Three days walking the ridges, sleeping up there and waking above the clouds: a multi-day traverse is another way of living the Jura. You leave the everyday behind, you slow down, you move at the pace of your own steps. Here is how to picture a three day crossing above the Pays de Gex, on the balcony overlooking Lake Geneva.
Why go multi-day
A day out gives you a fine moment. A multi-day traverse changes something deeper. Over several days you really get inside the mountain. The body finds its rhythm, the mind empties, and each evening on the ridges becomes a small event. It is also the best school for learning to manage your pack, your water and your effort over time, without the pressure of a stopwatch.
A ridge route above Lake Geneva
The Haute Chaîne du Jura lends itself beautifully to a three day crossing. You link the high summits of the range, from the Reculet to the Crêt de la Neige, following long ridges that look down on Lake Geneva and face the Mont Blanc. Between the high points you cross mountain pastures, limestone pavement and forest, with panoramas that renew themselves at every col. The exact route is built around your level and the weather.
Sleeping up there: bivouac or overnight stop
Two approaches are open to you. The bivouac, light and free, to live through sunset and sunrise on the ridges, while scrupulously respecting the nature reserve regulations. Or a night in accommodation where that is possible, to lighten the pack and recover. Either way, water is the key point. Springs are rare at altitude, so you fill up whenever you can and you always set off with a margin.
Preparing properly
A three day traverse calls for good fitness, a well thought out and light pack, and real anticipation of the weather, because on the ridges a storm is a different matter when you are committed. You look after your feet, you start early every morning, and you keep some flexibility in the plan. As on the GR20, endurance and pacing count for more than speed. Our preparation tips apply here too.
Fancy living this crossing without having to manage it all yourself? Going with a guide means enjoying the landscape while somebody else reads the mountain and sets the stages. Take a look at our activities.