The Vallée de Joux – which is famous for watch making and the Swiss cheese Vacherin Mont d’Or – is a secluded mountain valley in the Jura mountains in the canton of Vaud. The main features of the landscape include the lakes Lac de Joux and Lac Brenet and the extensive pine forests and agricultural land.

Geologically, the substratum is limestone which gives the region its characteristic channelled limestone fields, dolines and numerous caves. The Lac de Joux has an underground stream which does not resurface until it reaches Vallorbe.

The raw climate affects the vegetation. Thus, arctic relict species can be found in the blanket mires.

The alternation of forest, pasture, rocky dry meadows and wetland meadows favours the wide variety of flora and fauna. The extensive landscape with the Grand Risoux, Switzerland’s largest contiguous forest, also provides a habitat for beasts of prey such as the lynx. Wolves and bears are said to have lived in the Risoux in the past.