If you decide to hike up to and back down on a round trip of the Creux du Van, keep in mind that it’ll cost you about 22,000 steps and approx. 700 vertical meters. The path is very steep and rocky on both parts and not recommended if it has rained recently as it can be slippery. The scenery at the top is of course spectacular with a wide open plateau, with plenty of photos opportunities. A farmer has a little snack stop (not open when we went on a Friday) on the way up, there is a restaurant at the summit and one down at the east side.

The Creux du Van is definitely one of the most famous geological phenomena of Switzerland and it also gets visited a lot. It is possible to drive up by car to the parking and the restaurant at 'La Ferme de Soliat', from where it is only a short walk to the edge of the cirque, an amphitheatre-like rock formation, about 1200m long and with 160m high cliffs. Naturally it is a much more exciting experience to include a visit here in a round walk, best out of Noiraigue (733m asl), where there is a railway station. My choice had been to go up from here first to the buvette of Les Oeuillons (1014m) and then all the way up to the edge of the canyon by using the 'Sentier des 14 Contours', the path with the 14 bends, which goes mostly through a forested area. On top I walked along the cliffs, past some old dry stone walls, typical for the Jura, to the viewpoint of Le Soliat (1463m), the highest point here around, where there is a panorama map. For my way down I used the 'Sentier du Single' to the 'Fontaine Froide' and the place, where in 1757 the last bear had been killed. At the Ferme Robert (972m asl) is a restaurant, an exhibition hall and several information boards. From here I then walked back to the starting point at Noiraigue.