Tour du Lac de Joux

The Tour du Lac de Joux starts and finishes at the Centre Sportif du Sentier in Switzerland's Vallée de Joux, near Lausanne. This event circles Lac de Joux, the largest lake in the Swiss Jura. It features a main 24 km race, a 12 km Demi-Tour du Lac, 12 km walking and Nordic walking options, a two-person relay with 11 km and 12 km legs, and children's races from 1 to 4.3 km for ages 5 to 15. The route begins in Le Sentier along the Orbe river for nearly 2 km, then enters the Tête du Lac woods. It continues on natural footpaths beside or above the lake, passing small beaches and picnic spots near L'Arcadie, Le Rocheray, and Les Esserts-de-Rive. After about 6 km, it moves away from the houses toward Pointe de Sable. The primary ascent leads to Le Lieu before the course reaches Le Pont around 13 km. It crosses the bay and returns along the water through L'Abbaye and Les Bioux. The complete loop measures approximately 22 km for hikers, with around 300 meters of elevation gain. Train stops are available on the left bank for participants needing to shorten their outing.