The best hiking routes in Vaud

Vaud offers a stark contrast between two distinct walking landscapes. In the south, the terrain climbs steeply from the shores of Lake Geneva into high-altitude pastures and dramatic limestone peaks. In the west, along the French border, the landscape flattens into the high plateau of the Parc naturel régional du Haut-Jura. This is a region of vast, quiet pine forests and wide, shallow valleys where the walking is defined by long, steady gradients rather than sudden, vertical climbs.

Underfoot, the paths in the Parc naturel régional du Haut-Jura often follow stony forestry tracks and soft needle-covered earth, occasionally crossing exposed limestone pavements. You will notice how the harsh winter climate has shaped this landscape, visible in the sturdy, wide-roofed stone farms built to withstand heavy snow. Walking here in October reveals the deep gold of the turning larches against the dark green of the spruce trees.

This region is not a place for those seeking jagged, glacier-draped peaks or deep, rushing river canyons. Instead, it offers a quieter, more understated network of trails where you can walk for miles through working agricultural land and silent woodland. While the lakeside paths near Montreux can be busy with strollers, the higher Jura trails remain peaceful, offering a straightforward, rugged walking experience dominated by stone walls and grazing cattle.