Alpine Panorama Trail
Overview
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Distance 22 km
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Duration 6 h
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Ascent 500 m
Intro
From charming Schwarzsee to Breccaschlund and into the jagged limestone landscape of the Greyerzer Alps, over the relatively low Euschelspass, carved out by glaciers, to Jaun, the only German-speaking village in the Gruyère region.
Description
The 21st leg of the Alpine Panorama Trail starts in Jaun. Grand wooden houses in the village centre and a 19th century church give the only German-speaking village in the district of Gruyère its unique character. The village of Jaun is somewhat lower-lying than the mountain pass of the same name, which connects the Gruyère region with the Simmental valley. The first thing that catches your eye is Jaun Waterfall: at peak times, up to 6,000 litres of water gush through into the Jaunbach stream per second. The water comes from the slopes of the Vanil Noir mountain, the highest peak in the canton of Fribourg. It then flows on through the Vallée du Gros-Mont side valley, located 15 kilometres away, in the form of a little stream and completely vanishes underground along the way, before resurfacing at Jaun. This fact was only discovered in 1928 by dyeing the water at its source, then watching it make a surprising reappearance as a waterfall 11 days later.
The hiking route now follows the Jaunbach stream for around 9 kilometres, in another words a little over a third of its entire length, until it flows into Lake Gruyère. You will cross back over the Jaunbach, known as “La Jonge” in French, at the gravel plant. A gentle climb leads to Charmey, the largest municipality in the canton of Fribourg by area.
Further on, the route drops down to the Lac de Montsalvens lake with its imposing arch dam: at 52 metres high and 110 metres wide, it holds in over 9 million cubic metres of water. The descent into Jaunbach Gorge also offers a superb change of scenery: the route now winds its way through the spectacular gorge via wooden walkways, passages in the rock, bridges and tunnels. You will reach Broc after just over four hours. The Maison Cailler chocolate factory is just a few metres from the trail, although it is not visible. If so inclined, you can pay it a visit and enjoy an interactive tour of its production process.
If you want to keep walking instead, you will pass through a meadow to the Notre-Dame des Marches church of pilgrimage, with its beautiful views of the three peaks of Le Moléson, Vanil Blanc and Dent du Lys mountains. After a short walk along the river Saane, known as “La Sarine” in French, you come to the final climb to Gruyères. The picturesque little town sits atop a small hill. It is worth planning in some time to see the old buildings, or visit the castle or HR Giger Museum – or simply appreciate the town’s charm over a meal.
An enjoyable tour includes the careful planning of the same. Please inform yourself in advance at the local information center about the route and weather conditions. Depending on the season and weather conditions, this route may be blocked or interrupted
| Start location |
Jaun
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|---|---|
| Destination |
Gruyères
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| Direction |
One way
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| Ascent |
500 m
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| Descent |
780 m
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| Distance |
22 km
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| Duration |
6 h
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| Duration back |
6 h 15 min
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| Technical requirements |
Easy
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| Physical requirements |
Difficult
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| Season |
May - October
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| Theme |
Over a pass
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Quick Facts
Route number
