An emblematic mountain
Since 1993, the Haute Chaine du Jura has been almost entirely classified as a National Nature Reserve. The protected area thus extends over approximately 11,000 hectares: it concerns the highest and easternmost link in the Jura massif, which ranges from nearly 600 to over 1,700 meters above sea level. The Haute-Chaîne du jura is located in Ain, in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. The reserve is bounded on the north by the border with Switzerland, and on the south side by the Rhône cluse. The highest peaks of the massif are part of the National Nature Reserve: Crêt de la Neige, the highest with its 1720 meters, but also Reculet, Colomby de Gex and Crêt de la Goutte. The territory of the Reserve partially or totally encompasses that of 18 towns and villages, including Collonges, Divonne-les-Bains, Echenevex, Farges and even Thoiry. The birth of the RNN has its origins in the project, outlined between 1962 and 1964, for the creation of a Jura National Park. Deemed too restrictive by the municipalities of the territory, the project fails. In 1974, the desire to preserve the Haute Chaine du Jura reappeared with the proposal to create a Scenic Character Area, formulated by a local association for the defense of nature. Three years later, the same association joined forces with other local players to demand the creation of a nature reserve. At the end of the 1970s, the elected representatives of the territory jointly studied the idea of a PNR and that of a Nature Reserve. A first charter was proposed in 1984, but rejected by the municipalities in the area. The project came back to life at the end of the 1980s under pressure from associations and as part of a considerable tourist boom in the area. Favorable opinions followed one another, until the creation of the Reserve in the early 1990s, the founding of its management association, and the recruitment of the permanent team. Since 2003, the management of the reserve has fallen to the Pays de Gex community of municipalities.
Exceptional flora and fauna
The differences in altitude and the variety of reliefs presented by the Haute Chaine du Jura have favored the development of a very diverse flora and fauna, which evolve in contrasting environments. The Nature Reserve is therefore home to more than two hundred species of vertebrates: mountain fauna dominated by birds and mammals typical of altitude. Among the emblematic species of the Haute Chaine du Jura are the capercaillie, the boreal lynx or the golden eagle. The reserve is also home to the only mountain population of red deer in the Jura massif, as well as the largest population of chamois. There are also over 20 species of bats and around fifteen species of reptiles and amphibians on the territory of the RNN, including the common frog and the alpine newt. The diversity of flora is even more exceptional in the Haute Chaîne du Jura: already highlighted by botanists and naturalists of the 16th century and the Enlightenment, it includes the sabot de venus, the blue thistle, the lily of Saint-Bruno or again the dryad with 8 petals. Nearly 1,500 plants are listed in the reserve, and several are protected at the national level.
Various and varied activities
Prized for its accessibility, the massif offers a wide range of sports and leisure activities for lovers of outdoor activities. The cross-border situation of the Haute Chaîne du Jura leads to significant multinational attendance. The Reserve also aims to protect the natural spaces of the area by supervising the activities that are practiced there: this also applies to the traditional professional activities of the reserve such as pastoralism. Numerous hiking routes have been marked in the 11,000 hectares classified, from the path of barely 1 km for the family to the most technical and long circuits with bivouacs. Hiking is practiced on foot in summer, but also on snowshoes and Nordic skiing in winter. Dog sled rides are also common in snowy periods. The Haute Chaîne du Jura national nature reserve is also suitable for caving, horse riding and cycling. In terms of aerial leisure activities, the Haute Chaîne du Jura is a paradise for paragliders and aeromodelling enthusiasts.
