Le Reculet from Tiocan (Jura, 1717m)

Late May 2025, back on the road with my little van, heading for the Jura. I’m getting seriously back into shape after winter. The high mountains are still snow-covered at this time of year, so I’m looking for mid-altitude routes that still pack a punch. And I come across Le Reculet: second-highest summit of the Jura (1717 m), 1100 m of gain from Tiocan, and a short, intense track, just 5.5 km to get up. A real climb.

Climb from Tiocan, steep from the very first steps

So I decide to go for it. The slope is steep right from the start, it pulls on the calves fast. Luckily, the forest is beautiful, and the higher you climb, the more the landscapes open up. Unfortunately, no Mont Blanc view that day: too overcast. But the view over Geneva and the Lake Geneva basin was already well worth the effort.

And then there’s that famous cross at the summit, iconic, visible from far away. It isn’t just a religious marker dropped there to bless the hikers, no: it has a real story, and even a slightly trollish dimension.

An iron troll from 1892

Back to 1892. At the time, France is still digesting the defeat of 1870, the Republic is becoming firmly secular, and that doesn’t sit well with everyone, especially in the countryside. In Thoiry, a small village in the Ain, the priest of the time, Father Monnet, decides to send a message: to publicly assert attachment to the Catholic faith (and to provoke the secular republicans, let’s be honest), he launches the idea of planting a massive cross right at the top of Le Reculet.

Not a small wooden cross, no. A ten-meter-tall iron cross with 2,800 rivets. A 1,600 kilo piece, forged by Francois Nallet, blacksmith in Thoiry, then carried on men’s shoulders to the summit. Four tough locals took up the challenge: Louis Girod, Aime Fusier, Auguste Girod and Faustin Antonioli. Eternal respect to these guys, their names are engraved for eternity on the memorial plaque you can still see at the foot of the cross.

The cross was raised on August 4, 1892, and blessed in great pomp two days later, during a ceremony bringing nearly 3,000 people to the summit. Yes, you read that right. 3,000 people at the top of a mountain for a mass. The full-scale troll was a success.

Since then, it watches over the Jura, and it was even restored for its centenary in 1992. A memorial plaque was installed and festivities organized, a meal, brass band, mass, and even a special postmark on letters sent from Thoiry for three months. Full-on.

In short

The elevation gain is serious, the descent really hammers the thighs, and you need decent fitness. But for lovers of history, sweeping landscapes (when the sky clears) and hikes with character, it’s a gem.

And honestly, climbing a mountain to discover an 1892 religious troll is pretty unusual.

Before you go

For current conditions (residual snow in May, Tiocan track access, Haut-Jura weather), a visit to Pays de Gex Tourisme or a look at the webcam of the nearby Col de la Faucille will give you the state of the terrain.

Bring trekking poles for the descent, the steep slope on limestone and dead leaves surprises the thighs if you come down too fast. And plenty of water: there’s no spring along the way.

To go further

• Understanding FFRandonnee E/T/R ratings
• Choosing the right hiking boots
• Le Reculet is part of the Jura range, within the Haut-Jura Regional Natural Park. Its immediate northern neighbor, the Cret de la Neige (1720 m), claims the title of highest summit of the French Jura by a hair.