Saint Claude - The capital of smoking-pipe making and diamond cutting, is located in the heart of the Haut-Jura Natural Park, where the Bienne and Tacon rivers meet. St-Claude is the ideal environment for summer as well as winter activities.

Saint-Claude - The city center is crossed by the Rue du Pre, St-Claude's main street where the Hotel de Ville (city hall) stands. Most of the stores and boutiques as well as many cafes are located in this lively street. During festivals and celebrations the street is made available only for pedestrians.

Grand Pont and Saint Pierre Cathedral - The bridge was built in 1939 is 300 feet long and 150 feet above the river. It is now the main entrance to the city. Cathedral was built in the 14th and 18th century, in the style of a fortress. It used to be a shelter for the inhabitants of the town. The stalls carved by Jean de Vitry are known for their precision and beauty.

Pipes and Diamond Museum - This museum, accross the street from the cathedral, presents the history of pipe in St-Claude, shows how briar-wood pipes are made and exhibits collections of diamonds, precious, semi-precious and synthetic stones. It also displays the tools used in every step of gem-cutting.

Saint-Claude - An iconic gigantic sculpture of a pipe erected in the city center to glorify the pipe making, the first industry established in St-Claude in 1854. Pipe making, together with diamond cutting, gave St-Claude worldwide fame.

Saint-Claude - The Central Bridge or Pont Payant (because originally we had to pay to cross it), connects the two sides of the city in a green setting. Numerous bridges cross the rivers offer some impressive picturesque views of the city and surroundings.

Saint-Claude - Golf course, it is located in Villard, above the valley of Tacon in a beautiful natural setting. It is about 5 minutes drive from the city center.

Saint-Claude surroundings - Belvedere de la Roche Blanche, between the villages of Septmoncel and Les Moussieres, this scenic viewpoint, at an altitude of 1,140 m, offers a spectacular panoramic view of St. Claude and surroundings.

Saint-Claude surroundings - Lacets de Septmoncel winding road to Geneva. It is a road along the gorges of Flumen with spectacular view of mountains winds down toward St-Claude valley.

Saint-Claude surroundings - Chapeau de Gendarme, this local geological curiosity is located in the Lacets de Septmoncel, on the road to Geneva. This mountain in the shape of a policeman's hat, after which it is named, is a typical example of the formidable folding of the earth during the Tertiary period.

Queue de Cheval waterfall - From the village of Chaumont, 4 km from St-Claude, a marked trail reaches the "Queue de cheval" (meaning horse tail) waterfall. The rushing water drops 60 m in two leaps set in a very pleasant setting.

Saint-Claude surroundings - The gorges of Flumen with spectacular view of mountains, waterfalls and river flowing toward Saint Claude.

Flumen waterfalls - To visit, the hike starts next to the camping site of St-Claude, 2 km from the city center. The trail leads to the waterfalls of the Flumen river, emerging in the middle of a cliff, a very impressive sight particularly in raining period.

Saint-Claude surroundings - Lake Vouglans, St-Claude is a good departure point to discover the Jura "Regions des Lacs" region of many lakes such as Vouglans, Clairvaux, Chalain and many more. The "Route des Lacs" (lakes route) interconnects them and the region's main centers of interest such as museums.

Saint-Claude surroundings - Being in the heart of Haut-Jura, St-Claude attracts visitors for both summer and winter activities. As the main city of the ski area of "Hautes Combes du Jura" and close to the ski resort of Les-Rousses, it offers both cross-country and downhill skiing and other winter activities... ski station info