VF alternative route to enter Switzerland?

[Tassie Kaz]

Hi VF Pilgrims,
Just wondering if anyone has crossed the border from France to Switzerland via the area around Jougne/Ballaigues as opposed to the Saint Croix route described in the Cicerone guide?
I'd be interested to hear of any routes taken for this section & your experiences/thoughts/suggestions.
At this stage, I'm planning to go the Cicerone way staying at L'Auberson & Orbe but would like an alternative option to consider. I'll be in the area late April/early May.
Thanks in advance...

 

[timr]

I went Pontarlier - Jougne - Vallorbe - Romanmôtier which was a very nice route, somewhat hilly, and Romainmôtier was a wonderful place to visit and stay. It has a fine old abbey church remaining from Cluniac times, though it is now a Swiss Reformed parish church with a small ecumenical community attached. I think there is pilgrim accommodation in the church, though we stayed in a gîte. I was walking with a group of keen French randonneur-pilgrims for those couple of days and they did all the directions, keeping to GR route. I think that route is in the Lightfoot vol 2 book but I don't have that.
I think @Harington can give you some advice on alternative route too.

 

[Tassie Kaz]

I went Pontarlier - Jougne - Vallorbe - Romanmôtier which was a very nice route, somewhat hilly, and Romainmôtier was a wonderful place to visit and stay. It has a fine old abbey church remaining from Cluniac times, though it is now a Swiss Reformed parish church with a small ecumenical community attached. I think there is pilgrim accommodation in the church, though we stayed in a gîte. I was walking with a group of keen French randonneur-pilgrims for those couple of days and they did all the directions, keeping to GR route. I think that route is in the Lightfoot vol 2 book but I don't have that.
I think @Harington can give you some advice on alternative route too.

Thanks very much Tim...you're a treasure trove of VF information! My next question was going to be; were you following a trail or did you DIY it...but you've already covered that. A route through that area did seem doable although looking at a map is different to being on the ground. If its a GR trail, it should be relatively easy to navigate, especially in Switzerland. I'll see if Harington responds to this thread & then I'll track down the Lightfoot Guide. Thanks for your valued input

 

[Harington]

Hi VF Pilgrims,
Just wondering if anyone has crossed the border from France to Switzerland via the area around Jougne/Ballaigues as opposed to the Saint Croix route described in the Cicerone guide?
I'd be interested to hear of any routes taken for this section & your experiences/thoughts/suggestions.
At this stage, I'm planning to go the Cicerone way staying at L'Auberson & Orbe but would like an alternative option to consider. I'll be in the area late April/early May.
Thanks in advance...

The Jougne Route is now the official route, I believe. I personally would never follow Cicerone.

 

[William Marques]

I took the original Auberson, St Croix route. A very pleasant route it was too.

The Cicerone guide was written by Alison Raju an accomplished guide writer on the Caminos, VF and other routes and editor of the CPR journal for many years, I would have no hesitation following her.

 

[jungleboy]

Romanmôtier is quite impressive, so if you have a chance to take a route that goes through it, I'd recommend it. (I haven't done the VF, but used to live in Geneva and visited Romanmôtier once.)

 

[Tassie Kaz]

The Jougne Route is now the official route, I believe. I personally would never follow Cicerone.

Thanks Harington, I hoped you'd respond.
I have largely navigated my own path for the entire length of the VF. However, I needed a starting point or suggestion in order to do that & found the Cicerone guide useful despite inadequate maps (no bigger picture/area context).

 

[Tassie Kaz]

I took the original Auberson, St Croix route. A very pleasant route it was too.

The Cicerone guide was written by Alison Raju an accomplished guide writer on the Caminos, VF and other routes and editor of the CPR journal for many years, I would have no hesitation following her.

Thanks William. Having now done some research I think I'll stick to that route. Ideally I'd like to take in both options but my Schengen visa will be ticking away...
I can certainly appreciate the enormous undertaking of producing a guidebook. I used Alison's guide 'The Pilgrim Road to Trondheim' (Museums-Forlaget) so am familiar with her style. Personally, I prefer a good map than step-by-step instructions & I have been lead astray by AR muddling up her L & R. I can certainly forgive her for that...but perhaps just not at the time!
If you are adhering to a guidebook trail & reach a point where the way is not clear, having exact instructions can save a lot of unnecessary foot slogging.

 

[Harington]

Thanks Harington, I hoped you'd respond.
I have largely navigated my own path for the entire length of the VF. However, I needed a starting point or suggestion in order to do that & found the Cicerone guide useful despite inadequate maps (no bigger picture/area context).

The Jougne route is in the LightFoot Guide, and also I think on the EAVF website.