Dwight Peck's low-res photos

Farms of the Jura in winter

[The Jura mountains run in a southwest-northeast direction along the border between France and Switzerland, from Geneva (Genève) to Basel (Bâle), holding at about 1300-1400 meters altitude (4350-4500 feet), and peaking in the range of 1650 meters (5450 feet). These photos of high alpage farms in winter are mainly from the southwestern end of that range, between the cities of Geneva and Vallorbe.]

Mont de Bière Derrière

The farm at Mont de Bière Derrière is (aside from its farming) a way-station (1481m) along the Chemin des Crêtes transjurassien hiking trail between the Col du Marchairuz and the Col du Mollendruz. 5 March 2006.

The farm at Mont de Bière Derrière from the south, 5 March 2006

Most years, folks walk on out here and have a little "pique-nique" lunch at the picnic table under the eaves (right of center), but not this year.

The picnic table is about eight feet down and pretty inaccessible for the moment.

Even the hiking-trail sign, which normally we gaze up at with our pencils and notepads at the ready, could almost go unnoticed as we pass by it towards Cunay. Unpaved roads lead up to the farm from the Marchairuz-Le Brassus road on the northwest side and from the Route des Montagnes near Petit Cunay to the east (see map below).

From the north, March 2006.

29 March 2009

From the southeast, 15 February 2004.

A hopeful new sign out front, on a stormy day in February 2002.

Late in the day again, 21 December 2003.

Picnic table under the eaves, December 2003

21 March 2008

Snowshoe repairs

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From the Carte National de la Suisse, 25,000 scale: 1241, Marchairuz. The orange dot shows the farm of Mont de Bière Derrière.

The trailhead at the Col du Marchairuz (with the newly renovated hotel), 1447m, March 2003.

Feedback and suggestions are welcome if positive, resented if negative, . All rights reserved, all wrongs avenged. Posted 24 February 2001, revised 6 May 2009.

Farms of the Jura in winter