Trail du Saut du Doubs

The Trail du Saut du Doubs is a 35-kilometer trail race with 1,300 meters of elevation gain in the Doubs valley, in the department of the same name. This event takes runners along the Doubs gorges, at the Franco-Swiss border, to the famous Saut du Doubs, a 27-meter waterfall that marks the natural boundary between the two countries in a setting of forests and limestone cliffs of wild beauty.

The Saut du Doubs is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the Jura. The river, after winding through the deep gorges separating France from Switzerland, plunges into the void in a powerful fall whose flow varies considerably with the seasons. In spring, during the snowmelt, the spectacle is grandiose, with torrents of water carving a frothing pool at the cliff's base.

The Trail du Saut du Doubs course follows the Doubs gorges for much of its route. Runners follow the river, whose emerald-green waters reflect the limestone cliffs and forests lining its banks. The trails are carved into rock, sometimes overhanging the void in vertiginous fashion, before climbing back to the plateaus above the gorges. The wild and preserved beauty of this border territory, barely accessible by road, makes it a paradise for nature lovers.

The 1,300 meters of elevation gain are distributed between climbs from the gorge floor to the plateaus and descents back to the river. The terrain is technical and varied: rocky trails along the cliffs, forest paths through spruce and beech, wet passages in valley bottoms, and steep climbs on limestone slopes. The proximity of water and shade zones in the gorges can make trails slippery.

The Doubs valley is a territory marked by watchmaking and craftsmanship. The towns of Villers-le-Lac and Morteau, located near the course, are historic centers of the French watchmaking industry. Franche-Comte farmhouses, with their immense two-slope roofs covered in shingles, demonstrate architecture adapted to the rigors of Jurassian winter.

The course crosses remarkable natural sites: Lake Chaillexon, a natural body of water formed by a landslide that dammed the Doubs, the Chateau cliffs, and the deep forests along the border. Wildlife is rich, with peregrine falcon, kingfisher, and goosander in the gorges.

Aid stations highlight Franche-Comte specialties: Morteau sausage, Comte, cancoillotte, and Val de Travers absinthe. The atmosphere is that of a cross-border race, where French and Swiss traditions blend in shared conviviality. The Trail du Saut du Doubs is a race of character, marked by the power of its landscapes and the authenticity of its territory.