Walking to the highest point of an entire range is a heady thing. That is the Crêt de la Neige: the roof of the Jura, a long ridge suspended above the Pays de Gex, with Lake Geneva on one side and endless ridges on the other. A demanding and magnificent hike, and one to prepare for seriously.
The highest point of the Jura
At 1,720 metres, the Crêt de la Neige is the highest summit in the Jura range. It sits next to the Reculet, with which it shares a summit ridge and the same panoramas. We are at the heart of the Haute Chaîne du Jura national nature reserve here, an exceptional protected area that sets its own pace and its own rules.
A climb you have to earn
From the Pays de Gex the ascent has to be worked for: forest first, then mountain pastures and limestone pavement, those chiselled slabs of rock where you have to place your feet with care. The ascent is substantial and the ground is technical in places on the rocky sections. Good fitness, proper walking boots and poles make a real difference, above all on the way down.
On the ridge, everything opens up
The final section runs along a long airy ridge from which the view swings without warning onto Lake Geneva, the Salève and the Mont Blanc range. It is one of the finest balconies in France over the Alps. But the ridge is exposed to the wind, and the weather changes fast at altitude. You start early, you watch the sky, and you turn back without hesitation if conditions deteriorate.
Respecting a protected summit
Chamois, high altitude flowers, the silence of the great forests. The Crêt de la Neige shelters a fragile natural world. You stay on the paths, you pick nothing, you keep your dog on a lead and you carry all your rubbish back down. That is what will let others, after us, feel the same wonder at the top.
Fancy reaching the roof of the Jura with a guide, at the right pace and safely? Take a look at our activities, and for a neighbouring summit, read our article on the Croix du Reculet.