GTJ ski touring
100 km
The snow info, in addition to indicating the state of practicability of each sector of the GTJ cross-country ski trail, also provides the overall snow cover on the massif. It is updated every morning on weekdays, but be careful when the conditions are changing (typically during heavy snowfall), it is then necessary to cross-check the information with the weather!
ACCOMMODATION INFO
Attention ! La Ferme de Retord is closed this winter 2022-2023: accommodation is no longer provided on this part of the Retord plateau.
BIVOUAC INFO
Many requests for winter bivouac come to us: beyond the fact that it is prohibited in certain sectors (APPB Risoux and Massacre), the winter bivouac cannot be improvised and it must only be done by people equipped and experienced in the winter mountain environment. Conventional bivouac equipment is not enough: temperatures can drop very low (-16°C last week, even less if it's windy), gas stoves don't work, and in the event of an incident you have to know how to react very quickly to stay safe. If your desire to go on the GTJ delights us, we invite you all the same to remain very careful.
If you do not have the answers to the following questions, you should only go with an experienced person: Do you have a snow shovel in the bag? How to protect the tent from the wind? How to prepare the ground to pitch the tent? And if there is wind how do we do it? What type of sardines to use in the snow? How to anchor the tent in the snow? How do you pee at -20°C?
Do not hesitate to also use the GTJ Massif du Jura Winter route map. You will be able to visualize all the tracks of the massif, which will help you to locate yourself on the routes.
The GTJ Nordic hiking route is marked and secured by the various Nordic sites concerned. Consequently, the GTJist must participate in the maintenance and security costs by paying a fee. To make this crossing, we recommend choosing the “Weekly Jura Mountains Nordic Pass” (€49 per adult, €32 up to 16 years old), suitable for stays of 5 days or more. This pass is valid for 7 consecutive days on all the Nordic sites of the massif.
Marking and signage are in place Christmas holidays until March 25 depending on the snow cover. Whether on the yellow (snowshoeing) or orange (GTJ ski) milestones, the ski touring beacon guides you to the end.
The route is largely common with the GTJ snowshoe. The transport solutions are therefore the same. The possibilities of access to the departures and arrivals, but also to the intermediate points are described in Access GTJ racket
Need a local transportation solution? Consult the list of GTJ partner transport companies: Transport
To return to the starting point or have your luggage transported, do not hesitate to contact our partner Roll my Chicken : for the 2024 winter season, the services are operational from January 20 to March 9, 2024. Outside of these periods, transport services will be provided only for customers staying with the Roule ma Poule agency and its partners .
Find on this page the partner shops and tourist offices along the route: Services
Need to refuel or find a pharmacy? Find all the services along the GTJ ski touring. The route being largely common with the GTJ racket, the nearby services are the same.
The practical guide to the route is available in our online store right here: Practical guide to the GTJ on ski touring and its map of the slopes of the Jura massif. Step by step, the practical guide describes the itinerary by associating accommodation, services, and tourist and cultural activities nearby. In addition, the map of the ski and snowshoe trails of the massif allows you to have an overview of the route while maintaining great precision (scale: 1/50).
If you have a GPS, the route can be downloaded for free from the GTJ ski touring home page.
Find all the useful information for your arrival or your travels along the GTJ route.
The route never deviates from the marked circuits, so it is always safe. For those who have a choice in equipment, prefer slightly parabolic skis which will adapt perfectly to all types of snow and the hilly profile of the Jura mountains.
Essentials :
What can be useful :