Yellow-marked hiking trails, a cave with an underground river and hydropower shape the attractions in Cernon. They appeal to different interests: finding your way along the trails, a speleological destination with particular water conditions, and a seasonal visit focused on hydropower. When planning your trip, it helps to consider these as distinct areas of interest. If you are considering Cernon as a destination, you can first think about which of them should actually shape your stay.

Hiking Trails and Caborne de Menouille

The small hiking trails in Cernon are marked with yellow blazes throughout. Check the markings on site before setting out. This gives you a specific feature to follow along the trails as you prepare.

From Cernon, the Caborne de Menouille can be reached via the old road to Menouille and then along a farm track. An underground river runs through the cave to a 10 m-high waterfall. During high water, some passages may be partially or completely flooded. Check the conditions before entering the cave. The trails and the cave call for different preparations: on the trails, it is important to check the markings locally; for the Caborne, you also need to take high-water conditions into account.

Hydropower and the Reservoir

The Saut-Mortier hydropower plant is in Cernon, downstream of the Barrage de Vouglans. It can be visited in July and August; check the current booking arrangements before your trip. A tour in the 2026 summer program explained hydropower and how the plant works. The seasonal visit therefore offers a technical focus that differs from looking at the structure itself.

The Barrage de Vouglans in Cernon is 130 m high and 400 m wide. It can no longer be visited. The Lac de Vouglans reservoir extends for 35 km. These measurements describe different dimensions: for the barrage, they refer to the structure’s height and width; for the lake, they refer to its extent. The structure and the reservoir thus offer two different perspectives on the hydropower landscape.

Planning a Trip to Cernon

If you are looking for a hotel for a trip to Cernon, your preferred focus can help you choose a destination. The marked trails, the Caborne and the hydropower plant each offer a different point of interest. The practical considerations also differ: check the trail markings locally, the conditions before entering the cave, and the booking arrangements for Saut-Mortier before your trip.

For your choice, this means: don’t automatically plan the activities as one combined itinerary; instead, check which ones suit your travel interests. The seasonal visit to the hydropower plant needs to be planned differently from the trails; the cave also involves a condition that depends on high water.

Discover more destinations: Mouchard, Chaux-des-Crotenay, Longchaumois, Pont-D'héry, Fontainebrux, Gizia, Villard-Saint-Sauveur, La Chaumusse

For the regional travel overview: Jura.