Baume-les-Messieurs, Jura – Best Things to Do & See (travel guide)
Baume-les-Messieurs is a medieval village in Jura, France, listed as one of the most beautiful villages of France.
There are plenty of things to do in the village, including seeing an epic waterfall.
Let’s see them all in details!
Where is Baume-les-Messieurs
Baume-les-Messieurs is located in the center of the Jura department, 20mn east of the department capital Lons-le-Saunier.
Location: Google Maps
The village is about 20mn south of the medieval village Château-Chalon, and 1h east from the 4 lakes of Jura.
There are several free parking lots in the village, like the Parking de l’Abbaye for example. As you’ll drive through the village you’ll see parking spots on the side of the road, and you might have to park there in summer when parking lots are full.
What to Do in Baume les Messieurs
Baume les Messieurs is a popular place to visit in Jura, and for a reason. There are plenty of things to do in the village and around, and here are the main ones:
- Abbaye de Baume les Messieurs
- Grotte Baume les Messieurs
- Waterfall Cascade des Tufs
- Viewpoints
- Hikes
Let’s see each one in more details.
Abbaye Baume les Messieurs
The Abbaye Saint-Pierre de Baume-les-Messieurs is an abbey founded in 869. It has a rich history, and has been the center of the village for many centuries. It looks great from the outside, but you can also visit it.
Visit the Abbey
Length of visit: 45mn
Price: Adults 8€, Children 5€
Payment: credit card, cash, checks
Bookings: no bookings
Closing dates: abbey is closed from November 1st to March 31st
Opening times: 10am-6pm
More details: Abbaye de Baume les Messieurs
Grotte de Baume les Messieurs
Next up on the list if the Grotte de Baume les Messieurs. The biggest grotto in Jura lies 120 meters underground (393 feet), and access is made possible thanks to a wooden walkway on the side of the cliffs.
Inside the cave, you’ll find a huge first room, with enough space to house a church. The network of caves goes deep underground and you’ll see several caves, a river, and an underground lake.
Visit the Grottes
Length of visit: 1h
Price: Adults 9€, Children 5.50€
Payment: credit card, cash, checks
Bookings: no bookings
Closing dates: closed from November 1st to March 31st
Opening times: 10:30am-12:30pm & 2pm-5pm
More details: Grotte de Baume les Messieurs
Save 3€ per person by getting the Passport Grotto + Abbey (ask for it at the ticket booth)
Cascade des Tufs
The Cascade Baume-les-Messieurs, also known as Cascade des Tufs, is a waterfall right next to the entry to the cave. It’s south of the village, and you can drive to it. There are several parking lots next to the waterfall, plus a restaurant and toilets.
Read more about the waterfall in this dedicated travel guide: How to Visit the Cascade de Baume-les-Messieurs
La Reculée de Baume les Messieurs (Viewpoints)
The village is built in a “reculée”, la reculée de Baume-les-Messieurs. It’s a specific landscape with a narrow valley in between 2 large cliffs, and it makes for epic views. There are several great viewpoints in and around Baume-les-Messieurs.
Belvédère de Grange sur Baume
This viewpoint gives you the most famous view over the reculée Baume les Messieurs. You can see the village below you, and the massive cliffs on each side.
To access the viewpoint, drive to the village of Grange sur Baume, and to the Fromagerie Poulet. You can park there, and then a 5mn easy walk will get you to the Belvédère Baume les Messieurs.
Location: Belvédère de Grange sur Baume
Belvédère de Crançot
This second viewpoint is at the end of the reculée, all the way across from the first viewpoint. It offers a view over the waterfall in the foreground, and the Baume-les-Messieurs village in the background.
To get to it, you can either drive to it, which takes 15mn from Baume-les-Messieurs, or you can hike up very steep stairs from the waterfall (15mn to climb up).
Location: Belvédère de Crançot
Here are other great viewpoints in the area:
Randonnée Baume les Messieurs
And finally, the last item on our list of best things to do in Baume-les-Messieurs: hiking. You’ll find below the 2 main hikes in the area.
Hiking to the Cascade des Tufs à Baume les Messieurs
This hike is the randonnée Baume les Messieurs waterfall; it’s the shortest hike of the two, hiking from the village to the waterfall.
Baume les Messieurs Waterfall Hike
3h 
9.46km / 5.8 miles
272m / 892ft 
272m / 892ft
Cirque de Baume les Messieurs Randonnée
This hike is longest than the first one, and it will take you all around the valley, high up on the cliffs. It starts the same way as the first one, but rather than heading straight back to the village after the waterfall, you’ll keep on hiking on the other side of the cliffs for more epic views over the valley.
Cirque de Baume les Messieurs Randonnée
4h 13km / 8 miles 534m / 1,752ft 534m / 1,752ft
Visit Jura
Planning your trip to Jura? You’ll find below a few other travel guides & key spots to see in the area.
Cool waterfalls in Jura:
- Cascade de Baume les Messieurs
- Cascade des Tufs
- Cascades du Hérisson
- Cascade de la Billaude
- Gorges de la Langouette
The best hikes around:
The BIG guides:
I hope you enjoy your trip to Jura and to France; if you have any questions, let me know in the comments below, I always reply.
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your photo are so great and wonderful.
I want to walk the way you walked.
Thank you! Hopefully you can visit soon and walk there yourself 🙂