Lac de Joux

Lac de Joux is a natural lake in the Vallée de Joux in the Jura Mountains of Switzerland and is the largest lake in the Jura region. It is a focal point for outdoor recreation in the valley.

The lake is used for boating and watersports in summer and for ice activities in sufficiently cold winters. The villages of Le Brassus and Le Pont lie on its shores and provide the main points for lakeside access, services, and trailheads.

The basin is a natural glacial lake surrounded by pasture, forests and alpine pastures; settlements along its shore developed historically around fishing, forestry and later watchmaking in the Vallée de Joux. Over time the lake has remained a local resource for transport and recreation rather than a major industrial waterway.

Lac de Joux sits in the high Jura, close to the France-Switzerland border, within the canton of Vaud and surrounded by rolling karst and forested slopes. The nearest villages on the shoreline are Le Brassus and Le Pont.

• Access: Sits in the high Vallée de Joux with the villages of Le Brassus and Le Pont on its shores, making those villages the usual access points for walks, boat rentals, and lakeside facilities.
• Winter conditions: Freezes reliably in cold winters and has a tradition of ice activities and cross-country skiing when conditions are safe; check local conditions before going onto the ice.