Canton Jura

and The Drei-Seen-Land (Three lakes region)

Jura

Getting to the Three Lakes Region by public transport – approx. times

Geneva to:

  • Neuchâtel – 1 hr 9 mins – no change (direction Zürich); or 1 hr 36 mins changing in Lausanne
  • Biel/Bienne – 1 hr 28 – no change (direction Zürich); or 1 hr 55 mins changing in Lausanne
  • Murten – 1hr 40 mins – 1 change in Neuchâtel (direction Zürich); or other options with 2-3 changes
  • Lausanne – 37-50 mins – no change (various trains travelling to cantons Vaud, Valais, Lucerne and St. Gallen)

For the three lake region – Neuchâtel, Biel/Bienne and Murten follow this link

Drei-Seen-Land (Three Lakes Region)

Saint-Ursanne in Canton Jura

Jura’s medieval town
St-Ursanne town centre
View of town and Doubs river
St-Ursanne Roman-catholic church’s door

When I visited Saint Ursanne the sky was full of heavy clouds which were dropped hard balls of snow mixed with rain, so not the best conditions to visit a small, medieval town in the middle of nowhere.

Road from train station to the town (looking away from the medieval town centre)

The walk down from the train station to the town gave me an opportunity to see the area. Thickly forested hills are all around the town with the wide Le Doubs river gushing through. Even with the dreary weather, the view was looking good.

I entered the town through an archway that was hundreds of years old, then after a look around realised that every building in the town must be just as old. The whole place is like a medieval french hamlet. The walls on various buildings were crumbling and windows on an ochre-coloured hotel were shuttered but at the same time, I could see parts that had obviously been recently renovated. The builders were hard at work when I arrived, in fact, the roads and alleyways within the town were mostly ripped up and in the process of being relaid (the good news is that all redevelopment has since been completed).

The town hall displayed information about the renovation and restoration of the complete old town including the impressive church in the centre and the bridge over the Doubs on the other side, through another archway.

Apart from the sounds of cobblestones being laid, it was almost completely quiet – with hotels seemingly closed and no restaurants or cafes showing signs of life, although I did manage to find a lovely little antique shop called Schnoebelen in the landmark historic building, Maison Béchaux. The shop had a bright yellow sign to indicate it was open for business. When walking around the town, I felt as if I was in a village from a fairy tale that was under a sleeping spell, only to wake up when the renovations were complete. Even though I enjoyed the tranquil atmosphere, I am looking forward to visiting again when the town has woken up and is fully rejuvenated.

Getting There

To reach the township of Saint Ursanne from the train station you can either take the Post minibus or do the 15-minute walk downhill. The small train station sits high above the town and river offering great views toward the town and surrounding countryside.

Trains leave from Biel every 30 minutes and take 48 minutes. Check the public transport website for train times and further connections. The drive from Neuchâtel takes around 1 hr 10 mins and from Biel/Bienne, around 55 mins.

What to do and what’s on in Saint Ursanne

Canoeing on the Doubs River

There are various options for canoeing: family treasure hunts, canoeing in calm water, or in small rapids. It is possible to go with or without guides and have a swimming or picnic/bbq break.

Navigation on the Doubs: permitted from Easter to October. Contact: the local information centre situated in the town, next to the Doubs river or, for more information go to the LeClip website. Reservation required. There is another company that offers canoeing or kayaking which is contactable from the local tourism office.

Hiking in the area:

Hiking signs at the train station – Saint Ursanne

There are plenty of walks around Saint-Ursanne. If you like walking through forests and along rivers a route to try is Stage 4 of the Chemin du Jura. The Chemin du Jura is around 100 km long trail that was created to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Canton Jura and is made up of four stages. Stage 4 of this trail starts at St. Ursanne then alongside the Doubs river, making its way through forests and up to a ridge with views of the Delémont and Doubs valleys, ending at the small town of Glovelier where trains leave for Saint-Ursanne or Biel/Olten every 30 minutes. Check sbb.ch for an up-to-date timetable. Further information on walks can be found on Jura’s official tourism website.

Archery

Various challenges for ages 10 and up. To find out how to get to the area contact the tourist information centre for the Drei-seen-land (three lakes region). It is about 10 minutes by car from St-Ursanne. Reservations are required.

Medieval Festival

This impressive festival is full of colour and plenty of wow moments with over 600 participants and loads of Medieval activities, displays and performances. Back again in July 2023 after a 3-year hiatus, it looks like it will be going off with a bang! For any updates or information on this festival and a chance to see photos of the town at its best go to Medievales.ch.