La Glacière

La Glacière is an integral biological reserve located within the Forêt domaniale de la Joux (a state-owned forest), in the commune of Esserval-Tartre in the Jura department, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region. The reserve covers 43.27 hectares and ranks among the most valuable fragments of the Upper Jura forest landscape.

Where does the name come from and what is its protection status?

Place names built on "Glacière" (literally "ice house") were traditionally given in France to sites particularly exposed to cold and frost, or to spots where ice was once stored in natural caves or man-made cisterns for use during the hot season. Protection of this forest goes back to 1930, when two of its current plots were designated as artistic reserves to safeguard the "natural monument" formed by an old, majestic fir stand. In 1982 the site was upgraded to a managed biological reserve to secure the long-term survival of its monumental conifer population. Since 2016, La Glacière has held the status of integral biological reserve (RBI), meaning the area is left to natural ecological processes without any forestry management intervention.

What vegetation defines the reserve?

The reserve is a beech-fir forest with pentaphyllous coralroot (Dentaria pentaphyllos) in the understory — a habitat of Community interest, representative of Upper Jura forest types. The dominant tree species are silver fir, common spruce and European beech. It was precisely these imposing, centuries-old conifer stands that first led to the site being placed under protection back in the interwar period.

What can visitors see nearby?

Right next to the reserve, within the wider La Joux forest, lies one of the most renowned spruce forest tracts in Europe, home to the so-called "president spruces" (sapins présidents), an arboretum, an educational trail dedicated to La Glacière, and several viewpoints. Hikers frequently follow the "Boucle du Sapin Président de La Joux" loop, roughly 6 kilometres long and typically completed in under two hours, which starts right at the La Glacière reserve.

Is La Glacière worth a visit?

This is primarily a destination for nature lovers and hikers rather than a conventional tourist attraction with visitor infrastructure. Its main appeal lies in experiencing a forest that has remained under protection for nearly a century and has kept a largely natural character. The educational trail and viewpoints help visitors understand the history and ecology of this part of the Jura, while the surrounding hiking network connects the reserve to other natural landmarks in the region, including the famous monumental trees of the La Joux forest.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is La Glacière located? Within the state-owned Forêt domaniale de la Joux, in the commune of Esserval-Tartre, Jura department.

Since when has the area been protected? Protection dates back to 1930; it became a managed biological reserve in 1982 and an integral biological reserve in 2016.

How large is the reserve? 43.27 hectares.

What nearby attractions are worth combining with a visit? An arboretum, an educational trail, several viewpoints, and the roughly 6-km "Boucle du Sapin Président de La Joux" hiking loop.