[Regional park of the Haut Jura - Natural reserve of the Haute Chaîne du Jura - Discovering wildlife and flora]
| Haut-Jura Regional Park | |
| The Haut-Jura Regional Park was created in 1986 and expanded in 1998; it now consists of 96 communes ,71 in Franche-Comté and 25 communes in the Ain department ; includies 4 gateway cities : Gex, Divonne-les-Bains, Bellegarde-sur-Valserine and Oyonnax. Its total area has thus almost been doubled (from 767 to 1455 km2). The Park occupies what constitutes the most rugged and most southeastern portion of the French side of the Jura. The Park has a two-fold mission for natural heritage protection, 1) management and 2) ecologically harmonious development of its landscape .The natural heritage protection mission applies to numerous splendid natural sites and features of the Haut-Jura. These include various types of forests, wetlands and lakes as well as geological curiosities such as gorges, combs and cluses (transverse valleys), These are all available to the hikers looking to explore and enjoy a diversity of natural mountain habitats . |
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| An important role of maintenance of the craft activities | |
The characteristic of the Jura in the field of human activity is the important and old development of the craft activities (pipes of Saint-Claude - spectacle industry in Morez, etc...) Museums like that of Boissellerie (Bois-d'Amont), that of toy (Moirans), that of spectacle industry (Morez), the pipe (Saint-Claude) or of the stone cut (Mijoux), as well as many craftsmen workshops allow the visitors a rather complete approach of the richness of Jura’s know-how . |
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| Fête of the Haut-Jura ! | |
| Each year, the festival of the Haut-Jura brings out all the activities present on the territory of the Haut-Jura’s regional natural reserve . The popular and artisanal festival, represents between 130 and 150 exhibitors : craftsmen, artists, associations, gastronomy and public organizations. The stands are set up in the existing buildings of the village : private garages, municipal buildings and so on. In 2004, the festival of the Haut-Jura was held in Septmoncel in the department of the Jura. |
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