From Geneva to Basel, Switzerland's northwestern border bisects the Jura mountain range, which is less high and wild than the Alps, with large pastures, wide valleys and beautiful forests. Further north, the Rhine forms the border between France and Germany, with the Vosges mountains and the Alsace plain on its left bank.

 
Altkirch
A small town in Alsace, which was fortified in the Middle Ages. Most of the wall has disappeared over the centuries, but it is still visible in the alignment of the houses and certain facades. Of the two original gates, only the western one, the Gate of Belfort, remains.
Col de la Faucille
This road pass culminating at 1323m connects the Pays de Gex, gateway to Switzerland, and the French Jura. A little below, the view of Mont Blanc is superb on a clear day. The top of the pass is a popular destination for hikers in summer and skiers in winter.
Eguisheim
Situated just a few kilometres from Colmar, the small medieval winegrowing town of Eguisheim is rightly considered one of the most beautiful towns in Alsace. Overrun with tourists, it is nevertheless a truly unmissable destination.
Hirtzbach
A typical long Alsatian village, a few kilometres south of Altkirch. Just one long street on either side of a stream which gives the village its name and a large church crowned with a stork's nest.
Maîche
Halfway between Montbéliard and Morteau and about ten kilometres from the Franco-Swiss border, Maîche is a small town in the Doubs department, in the French part of the Jura mountain range. It is the place of origin of the famous Comtois horse.
Mouthe
A linear village in the French Jura, located in the Doubs department at an altitude of just over 900m, Mouthe is a winter sports resort and, in summer, a region offering great hiking opportunities.
Munster
At the end of a valley that runs from the Alsace plain into the Vosges mountains, this small town is the birthplace of the fragrant cheese used to gratinate flammekueche and its rooftops are a paradise for storks.
Saint-Hippolyte
On the road between Morteau and Montbéliard, Saint-Hippolyte is a very pretty village on the banks of the Doubs, with a rich architectural heritage including a 14th century church and an old Ursuline convent.
Saut du Doubs
Near the villages of Les Brenets (Switzerland) and Villers-le-Lac (France), the Doubs river flows lazily between cliffs, then quickly drops 27 m at the Franco-Swiss border, before resuming its calm course further on.
Vosges
The Vosges are a medium-altitude mountain range located between the Lorraine plateau and the Alsace plain, north of the Jura chain. They reach an altitude of 1424m at the Grand Ballon and are a heavily wooded massif.
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