- Adventures -

1. Check out the water cascades
It's the best time of year to go check out the water cascades in the Jura mountains. With the snowmelt, the surface water is more abundant and increases the beauty of the cascades. Some of our favourites are:

* La cascade de Baume-les-Messieurs 

* La cascade des Tuffs aux Planches-près-Artois

* La cascade de la queue de cheval 
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2. Trail run at the season opener < Trail des Reculées >
If you're a runner why not take part in the Trail des Reculées. This trail run is one of the first to kick off the season in the Jura mountains. It offers a 12K (+300m) as a discovery option (not timed) as well as a new 15K (+440m), a 22K (+700m), a 34K (+1200m) and a 46K (+1600m). 
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3. Spot migrating birds returning
Most of us would associate the increase in birds chirping around us with the start of spring. Migrating birds returning to the area or stopping on their way to more norther destinations gives us that sense of a "bird boom" come spring. Why not turn this seasonal movement of birds into an adventure? Head out and try and spot migrating birds that have returned or recognise them by their calls. A great resource to help you know what to watch out for is the Schedule of Return Migration produced by The Swiss Ornithological Institute.

©Jura Tourism

© Tox Info Suisse

©Trail des Reculées

4. Join an Easter egg hiking hunt
If Easter is your thing, Jura Rando are hosting a 5K egg hunt hike. A guide will take you along the trail which is adapted to families with kids 4 and older (it is not stroller-friendly). The hike takes place on the hillsides of Bassecourt, Jura. Registration open until 17 April at [email protected]
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5. Play in the snow
Yes, there's still snow! You can still enjoy some cross country skiing, backcountry skiing and snowshoeing. If you've fancied trying out skinning, this is a great time to do so easily and safely at La Dôle which is now closed to alpine skiing.
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6. Forage for wild garlic < ail des ours >
​If you're new to foraging, wild garlic is a good one to start with as it's quite easy to identify*, very prolific and delicious. Wild garlic is native to Switzerland and can be found in damp woodlands or on riverbanks. Both the leaves and flowers are edible and have a light garlic taste. You can forage for the leaves but not the bulbs which are protected in Switzerland.
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GET OUR GUIDE ON HOW TO FORAGE RESPONSIBLY

​*The leaves of wild garlic can be confused with the leaves of crocuses < colchiques > or lily of the valley < muguet > which are toxique. You can test the leaves by rubbing them between your fingers; wild garlic leaves will be the only ones to give off a garlic smell. 

​If you don't feel confident enough to try it on your own at first, you can join a workshop on identifying wild edible plants like the one hosted by La Maison de la rivière on 28 April.