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Welcome to Switzerland's not-so-wild west, where there are plenty of cows, fewer cowboys and it's quite possible that a gun has never been slung. It's incredibly peaceful up here, almost maddeningly so. This low-mountainous peripheral region, little known by overseas visitors, is known throughout Switzerland as a nice place to visit, but not a place where anybody wants to live. For those reasons, the Jura is often unfairly overlooked – but that just makes it all the more appealing.
If walks among sleepy medieval hamlets that rarely see a tour bus, strolls among undulating fields of verdant green and hikes through ancient forests to rocky outcrops overlooking a trio of lakes against an Alpine backdrop sounds like your Swiss fantasy come true, then the Jura is for you.
Highlights include the villages of Porrentruy and St Ursanne; the Val de Travers, where you might spy a green absinthe fairy; and the unmissable Creux du Van.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout The Jura Mountains.
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About 14km east of Môtiers, a short walk leads to the enormous abyss known as the Creux du Van (Rocky Hole) – van is a word of Celtic origin meaning 'rock'. Created by glacial erosion, the spectacular crescent-moon wall interrupts the habitually green rolling countryside in startling fashion: imagine an enormous gulf 1km long and 440m deep. The way the vast canyon seemingly appears out of nowhere as you approach it from the field above is mind-blowing.
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In Le Locle, 8km west of La Chaux-de-Fonds, grand 18th-century rooms filled with all manner of clocks make this museum tick. The manor house, Château des Monts, was built for an 18th-century watchmaker atop a hill 3km from the town centre. Bus 1 links the train station with the ‘Monts’ stop, 150m from the museum.
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About 8km south of La Chaux-de-Fonds, just off Rte N20, Vue-des-Alpes (1283m) is a mountain pass popular for its two 7.3km and 11km mountain-bike loop trails and for its 700m luge, Toboggan Géant. In winter locals sledge, snowshoe and ski down the gentle slopes (three drag lifts) or along 53km of cross-country trails. Year-round it offers jaw-dropping views of the distant Alps over the thee lakes of Drei-Seen-Land.
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The River Doubs, which forms part of the Swiss–French border, widens out at the peaceful village of Les Brenets, 15km southwest of La Chaux-de-Fonds. It takes a little over an hour to walk from the village along Lac des Brenets to the Saut du Doubs (no vehicular access), a splendid crashing waterfall where the river cascades 27m into a natural pool. If walking poses challenges, boats operated by Navigation sur le Lac des Brenets will get you there.
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Contemporary art and installation lovers will enjoy this open-air sculpture park about 12km west of Delémont between the villages of Séprais and Boécourt. Accessible any time, the 'gallery' consists of three well-marked paths, the longest being a 3km loop from through the sculpture fields.
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The Château de Porrentruy, with its 44m-tall Tour de Réfous, dominates the little village. The oldest part of the castle complex began its life in the 13th century. The castle is now occupied by offices, so you can't go in, but you're free to walk around the inner courtyard for a closer look and fine views over the town.
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The art of making music boxes is documented in this museum in Sainte-Croix, 13km southwest of Fleurier. Music boxes contain a rotating spiked cylinder that bends and releases metal prongs, causing them to vibrate and hum melodiously. Some of the more elaborate boxes also incorporate miniature drums, bells and accordions.
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Learn all about absinthe (and sample the hard stuff in the bar afterwards) in this chic museum that annotates the history of the potent liqueur (with, some say, hallucinogenic properties), its influence on some of the more revolutionary artists and writers of the 18th century and its prohibition around the world.
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This smart museum occupying a beautiful baroque mansion surrounded by meticulously manicured gardens and a botanic garden features taxidermy, fossils and living botanical descendants of prehistoric times. You can even search for your own fossils on-site: great for kids!