While Jurassic Park was a very popular Steven Spielberg movie, you might be interested to know that I live very close to the mountain range that gave its name, or visa versa, to the this period of time when dinosaurs plodded around.
The Jura is one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world and is famous for its ancient rock formations and fossils. I am very fortunate to have a wonderful view of the Jura from my living room, and even luckier to be so close that it is only a thirty minute drive to the peaks. From there, the view is out of this world, as you can often look across a lake of cloud below you in the valley below and across to the Alps and Mont Blanc.
Depending on the weather, other days the valley is crystal clear and the waters of Lake Geneva glisten, and the snow capped peaks of the Alps sparkle in the sunshine. In winter, the gentle slopes of the Jura offer easy skiing, which is very popular for families with young children. The miles and miles of well marked walking trails are also popular.
Of course most of these trails end somewhere close to a mountain auberge where a hot fondue awaits. Just what you need to warm your bones.
We often go to the Jura, as our dog loves the space to run, and exhausts himself following the scent of all the wildlife that inhabits the Jura. Then having a swim in a pond or lake to finish his day. My wife and I settle for something more warming though.
While Switzerland offers so many wonders for visitors, the Jura is one place I would suggest you put on your list.
It certainly is on my list for next summer. We were very near there in July, when we crossed over to Germany. It’s all staggeringly beautiful. Lucky you!