14 March 2024
Mark2rs our WW Leader (formerly Snowshoe) had organised a trip to the Cascades in the Jura. Nothing to do with hedgehogs apparently but more to do with the name of the river – water of the spirit or similar.
“Les cascades du Hérisson, dans le Jura, font partie d’un grand ensemble, « Vallée du Hérisson, Plateau des 7 lacs », inscrit au réseau des Grands sites de France. Faites-y une balade entre deux baignades dans les lacs, notamment le fameux lac de Chalain tout proche !
En toutes saisons, les cascades du Hérisson offrent un spectacle sans cesse renouvelé, au rythme de la nature du Jura. Elles doivent leur existence au « Hérisson », un torrent énergique qui prend sa source au Saut Girard, issu des lacs de Bonlieu et d’Ilay. La nature a façonné cette vallée foisonnante et a créé pas moins de 31 sauts successifs, qui constituent ces fameuses cascades.”
Seven of us turned out. Richard and Phillip drove directly to Llay, while Nathan, David, M2rs, Paul and me all met up at Divonne Lac at 8.30 after struggling through nightmare traffic caused by pile ups on the autoroute in both directions.
Nathan drove us serenely through the morning sunshine through St Cergue, Les Rousses, Morez, Morbier, St Laurent de Grandvaux, Champignol to Llay where we all met up. We were blessed with a wonderful morning of sunshine, it was warm.
The hike started gently downward past the first fall on our left, the Saut Girard.
While the first part of this hike was easy, it soon appeared that with a damp and muddy trail in places, it was not so easy on the limestone and tree roots descending. In places we came across steep steps – some with handrails.
We forged our way on down towards the 60m Grand Saut where the scenery became suddenly very dramatic as a canyon opened out.
The trail went steeply down after the Grand Saut, at the foot of which some of us double back along the stram path to take the view looking back up.
Very soon after this we came across the top of the final Cascade, l’Éventail.
At this juncture Philip decided that he had better stick to his gradual recovery regime and not descend further. Paul stayed with him and they lunched together before returning back to the top.
The main team traipsed down the sunny trail where it became very warm. The final cascade is indeed majestic. At 65m the l’Éventail forms veil of water across the tumbling bands of rock, a luminous white shroud, almost ghostlike.
We sauntered on down to find a sunny spot for our picnic – at the Gift Shop at the Maison de Cascades which was due to open in “printemps”. Indeed a pleasant spot where we enjoyed some Portuguese red, tequila and some Swiss whisky (sic) with our sandwiches.
It was time to retrace our steps, upwards and not perhaps natural after a GIN lunch. It was about 290m back up and a little more exertion than normal to the cars. However underfoot going up was a bit easier and it was still pleasantly warm.
Back at Llay we entered the auberge just behind Paul and Philip and enjoyed some recuperative panachées.
Nathan’s car arrived back at Divonne Lac just before Richard’s. A little bemusing as we had noticed that one drives with a lot more gusto than the other. We had proved that from La Cure to Divonne, it is much quicker to route via St Cergue than Col de la Faucille.
A great winter wander, some 9 to 10 km, and 290m to 320m according to instrument. Thanks to drivers Nathan and Richard, and Paul for the restauration.
