Chemin du Jura bernois
Overview
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Distance 15 km
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Duration 4 h 10 min
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Ascent 580 m
Intro
From the mountain of wind to the mountain of sun. The high-level hike over the Montagne du Droit links the windfarm on Montvel Crosin with the solar energy plant on Mont Soleil. Beautiful views to the Chasseral and into the French Jura region.
Description
The hike starts in Tramelan, which was closely associated with watchmaking up until the 1970s. Today, you can visit home workshops here. The windows of the temple church and the church of St. Michel also tempt you to explore.
You leave Tramelan in a southerly direction. Passing the football pitch and following a straight path, you quickly reach the forest and the typical Jura landscape with its ancient trees and attractive flower-filled meadows. You see moss-covered stone walls as you proceed downwards on the northern hillside. Once on the wide, flat ridge of the hill, you look southwards across the Vallon de St. Imier with its magnificent view of the Chasseral. In contrast to the northern side, the southern hillside drops steeply and is densely forested.
You pass a number of impressive windmills after Chalet-Neuf. They are part of Switzerland’s largest wind farm, Mont Crosin, which produces electricity for about twenty thousand households. As the hike continues, you also go past the solar power plant on Mont Soleil. This was built in 1992 for research and demonstration purposes, and it was the largest photovoltaic solar power plant in Europe at the time. An adventure trail connects the energy plants.
The path leads westwards across wide high Jura pastures and huge spruce trees. Various mountain farms and numerous drystone walls dividing the pastures blend superbly into the landscape. Depressions in the ground, known as dolines, offer shelter to animals such as foxes, wild boars, woodpeckers, lynxes and deer. They are formed through changes in the ground, which consists of rock that is easily penetrated by water –
in this case limestone, and remarkable underground drainage systems with caves.
Just before the village of Mont-Soleil, you come across another feature of this landscape: Champ Meusel, a circular hollow in the mountain with a diameter of about three hundred metres. A meteorite hit the mountain here. It is the largest surviving meteorite impact site in Switzerland. Since then, a wetland has developed within it. A few minutes later, you arrive at the cogwheel railway above St. Imier. This attractive, impressive and varied stage is completed.
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 |
Tramelan
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|---|---|
| Destination |
St-Imier
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| Direction |
One way
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| Altitude (meter above sea level) |
1000 m
|
| Ascent |
580 m
|
| Descent |
300 m
|
| Distance |
15 km
|
| Duration |
4 h 10 min
|
| Duration back |
3 h 50 min
|
| Technical requirements |
Easy
|
| Physical requirements |
Medium
|
| Season |
March - November
|
| Theme |
With panoramic view, To an alp
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Quick Facts
Route number
