Hiking
ViaBerna
Stage 1, Bellelay–La Bottière–Montbautier–Tramelan
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ViaBerna
Stage 1, Bellelay–La Bottière–Montbautier–Tramelan
From Bellelay, this stage leads along the peat bog of La Sagne. Through forests and across pastures, it climbs up to the gentle Jura height, where you remain for a few kilometres. The path descends across open pastures to the destination for the first stage, the village of Tramelan.
In the small village of Bellelay on the edge of the Franches-Montagnes, the first thing that catches the eye is the massive building of the former monastery from the 11th century. Today, it is used as a psychiatric clinic. The former monks are also said to have been the inventors of the "Tête de Moine". Instead of being sliced, this spicy semi-hard cheese is still scraped off the round, handy loaves in the shape of rosettes. A historical cheese dairy and a museum at the end of the village are dedicated to this well-known cheese speciality.
The path now leads across pastures and meadows along the protected moorland of La Sagne. A dragonfly nature trail gives those interested the opportunity to linger here a little longer and advance into the interior via wooden footbridges. After La Rouge Eau with its old peat bogs, you reach the wooded slope of the first Jura hill to climb. The route first follows a road and then ascends steeply through dense forest to the open pastures. At the Montbautier vantage point, the view opens up over the Tavannes valley. The border between the cantons of Bern and Jura also runs over this hill. The remote Jura heights were once settled by Mennonites who had been driven out of the Emmental into the Franches-Montagnes.
The path is repeatedly bordered by the traditional dry stone walls that also separate the pastures. Sturdy maples line the access roads to the solid stone farmsteads of the Jura. You now follow a small road for about two kilometres. The farm of Rière Jorat is a good place to stop for refreshments. At Haut de Bémont, a typical Jura farm, you leave the road. The path now leads across the pastures of the lightly wooded ridge of Prés de la Montagne. To the north, the view sweeps over the flattening chains of the Jura towards France. Almost without a visible path, you finally descend via the Pâturage du Droit to the upper residential areas of Tramelan, the former watchmaking town. To the north, the first wind turbines tower over the steep flank of the Montagne de Droit. In addition to agriculture, electronics, precision mechanics and metal construction businesses are important in Tramelan today. The first stage ends at the Chemins de Fer du Jura train station.
The path now leads across pastures and meadows along the protected moorland of La Sagne. A dragonfly nature trail gives those interested the opportunity to linger here a little longer and advance into the interior via wooden footbridges. After La Rouge Eau with its old peat bogs, you reach the wooded slope of the first Jura hill to climb. The route first follows a road and then ascends steeply through dense forest to the open pastures. At the Montbautier vantage point, the view opens up over the Tavannes valley. The border between the cantons of Bern and Jura also runs over this hill. The remote Jura heights were once settled by Mennonites who had been driven out of the Emmental into the Franches-Montagnes.
The path is repeatedly bordered by the traditional dry stone walls that also separate the pastures. Sturdy maples line the access roads to the solid stone farmsteads of the Jura. You now follow a small road for about two kilometres. The farm of Rière Jorat is a good place to stop for refreshments. At Haut de Bémont, a typical Jura farm, you leave the road. The path now leads across the pastures of the lightly wooded ridge of Prés de la Montagne. To the north, the view sweeps over the flattening chains of the Jura towards France. Almost without a visible path, you finally descend via the Pâturage du Droit to the upper residential areas of Tramelan, the former watchmaking town. To the north, the first wind turbines tower over the steep flank of the Montagne de Droit. In addition to agriculture, electronics, precision mechanics and metal construction businesses are important in Tramelan today. The first stage ends at the Chemins de Fer du Jura train station.
From Bellelay, this stage leads along the peat bog of La Sagne. Through forests and across pastures, it climbs up to the gentle Jura height, where you remain for a few kilometres. The path descends across open pastures to the destination for the first stage, the village of Tramelan.
In the small village of Bellelay on the edge of the Franches-Montagnes, the first thing that catches the eye is the massive building of the former monastery from the 11th century. Today, it is used as a psychiatric clinic. The former monks are also said to have been the inventors of the "Tête de Moine". Instead of being sliced, this spicy semi-hard cheese is still scraped off the round, handy loaves in the shape of rosettes. A historical cheese dairy and a museum at the end of the village are dedicated to this well-known cheese speciality.
The path now leads across pastures and meadows along the protected moorland of La Sagne. A dragonfly nature trail gives those interested the opportunity to linger here a little longer and advance into the interior via wooden footbridges. After La Rouge Eau with its old peat bogs, you reach the wooded slope of the first Jura hill to climb. The route first follows a road and then ascends steeply through dense forest to the open pastures. At the Montbautier vantage point, the view opens up over the Tavannes valley. The border between the cantons of Bern and Jura also runs over this hill. The remote Jura heights were once settled by Mennonites who had been driven out of the Emmental into the Franches-Montagnes.
The path is repeatedly bordered by the traditional dry stone walls that also separate the pastures. Sturdy maples line the access roads to the solid stone farmsteads of the Jura. You now follow a small road for about two kilometres. The farm of Rière Jorat is a good place to stop for refreshments. At Haut de Bémont, a typical Jura farm, you leave the road. The path now leads across the pastures of the lightly wooded ridge of Prés de la Montagne. To the north, the view sweeps over the flattening chains of the Jura towards France. Almost without a visible path, you finally descend via the Pâturage du Droit to the upper residential areas of Tramelan, the former watchmaking town. To the north, the first wind turbines tower over the steep flank of the Montagne de Droit. In addition to agriculture, electronics, precision mechanics and metal construction businesses are important in Tramelan today. The first stage ends at the Chemins de Fer du Jura train station.
The path now leads across pastures and meadows along the protected moorland of La Sagne. A dragonfly nature trail gives those interested the opportunity to linger here a little longer and advance into the interior via wooden footbridges. After La Rouge Eau with its old peat bogs, you reach the wooded slope of the first Jura hill to climb. The route first follows a road and then ascends steeply through dense forest to the open pastures. At the Montbautier vantage point, the view opens up over the Tavannes valley. The border between the cantons of Bern and Jura also runs over this hill. The remote Jura heights were once settled by Mennonites who had been driven out of the Emmental into the Franches-Montagnes.
The path is repeatedly bordered by the traditional dry stone walls that also separate the pastures. Sturdy maples line the access roads to the solid stone farmsteads of the Jura. You now follow a small road for about two kilometres. The farm of Rière Jorat is a good place to stop for refreshments. At Haut de Bémont, a typical Jura farm, you leave the road. The path now leads across the pastures of the lightly wooded ridge of Prés de la Montagne. To the north, the view sweeps over the flattening chains of the Jura towards France. Almost without a visible path, you finally descend via the Pâturage du Droit to the upper residential areas of Tramelan, the former watchmaking town. To the north, the first wind turbines tower over the steep flank of the Montagne de Droit. In addition to agriculture, electronics, precision mechanics and metal construction businesses are important in Tramelan today. The first stage ends at the Chemins de Fer du Jura train station.
Length
11 km
Ascent | Descent
340 m | 400 m
Hiking time
3 h 00 min
Grade | Fitness level
easy
(hiking trail)
|
easy
Arrival | return travel
Contact
Signpost management
Signposting is managed by the cantonal hiking trail organisation on behalf of the canton.
Berner Wanderwege
Nordring 8
1303 Bern
info@bernerwanderwege.ch
www.bernerwanderwege.ch
