Last stage through the Jura. This hike runs from Saint Cergue to Lake Geneva by the town of Nyon. The route is entirely downhill and you often cross a busy road. In the beginning the route is quite steep, later it becomes flatter. While descending, there are magnificent views of the lake and the Alps.
Today’s the day: the last stage of the Jura, the last stage to Lake Geneva, which also marks the beginning of the ‘Grande Finale’ of the GR5: The Alps!
Today’s stage is almost entirely downhill. It starts at 1,097 meters and descends 721 meters to the lake near Nyon.
We hike a short distance to the village of Saint Cergue, after which the trail follows an old Roman road, crossing a winding busy highway several times. The French drive fast, but the Swiss exceed outside built-up areas. So we must be careful when crossing the road. During the descent we can see Lake Geneva in the distance and much further we already see the snowy peaks of the Mont Blanc massif. Wow, what a magnificent view!
It’s only a short stage, but halfway through we set up our chairs and install the little burner, just to enjoy this view and the last stretches of the Jura over a cup of coffee and a pastry, before heading into the countryside towards Nyon.
Once back on the trail, we pass grape groves and fields of sunflowers in full bloom. Then we head more and more into the built-up area and a little after 1 p.m. we reach the city limits of Nyon.
Through the suburbs with offices all around us we walk to the busy city center. Every time it feels a bit out of place to arrive in a crowded city with our backpacks, after spending several days in nature. But we soon get used to it, because what a beautiful old center this is! It doesn’t take long before we see the final destination of this stage from under the gates of an old building: Lake Geneva. Wow…. the clear blue water with the mountains of the Alps in the background. Phenomenal, what a milestone to have reached this, it just makes us silent for a while. At the dock we treat ourselves to the most delicious ice cream of this trip and enjoy the view and vibrant life around us.
From here we will look for a French campground across the lake. There we’ll stay for a while to start the Alps well rested and well prepared. We need new shoes, a new backpack for Malou and some more things for the next part of the route, so here we will take our time.
Unfortunately, today there is no boat from Nyon to Thonon-les-Bains, from where the GR5 runs into the Alps, so we take the train to Morges for a bit and from there the boat to the French side of the lake.
With summer temperatures of around 35 degrees and such a large lake, the coastal towns are almost Mediterranean in feel. But before we really get to the Mediterranean, we have to cross the entire Alps. That will be another whole new adventure!
We could not have wished for a more beautiful conclusion than today: July 14th, or Bastille Day, which commemorates the storming of the Bastille in 1789 and thus the beginning of the French Revolution.
In the evening, by Lake Geneva, we enjoy fireworks and live music on the quay. What a lovely ending!
With this, we have now completed the Jura. We had no idea what to expect; we had both never been there before. But the Jura really is a wonderful hiking area. Especially the paths along the river le Doubs, the endless mountain meadows with flowers and butterflies, and the vast forests were magnificent. And with all the climbing and descending, it’s a good preparation for what awaits us next; the Alps…🏔!!!
