The second day tour is a circular tour through the Jura mountains, to the world-famous Creux-du-Van, down to Lake Neuchâtel and over several small passes very close to the French border. The tour passes many great places to visit, which are marked as POIs and mentioned here. A visit to the music box and jukebox museum of the Baud brothers is an absolute must. The route back to Le Locle leads through the coldest inhabited measurement site in Switzerland, La Brevine.

I give this route four stars because it is a bit short, but it shows the beauty of the Jura wonderfully.

The route is largely easy to drive on, mostly has very little traffic and can also be easily mastered by beginners.

We start at the Hotel Les Trois Rois, where we will spend the next night again. After crossing the first Jura range of hills, we arrive at Les Ponts-de-Martel. We recommend the "Sarracénie pourpre" educational trail for those who would like to learn more about the history of peat extraction in this high moor valley. Not counting the time in the tour, but this option is very worthwhile. The birch groves with some dead trees and the soft moorland overgrown with moss and blueberry bushes offer a mystical and impressive backdrop.

But we continue straight to the very back of the Val de La Sagne and from there down to Travers in the valley of the same name. We can fill up here if necessary. In this valley there are three options which, with a heavy heart, I did not include in the tour due to lack of time:

1. The only asphalt mine in Switzerland
Immediately after Travers, after approx. 1 km the signpost points to the left towards the asphalt mine. Visits are possible and recommended.

2. Maison Absinthe
If you don't turn left in Couvet but continue on the main road to Môtiers, you can visit the Maison Absinthe there. Absinthe is the local anise schnapps and, unlike other wormwood spirits, is also made with the whole plant of star anise, which is why it contains thujone. Absinthe was banned in Switzerland in 1915 because of alcoholism during the watch crisis. It has been allowed again since 2005. It is worth visiting the museum dedicated to this special drink, which has had many famous lovers.

3. Volkswrecks Bar & Museum
A special kind of VW museum, small but fine, with very special exhibits, is a little further up the valley in St. Sulpice. Simply indispensable for lovers of the Bullys.

But we turn left in Couvet and drive in the direction of Creux-du-Van to the Ferme Le Soliat. There we park the bikes and walk about 5 - 10 minutes to the ridge of the impressive and mighty valley basin. The rock walls fall down around 100 to 150 meters as if cut out with a biscuit shape. If you are there early in the morning and hike around the boiler to the right (approx. 30 minutes), you have a good chance of encountering chamois and ibexes. This mountain is unique in Switzerland, probably even in Europe, and must be visited.

Back at Le Soliat we treat ourselves to a well-deserved coffee, preferably with a fine pastry. Strengthened like this, we take the longest stretch of the day under our wheels. We drive, so to speak, down the ridge of the Creux-du-Van in the direction of Lake Neuchâtel, over which we can enjoy a wonderful view of the Alps from the marked photo stop. Then it goes all the way down and along the lake for a short while until we take the next winding road up to the «Balcon du Jura Vaudois». There we pull out the camera again, because this view has to be captured.

We then drive along the Jura ridge to Bullet, where we curve down to Vuiteboeuf, and then in Baulmes drive the slightly hidden and dreamy pass road to the Col de l'Aiguillon. Be careful, there can be cows on the road here, because the meadows are not fenced. From time to time we drive in the Jura over so-called pasture grids, which separate the different pastures and are avoided by the cows. In wet weather these can be very slippery so be careful and only drive straight ahead. Shortly after the pass we are back down in a Jura valley and turn left in l'Auberson to the restaurant La Grand'Borne. Here, about 50m from the French border, we enjoy a wonderful lunch.

Strengthened we drive back to l'Auberson, where we come to the highlight of the day. We visit the Musée Baud. This was founded by the three Baud brothers, whom I was able to get to know personally. The exhibited music boxes and machines, moving dolls, singing birds and much more are all functional and simply unique. This is mechanical and technical art at its finest. Since the tour is often longer, you should definitely allow two hours for it. If you want, you can also buy a mechanical miracle to take home afterwards in the souvenir shop.

With many impressions, we now drive back towards Le Locle. We cross LA Côte-aux-Fées, which gives its name to absinthe (fée vertes) and where the world-famous Le Piaget watches are made. Across two hills, via les Verrières, we reach Lac des Taillères and La Brevine, the coldest inhabited temperature measurement site in Switzerland. Minus 20 - 30 degrees are not uncommon here in winter. There we treat ourselves to another coffee in the Bar l'Isba, right next to the main road, before we drive the last 15 km back to the hotel.