Encounter a very special side of France in the Jura region.
The Jura
The Jura region is hardly a destination travellers initially head for in France. The Côte d’Azur, Provence or Normandy usually come first. However, this hilly region in eastern France, which reaches its highest point at 1720 metres on the peak of La Crêt de la Neige, has plenty of scenic, cultural and culinary delights to offer. 

Our Tips for the Area

From ski pistes in the winter to crystal clear rivers perfect for kayaking or fly fishing in the summer. Hiking trails through beautiful dense forests, opening out occasionally to offer spectacular views, are charming in all seasons; for example the Parcours de la Cuderie, one of the “Sentiers de Courbet”. These variously long walks lead past the exact places Gustave Courbet captured on his canvases. Many can be seen at the Musée Courbet, an intriguing piece of contemporary architecture, built as an extension of the painter’s house of birth in the little town of Ornans.

One can also explore the traces of other great minds of the region. For example those of the prominent Parisian architect Claude-Nicolas Ledoux, who build the Royal Saltworks of Arc et Senans, commissioned by Louis XVI, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Maison Pasteur, a museum located in Arbois in the house where Louis Pasteur was born, is dedicated to the work of the scientist, who caused a breakthrough in disease prevention with the invention of pasteurisation and the creation of a vaccine for rabies.

Visitors to Arbois shouldn’t miss looking into the prestigious Patisserie Hirsinger, renowned as far beyond the Jura as Japan for its exquisite chocolates, cakes and sweets. Culinary pleasure seekers will also find some of the regions finest Michelin-star restaurants in Arbois: Jean Paul Jeunet’s cuisine is known for its exquisite use of traditional, regional products. Another highly recommendable restaurant is just a quarter of an hour’s drive away, at Château Germigney, home of the famous Michelin-star chef Pierre Basso Moro – in the summer he’s out in the in the dense woods with his dog, searching for chanterelles and boletuses, which his guests can taste in his wonderful sauces.


Many of the region’s specialities, such as the cheese varieties Comté, Morbier or Bleu de Gex can be enjoyed in a relaxed atmosphere with a glass of wine at home at La Maison Salines. Please don’t hesitate to prompt your hosts to fulfil your wishes.


Find further inspiration looking at our suggestions in the La Maison Salines Jura Weekends below.

Weekends in the Jura
These weekend visits were personally conceived for small groups of guests by Christophe Galimard, the owner of La Maison Salines. With his passion for the Jura, he offers interested visitors the perfect opportunity to take an in depth look at some very enjoyable regional themes. These special weekends (from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon) devised for small groups are organised in collaboration with a network of regional experts. La Maison Salines is happy to cater to your individual interests by providing variations and alternatives to the programmes described.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us!

The Jura´s culinary delights

Guests are greeted with a dinner of local specialties and subsequently invited to browse La Maison Salines’ comprehensive library of cookery books. According to taste, Saturday morning can be spent visiting a dairy, cheese dairy or meat producer. Lunch could be taken in one of the region’s renowned restaurants. After a walk through the charming town of Arbois with a visit to the award-winning Patisserie Hirsinger its time for a siesta.


In the afternoon, a cookery course presents an array of regional products, which are prepared to make dinner, held in one of the lounges at La Maison Salines. After breakfast the next morning, Sunday’s programme could begin with a wine tasting, introducing typical wines from the region. A lunch at Jean Paul Jeunet’s 2-star restaurant rounds of the weekend programme perfectly.

Please contact us for further information.
For a maximum of ten participants.


Jura for kids
A child-friendly dinner welcomes the young guests upon arrival Friday evening. Before going to bed, everyone can make themselves at home in the large lounge with a DVD from a selection of children’s classics, among them the “War of the Buttons”, which was set in the region.

If the weather is good, Saturday morning begins with a picnic in the garden. This can be followed by a painting class held by an art teacher with whom the children practice painting landscapes on the nearby banks of the Furieuse river until lunchtime. If it’s rainy or cold, they can paint portraits indoors. After lunch, the children can go on a ride in a horse-drawn carriage or visit an orchard to pick apples and make juice (according to season). Following an afternoon snack, a visit to a cheese dairy or farm rounds off the day’s programme. A collection of board games will ensure a lively evening in the lounge after dinner.

During a cookery course on Sunday morning, the children get to know the region’s seasonal products as they prepare their own lunch. The afternoon can be spent fishing on the river banks. A visit to the Salt Museum presents a good alternative if the weather is bad.

Please contact us for further information.
For a group from ten to a maximum of fourteen children, with at least two supervising adults.

Wellness and Spa
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us for more information.
Jura & Jura

This weekend is dedicated to the differences between the Swiss cantons of the Jura (Neuchâtel, Vaud, Jura, Geneva) and the French part of the region. The programme begins Friday evening with a sausage tasting of “saucisse de Morteau”– a culinary specialty shared by both parts.


Saturday morning after breakfast lends itself to an in-depth talk given by an expert on a regional topic of interest (ranging from wine and cheese to literature), held in the lounge or garden (depending on the weather). This is followed by a tour to the source of the river Loue, which runs through the départements of Doubs and Jura. A cheese tasting of Swiss and French Gruyère and Comté in various degrees of maturity, in the company of Swiss and French wine growers presenting their wines, could round off the tour. Alternatively, one could lunch at a fondue restaurant. After a rest at La Maison Salines, the evening is crowned with a special menu created by the 2-star chef Jean Paul Jeunet at his restaurant in Arbois.


Sunday’s activities begin with a talk on the region’s watchmaking industry and a presentation of interesting watches. Lunch at La Maison Salines would offer another opportunity to compare French und Swiss wines. In the afternoon one could visit the Salt Museum in Salines-les-Bains or a cowbell factory, where one can listen to an impressive carillon.

Please contact us for further information.
For a maximum of ten participants.