontière” route starts at the Bois-d'Amont Tourist Office and leads to the Swiss border. There, a boundary stone and a border wall mark the frontier. The hiking route is 4.2 kilometers long and rated very easy; it also includes interpretation stops. Its starting point, length and border markers make the route a practical way to explore Bois-d'Amont’s cross-border connections on foot.
The Forêt du Risoux offers a different way to find your bearings. It lies north of Lac des Rousses, between Bois-d'Amont, Les Rousses and Bellefontaine, and extends into neighboring Switzerland. Numerous marked trails for hiking and mountain biking run through the forest. This means you can explore both on foot and by mountain bike. The forest trails and the designated “L’Orbe et le mur frontière” hiking route offer different ways to discover the landscape.
Woodcraft as local history
In the 19th century, Bois-d'Amont specialized in processing spruce wood for boissellerie and tabletterie. The Musée de la Boissellerie conveys the connection between spruce, local identity and the woodcraft tradition. It is housed in a restored former sawmill—a place whose past use also reflects the theme of woodcraft.
The immersive scenovision “Rêves dans la maison de Madeleine” is another way to explore the area. It is based on accounts from Bois-d'Amont residents. The Association des Gardiens de la Boissellerie also works to pass on the area’s artisanal and cultural heritage. In this way, the history of wood processing and the interpretation of local heritage come together as two distinct aspects of the cultural theme.
Espace artisanal Bois d'Amont offers workshops for adults and children, a shop and temporary exhibitions. As workshop and exhibition availability can change, it is advisable to check what is currently on offer before your visit.
Nordic winter activities
Depending on the season, Site Nordique de Bois d'Amont offers cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sled rides, outings with a musher, Nordic-style ski touring and walks on footpaths. Two connections from Bois-d'Amont can be used for both cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, providing access to the Grande Traversée du Jura. Access depends on snow and operating conditions.
The individual winter activities also vary: on the “Les Marais” route, the cross-country ski trail follows the river and passes below the Les Marmousets recreation area. Les Marmousets offers a protected area where visitors can learn to ski in a fun way, as well as a freely accessible toboggan run. Winter activities are seasonal. When planning, you can therefore choose between a cross-country ski trail along the river, an area for learning to ski and a toboggan run; the two connections to the Grande Traversée du Jura add to these options when snow and operating conditions allow.
Discover more destinations: Sampans, Thoirette, Saint-Julien, Chaussin, Barretaine, Peintre, Gigny, Choisey
For the broader travel overview: Jura.
