Route 7: Section 2, cycling Courgenay to Saignelégier, Switzerland

Highlights: St-Ursanne (Cloister /Church & Village),

Route 7: Section 2 (Courgenay 541m–Saignelégier 978m)

Stats from SwitzerlandMobility.ch (veloland.ch/en/routes/route/etappe-01599.html): this is a short but tough section, 36km long, with height difference Courgenay–Saignelégier 1000m (but 560m in the opposite direction). Note that there is a strenuos climb going from St-Ursanne to Ban Dessus (about 500m difference). Their site has the full profile.

Oct-2017

This was one of the nicest rides at mid-altitude, completely immersed in nature and In absolute peace. The road was so deserted that there were even spiderwebs flying about…. The weather was perfect too: a beautiful sunny autumn day, surrounded by multicolored leaves.

Throughout this Section, the route alternated between forests and panoramic plateaux.

 

Arrived at St. Ursanne, I took some time to visit the village.

St. Ursanne (myswitzerland.com/en-ch/st-ursanne-clos-du-doubs.html)
It is said that St-Ursanne was founded by the Irish hermit monk Ursicinus (one can visit his grotto!). Even nowadays this small medieval village remains pretty isolated in the Jura mountains, with an ancient aura arising from the old houses (14th-16th century) and church. The old town is beautifully preserved. The Gothic cloister (14th century) and the imposing Romanesque church (12th-14th century) definitely deserve a visit, so I parked the bike and went in.

The rest of the Section runs again through forests and hills with a difficult climb in the middle.

Links to Introduction and other Sections of Route 7:

• BIKING THROUGH SWITZERLAND (with an electric bike)
• Route 7 (Jura Route): Section 1 (Basel–Courgenay)
• Route 7: Section 3 (Saignelégier–La Chaux-de-Fonds)
  Route 7: Section 4 (La Chaux-de-Fonds–Fleurier)
• Route 7: Section 5 (Fleurier–Vallorbe)
• Route 7: Section 6; final stage (Vallorbe–Nyon)