(1) Departure: From the car park in the village of Lélex, at the foot of the Catheline cable car.
(2) Turn left down the Route du Haut, passing the Dahu and Établi restaurants and the ESF. Take the Col de Crozet path on the left.
(3) A path climbs up on the left, marked in purple and signposted GR® (red and white). After a tarmac section, take a dirt track on the left. Climb three hairpin bends, then continue straight ahead until you reach a junction where the slope becomes gentler.
(4) On the left, continue up through the undergrowth to the Chalet du Ratou.
(5) From the chalet, continue upwards, then cross a track to reach the Chalet de la Loge.
(6) Continue up the GR®. Be careful when crossing the Astèrs track, then continue through the forest to the Brillonne d’en Haut crossroads.
(7) Turn left, pass a ruin, then start a short, steep climb through the undergrowth.
(8) At the exit, you will find the combe des Voyettes. Walk alongside the reservoir, then enter the forest again. Another climb takes you to the combe du Brulât Frésy.
(9) Continue through increasingly open terrain until you reach the ridges.
(10) Follow the ridge line on the right, between hooked pines and karstic reliefs, to finally reach the Crêt de la Neige, the highest point in the Jura at 1,720 m.
(11) Admire the exceptional panorama: Le Reculet to the south, the Alps and Mont Blanc to the east, the Haute Chaîne to the north, and below, the village of Lélex.
(12) Return by the same route to the starting point.
Itinerary details
Description
From the Fierney gondola, a signposted snowshoe trail takes around 1 hour to reach the Catheline area (intermediate level*). Part of the route passes through the Haute Chaîne du Jura National Nature Reserve, a protected area where nature has its own rules: stay on the marked trails and respect the regulations.
Please note: from 15 December to 30 June, a number of quiet areas for wildlife are strictly off-limits to all visitors, in particular the Brulât d’en Haut sector. To plan your outing and consult the maps of sensitive areas, visit the official Nature Reserve website.