Travel France - cycling in Jura

Lons-le-Saunier may well be the administrative capital of the little-known department of Jura but just a little to the north lie Arbois and Poligny, the department’s wine and cheese capitals. A cycling tour based around these two centres is the perfect way to travel through the heart of the department and get a flavour, gastronomic or otherwise, of this secret corner of France.

Jura is one of the three and a bit departments (Territoire-de-Belfort is tiny) that make up the region of Franche-Comté. The department borders vinous Burgundy to the west and the Alps to the south which gives an indication of its make-up: Jura wines are distinctive and were the first to receive AOC status, and the eponymous Jura mountains that run through the department offer some of the best cross-country skiing (ski de fonds) in France.

We met our obliging and charming Headwater rep – on hand for any cycling (or otherwise) emergencies – and picked up our bikes in the tiny hamlet of Les Planches-près-Arbois. The cluster of houses, including our hotel, the family-run Moulin de la Mère Michelle, sit at the foot of towering limestone cliffs in a stunning setting, just a few kilometres away from the wine town of Arbois, our starting point.

Famous chemist

There is plenty to discover in this pretty town and there are two names you cannot escape in Arbois: Henri Maire and Louis Pasteur. Louis Pasteur appears regularly on street names, buildings and monuments as the famous chemist spent his youth in Arbois after moving there as a young child from nearby Dole. Upon the death of his father, he inherited the family tannery in the Rue de Courcelles and proceeded to make it a comfortable home and laboratory where he spent his holidays until his death in 1895.

The house is now the Maison Louis Pasteur museum and has been restored to how it would have been during his lifetime. It is an engaging and intriguing visit with details such as his reading glasses, inkwell and family portraits in place as if he had just left the room.

His scientific genius was not limited to his ability to prolong the life of milk and one of his greatest breakthroughs was the rabies vaccine in 1845. His was a great mind and indications of his quick-thinking and compassion can be found throughout the house.

It is the laboratory in the house in Arbois that is the most fascinating of all the rooms. He knocked through to the neighbouring property to create a light airy space, which was the width of the house and which he sophisticatedly equipped with gas and other utilities he required. Glass-fronted cabinets line the walls and are filled with phials, pots and potions as well as drawings and papers representing his life’s work.

An important axis of Pasteur’s work was with wine and the pasteurisation process that is still used today was originally put to use for wine and then beer before the dairy products we more readily associate it with. Pasteur had his own vines with which he experimented and his work allowed him to understand the fermentation process. A parcelle of his original vines is still harvested today and sold as Louis Pasteur wine at quite a price.

Inescapable name

It is no coincidence then that Arbois wines were the first to receive appellation d’origine contrôlée or AOC status in 1936. The grandfather of Henri Maire, the town’s other inescapable name, was vigneron to Pasteur and when the young Henri took over the family wine-making business, he undertook to put his Jura wines on the map with an assault of marketing. The age-old polemic of mass-production quantity versus small-scale quality rages still today but his is certainly a name that cannot be ignored in the town and a huge swathe of AOC Jura vineyards remain under Henri Maire today.

The restored and rather grand Château Pécaud in the town houses the Musée de la Vigne et du Vin as well as the governing body of Jura wines, the Comité Interprofessionnel des Vins du Jura. A visit starts outside in among the five types of vines grown in the area: Pinot Noir, Poulsard and Trousseau for the reds and Chardonnay and Savagnin for the whites.

Wine tastings are de rigeur both in Arbois and all over the department, which is good as some of the lesser-known jurassien grape varieties (Poulsard, Trousseau and Savagnin) have quite unique characteristics. It is the Savagnin grape that produces not only a dry, complex white but also the famous vin jaune after a fermentation process of six years and three months. Poulsard and Trousseau grapes produce light reds that resemble rosés and are particularly easy to drink.

A final gastronomic detour must be made to the tiny chocolaterie Hirsinger on the main square. The celebrated and prize-winning chocolate makers marry such flavours as strawberries and balsamic vinegar or green pepper and ganache, or even lime, almond and coriander to mouthwatering effect. Buy a selection of as many as you think you can handle and conduct your own tasting overlooking the main square. We also thought it prudent to save a couple of squares to combat any mid-cycle energy dips.

Sleepy villages

Leaving Arbois on the bikes, inviting country lanes take you out into the jurassien countryside. Our route took us west through alternate rows of vines, fields of sunflowers and quietly ruminating cattle and to picturesque sleepy villages clustered around solid churches perched on hill tops. A picnic stop at the foot of the church in Brainans afforded great views over the countryside below only to be rivalled by those offered by nearby Toulouse-le-Château. The lone craggy wall of the old château can be seen from some distance and the short-ish, hideously sharp climb to this secluded spot is suitably rewarded by a spectacular panorama.

Freewheeling back down through the hamlet, the quiet roads took us past farmers perched atop rumbling tractors and meadows lying fallow to our hotel just outside Passenans, set almost equidistant between Lons-le-Saunier and Arbois. A dip in the beautiful pool that commands views over the open countryside, followed by a stretch on a sun lounger with a glass of chilled Jura wine offset any earlier exertion and an evening meal on the terrace was similarly special as we watched the sun set over fields of cattle and rows of vines.

To the south of Passenans lies a cluster of villages and sights that all jostle for the attention of visitors. Cycling through the orderly vines in Menétru-le-Vignoble, a slow, winding climb takes you to the plus beau village of Château-Chalon. This idyllic town clings to a mountainous peak and its sun-washed stone houses take in inspiring views over the valley below. Narrow streets lead to vantage points or secluded squares and it is the perfect spot to indulge in a little wine- or cheese-tasting.

The long exhilarating descent takes you into a valley where lined limestone cliffs rise sharply from the River Seille. The route is dotted with peaceful river-side picnic spots where hot feet can be dipped into the ice-cold mountain water and a reviving snack can rally flagging legs.

The narrow valley entrance forks; the left-hand fork takes you to Ladoye and the right to Baume-les-Messieurs, which is where we headed. Baume-les-Messieurs is an indescribably pretty town, cradled by soaring, craggy cliffs, and home to a fine abbey. Up until the sixteenth century, monks were in residence and it was known as Baume-les-Moines. At this time, canons of noble birth took over from the humble monks and the town changed its name to reflect their status and became Baume-les-Messieurs as we know it today.

Worth the effort

Further up the valley, along the same branch, is the Grotte de Baume-les-Messieurs and its beautiful waterfall which is definitely worth the effort of the climb. We parked our bikes at the foot of the waterfall underneath crystal-clear water cascading over moss-covered rocks. There is a short walk to the top that takes you through a magical series of stepped waterfalls, dappled under sheltering trees, and a guided tour of the cave takes in the great hall with its remarkable acoustics, a small lake and the 80m-high gallery.

Cycling freely back down into Baume-les-Messieurs from the cave leaves you with very little option but to tackle the densely contoured route up out of the valley. The climb up is tough and shaded only in parts but glimpses of the town below as you zig-zag your way up are a small recompense and the views from the top – as well as the sense of achievement – are well worth it.

Up on the plateau and yet another side of the multifaceted Jura is revealed. Here, peaceful open farmland and meadows are dotted with small farming communities and we made our way round to look down on the left-hand fork of the valley and the spectacular viewpoint of the Cirque de Ladoye below.

Gentle countryside led us on into Poligny and the home of Comté cheese as well as still being an important wine area too. The cheese is found throughout the department and was one of the first to gain AOC status in 1958. It can be aged anything from four to 24 months – the average is around eight months – and varies from doux (when it’s less than 12 months old) to fruité (between 12 and 18 months) and extra for anything over 18 months. It’s the perfect accompaniment to the local wines and charcuterie.

The new and excited patrons of our hotel just outside Poligny have made a great spot even better with their recent renovations and Madame Masson’s warm welcome makes it one of Poligny’s bonnes adresses. The balconied rooms in sophisticated and tasteful shades of dark wood and neutral – as well as the prerequisite pool – are a very welcome sight after a hard day’s cycling.

Final stretch

Having freewheeled down into Poligny, it stands to reason a climb is required to leave and it’s a steady 3km ascent up into Chamole above. A short distance further and you find yourself in the heart of the Forêt de Poligny, yet another side to Jura, cycling along tiny roads that are traffic-free bar the odd forestry commission vehicle – and the occasional Scout troupe leading a horse and gypsy caravan it turns out. The cool wooded canopy opens sporadically to wild-flower filled verges and gently undulates through a pine-scented wonderland. It is hard to believe this is the same department.

As it opens out, there are yet more spectacular caves to visit, the Grottes des Moidons that are remarkable for their stalactites, and then a final stretch through fields and farmland to bring us back round to Arbois.

There is variation in everything in Jura: architecture ranges from Alpine-esque chalets to stone cottages and ancient farmsteads and the countryside changes from open plateaux and dense forest to deep valleys and rolling countryside lined with vines and pasture. Seeing it all first hand and close up from high on a saddle offers a whole new perspective and, when it all looks a bit too steep, it’s worth remembering that what goes up, must come down. Happy pedalling!