Читать книгу Switzerland's Jura Crest Trail. A two week trek from Zurich to Geneva онлайн

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 La Dôle (Stage 14) – a 1677m summit atop of a dramatic geologic amphitheatre overlooking Lake Geneva and the Mont Blanc Massif.

World War II and the Jura mountains

The Jura mountains run parallel to the border with France and offered an escape route from Nazi-occupied territory during World War II. Visible fortifications, defences and remnants can be seen throughout the latter stages of the trail, in particular from Sainte-Croix to Nyon (Stages 10–14), where the Promenthouse Line (also known as the Toblerone Line), a defensive line of nearly 3000 tank traps, was built between 1936 to 1937 in preparation for the rise of armaments and potential invasion from Germany.

Just a few kilometres south-west of Sainte-Croix the number of World War II bunkers increases as the trail passes within 600 metres of the French border. Nearing the end of the stage, on the approach to Vallorbe, Fort de Pre-Giroud (www.pre-giroud.ch) is visible 2km to the south-east on the hillside as you follow the river L’Orbe. Built between 1937 and 1941 to protect the Franco–Swiss border and the Col de Jougne, this underground fortress, its entrance identified by a false chalet with a large Swiss cross, housed 200 men. Today it is open to visitors (English tours by advance appointment).