Dent de Vaulion – A Jura Classic with Stunning Views

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Overview

  • Starting point: Petra Félix (1,144m)
  • Arrival: Dent de Vaulion summit (1,482m)
  • Altitude gain: ~340m
  • Duration: ~2 hours round trip
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Best season: All year (winter possible sometimes with snowshoes)
  • Family-friendly: Yes
  • Sunset view: Highly recommended


Download GPS file

Dent de Vaulion is another one of those classic hikes that I return to every year. It’s a great hike for all seasons—you can even do it in winter with snowshoes—and its length makes it ideal for families.

Starting Point: Petra Félix

The hike starts just after the Col du Mollendruz pass in the Jura mountains. After passing the parking at the pass, drive for a couple of minutes until you reach a parking lot just before the roads starts to descend. The place is called Petra Félix (1,144m)—a name that feels like a good omen. From here, you start hiking up a gravel road for about 15 minutes.

(Note: Since I’ve done this hike so many times, I rarely take pictures anymore, so I always struggle to find photos of the trail!)


From Forest to Pastures

At a certain point, the trail cuts left from the main road and becomes a proper mountain path. There’s no technical difficulty but, if it has rained, expect some mud.

After another 20 minutes, the forest opens up into alpine pastures. At first, you won’t see the summit, but about five minutes later, you’ll reach a small asphalt road leading to the Chalet de la Dent de Vaulion (1,400m). That’s when the summit finally comes into view—marked by a tall, not-so-pretty antenna.

The Final Ascent & A Stunning Surprise

The last 15-minute stretch after the chalet is across open pastures. Here, the landscape starts to reveal itself, but hold on! The best view is actually behind you, so resist the urge to turn around immediately—you’ll get a breathtaking surprise at the summit!

After about 1 hour from the start (a bit longer if hiking with kids), you’ll reach the summit at 1,482m.

One of the Best View-to-Effort Ratios

The view from the top is spectacular. In my opinion, this hike has one of the best panorama-to-effort ratios in the Jura. On clear days, you can see a huge stretch of the Alps, from:

  • The Eiger in Canton Bern,
  • To Mont Blanc,
  • And even the Salève near Geneva.

Looking behind you, where you came from, you’ll see the Lac de Joux—especially stunning at sunset, when it glows in warm orange tones.

Near the summit pyramid, there’s also a map pointing out all the visible peaks, making it a great place to learn their names.

The Mystery of the Seven Lakes

They say that from here, you can see seven lakes. I’ve never managed to find them all, but for sure, you can see:
✅ Lac de Joux (near Le Pont)
✅ Lac de Brenet (near Le Pont)
✅ Lac Léman (Lake Geneva)
✅ Lac de Neuchâtel

On a really clear day, I think I once spotted the Malbuisson lakes in France and Lake Morat beyond Neuchâtel, but I was never 100% sure—maybe it was just a mirage. And the seventh lake? Still a mystery! But hey, four lakes is already an amazing view!

The Descent – Perfect for Sunset Hikes

The way down follows the same path as the ascent. It takes about 1 hour to return to the parking lot without any major difficulties.

If you time it right, you can enjoy a sunset at the summit and still make it back to the car before it gets completely dark. Just in case, bring a headlamp for extra safety.

Location: Dent de Vaulion, 1337 Vallorbe, Switzerland

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