Foncine-le-Bas with children: a week at the village’s pace
By Robin — your host · sources at the end · 12 July 2026 · updated 11 October 2026 · 2 min read · Our method
What to do in Foncine-le-Bas with children? Follow the water, first: a waterfall right in the village, the Saine for trout-spotting. Then the old tram line, car-free, where children pedal while parents walk. From Jura 835, a village house occupied by one family at a time, the week fills itself outing by outing.
Follow the water
The water writes the programme. The Bief de la Ruine waterfall falls right in the village: a few steps are enough to see it. For older children, the Parc du Haut-Jura waymarks a 8.8 km loop around the waterfall, graded difficult. Between outings, the Saine is often enough: you walk down the meadow, crouch at the edge, and the first to spot a trout wins. A child can spend an hour there, bent over a patch of clear water.
The tram line, car-free
The old tramway line starts from the village: wide, car-free, on a gentle gradient. Measured from the house, it stretches over 11 km with 225 m of cumulative climb: with children, you only ever do part of it. It is the proving ground for small bikes, parents strolling behind. Turn back when legs tire: the way home is as pretty as the way out.
By bike, for older children
For teenagers who already ride, the Département du Jura waymarks a mountain bike loop starting from the same line: loop 1B covers 8.1 km with 206 m of climb, graded easy. Allow a morning with breaks. A helmet and a water bottle each; everyone else can walk the first part of the route.
When the snow comes
In winter, the same scenery changes tools. A 10 min drive brings you to the nordic area at Foncine-le-Haut: snowshoes and cross-country skis for the whole family, and easy trails for a first glide. Ideas for the February holidays are gathered in our winter activities with children.
A day in the village
A good day takes very little. In the morning, a short outing, by bike or to the waterfall, while the youngest still have energy. At midday, a picnic by the water or lunch in the garden. In the afternoon, a nap for some, a book for others, then one last round before bath time. Keep one car-free day in the week: children often remember it better than the big excursions.
Base camp
Every one of these outings starts at Jura 835 and ends there too. The whole house goes to a single family, 6 to 8 guests at most, and its enclosed garden of 400 m² takes the end of the afternoon while dinner comes together. Bikes get parked, wet things get hung out, and tomorrow’s plan gets postponed until tomorrow. The village does the rest, and so do the quiet evenings.