From the Rhine to the Rhône: Bikepacking the Jura

[Day 1] Bikepacking: Basel, Saint Ursanne and the 'Vallée du Doubs'

Bikepacker in front of the Train Station Basel

SBB Train Station in Basel, Switzerland

Loaded Gravel Bike in front of a church in Basel Switzerland

Church in Basel Switzerland

Bikepacker on a bridge in Laufen Switzerland

An a bridge in Laufen Switzerland.

Cows on the trail in the Jura Mountains Switzerland

Cows on the trail in the Jura Mountains Switzerland.

Cyclist making a selfie at the River Doubs in Switzerland
Gravel Bike at the Doubs River near Saint Ursanne

At the Doubs River near Saint Ursanne.

Cyclist making a selfie at the River Doubs in Switzerland

The River Doubs in Switzerland

This bikepacking tour starts at Basel SBB railway station, and the route leads briefly through Basel's old town before climbing through Basel Landschaft and the canton of Jura into the mountains of the same name. The climbs are challenging with luggage, but you are rewarded with breathtaking views. After Saint Ursanne, I follow the Doubs through the valley. There are numerous bathing spots and a few campsites here. The Doubs valley becomes wilder and wilder towards the south, the landscape more and more beautiful, and the metres in altitude add up until I find a suitable place to camp for the night on the banks of the Doubs.