MTB-Land Schweiz: 3 Jura Bike, Stage 05

Saignelégier - La Chaux-de-Fonds.
The first part of this stage gives us some time to enjoy the Franches-Montagnes plateau. Then, however, the tour climbs to the 1288 m.a.s.l. Mont Soleil. From here you can admire the highest mountain in the Jura, the Chasseral. Mont Soleil, however, makes headlines because of its photovoltaic solar power plant. About the size of 3 football pitches, it produces electricity for a good 200 households a year. The wind turbines are another component of renewable energy production. Both power plants can be visited on a guided tour (registration +41 31 330 53 04) or experienced in a playful way on an educational trail.
Technically simple and relatively flat, the next section leads over sparsely populated territory towards La Chaux-de-Fond, one of the highest cities in Europe, known as the metropolis of timekeeping.

Highlights:
- Freiberg plateau
- Mont Soleil
- Solar power station on Mont Soleil
- Clock museum in La Chaux-de-Fonds

Note(s)
"Jura Bike" is a route marked by SwitzerlandMobility that runs along the western border from north to south. In 9 stages, with a length of almost 360 kilometres and over 8,500 metres in altitude, it leads from Basel over the Jura heights to Nyon on Lake Geneva. It crosses the Röstigraben, enters the Doubs valley, the Franches-Montagnes, the Val de Travers, the Vallée de Joux and touches the vineyards of the Lake Geneva region.
The tour is signposted with the red MTB signs "3" and can also be ridden in the opposite direction.

On Mont Soleil, a pushing passage of approx. 10 min. must be expected.