Les Rasses: Hotels, Cross-Country Skiing and Chasseron

Les Rasses lies in the Jura Mountains and is considered the starting point for the region’s tourist development. You can choose from a range of activities when planning your trip: cross-country skiing and downhill ski slopes, cycling tours, and paths and viewpoints around Chasseron. If you are looking for a hotel, your planned activities can help you coordinate your travel dates with your daily itinerary. The ski area is at an altitude of 1,150 m and reaches a maximum of 1,583 m.

Cross-country skiing and winter sports in Les Rasses

The Centre nordique des Rasses offers around 65 km of cross-country ski trails, with numerous circuits for skiers of all ability levels. The trails are groomed every morning for classic and skate skiing. However, grooming depends on snow conditions and seasonal operations. The two skiing styles let you choose according to your preferred technique, while the circuits add a variety of routes. Parking is available in Les Rasses for cross-country skiers, although availability may vary by season. Check trail conditions and parking availability before you travel.

The Les Rasses ski area includes the Rasses I, Rasses II and Rasses III lifts. Their operation is seasonal and may change over time. The area is also of interest for mountain biking: the Sainte-Croix / Les Rasses winter sports area offers several marked mountain bike routes. Check the route and markings locally before setting out. The École suisse de ski Les Rasses – La Robella also offers year-round biathlon with laser rifles; participation may depend on booking arrangements.

Hiking trails and Chasseron

The Balade archéologique du Chasseron is a 2.3 km circular trail. Information panels along the route are in French and German; a French audio description can be accessed via QR code. The trail starts at the car park below the Chasseron pastures, at an altitude of 1,437 m. You can therefore either read the explanations on the panels or listen to the French audio description.

A yellow-marked hiking trail leads from the Les Rasses or Les Cluds car park via Le Rocher towards Le Chasseron. In the wider Jura region, walking and hiking routes range from half-hour walks to excursions of up to four hours along the Jura ridges. In summer, you can drive from Les Rasses via the Route du Chasseron. A car park is about a 25-minute walk from the Hôtel-Restaurant du Chasseron. As this access route is described as seasonal, check conditions before setting out.

The Parcours du Chasseron starts and ends in Les Rasses. From the summit, views extend for more than 250 km to the highest peaks of the Swiss and French Alps. The seasonal route’s availability may depend on conditions. The circular trail, the yellow-marked hiking trail and the Parcours therefore offer different points of reference for planning: the circular trail focuses on archaeological information, while the Parcours is described in terms of its summit panorama.

Mountain bike routes and regional trails

A 22 km mountain bike route starts in Les Rasses and leads to the region’s alpine chalets around the Chasseron massif. Another mountain bike circuit starts in Sainte-Croix, is 33 km long and has 1,000 m of elevation gain. The two routes differ in their starting points and lengths; the elevation gain is also specified for the circuit from Sainte-Croix.

Route Suisse Mobile No. 3 also passes through Bullet / Les Rasses. You can take a break there between stages 7 and 8. This route adds another point of reference for trip planning alongside the mountain biking options. For the several marked routes in the winter sports area, check which markings and trails are currently usable before setting out.

Hotels and local facilities

At the Grand Hôtel des Rasses, the public can use an indoor pool heated to 27 °C and measuring 15.60 m × 6.65 m. The spa includes a sauna, a hammam, a massage room, a relaxation room and a fitness room. If these facilities are important when choosing a hotel, confirm public access and availability before your trip. This keeps your planning focused on the specific features of this hotel, without implying that these facilities are offered by all hotels in Les Rasses.

Discover more destinations: L'abbaye, Bullet Vd, Onnens, La Praz, Concise, Ballaigues, Bonvillars, Yverdon-Les-Bains

Back to the regional travel overview: Northern Vaud Jura.