Le Larmont

Le Larmont municipal campsite stands at 7 rue Edwige Feuillère in Pontarlier, in the Haut-Doubs, a short walk from the town centre and its shops. It covers 2 hectares at the foot of the Larmont mountain, and the Château de Joux, one of the best-known monuments in the region, is 5 km away.

The site has 58 shaded pitches of at least 90 m², separated by hedges and equipped with water and electricity, open to tents, caravans, motorhomes and vans. Three pitches are designed for motorhome or caravan campers with reduced mobility, and a covered spot welcomes walkers and cyclists. Eight chalets sleeping 4, 6 or 7 complete the offer, including an accessible 4-berth chalet. The campsite has held the Tourisme et Handicap label since 2020 and lends a wheelchair free of charge at reception.

The manager states that the chalets are available all year round and that the facilities remain at guests’ disposal throughout the year. The news on the website, however, mentions a short closure at the start of the year: in 2025, the campsite reopened on 7 February. Some services are seasonal: the bar, laundry and bread service run from 1 June to 30 September.

Off-season, the atmosphere is that of a base for Nordic sports: the common room is open from 7am to 10pm from October to May, and the cross-country ski areas of Grand Pontarlier are close by.

Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and sledging on the Nordic areas of Grand Pontarlier, floodlit trail at La Malmaison on Tuesday and Thursday evenings; downhill skiing at Les Fourgs and Métabief.

The common room is the heart of campsite life off-season. It is open every day without a break in high season, then from 7am to 10pm from October to May, and offers a relaxation corner with a television, books and magazines, as well as a kitchen corner with a microwave, a fridge and a hob. Wifi is available there, as it is at reception.

At reception you will find basic necessities and brochures about places to visit. Petanque balls, table tennis bats and table football balls are lent out at reception. Barbecues, fondue sets and raclette machines can be hired for €6.40 a day or €19 a week, which suits winter stays well. Since September 2024, electric bikes have been available at €7 an hour, €25 for half a day and €40 for a day.

From 1 June to 30 September, the campsite adds a bar with a terrace, a laundry with two washing machines and two dryers (€6 a wash, €4.50 a dry) and a bread and pastry service, to be ordered the day before by 7pm and collected from 8am at the bar. Motorhomes have a service point at the entrance, with conditions available at reception. The chalets are equipped with a kitchenette, bedrooms with pillows, duvets and protective covers provided, a shower room, satellite television, a covered terrace and private parking. There is no swimming pool on site. Note: the campsite is closed to incoming traffic from 11pm to 7am.

Le Larmont is more of a starting point than a campsite with entertainment: the programme revolves around the mountain and the town. Walking trails lead to the Fer à Cheval and Grand Taureau viewpoints, the latter reaching 1,323 m, the highest point in Pontarlier. The nearby Gounefay complex has rooms for eating a packed lunch in the warmth.

For cycling, Grand Pontarlier offers 9 mountain bike circuits, Métabief has downhill runs 20 minutes away, and a provider organises four bike tours, electric or not, of 22 to 36 km: the Arlier plain, the Val d’Usiers, around the Château de Joux, lakes. The Château de Joux runs guided tours from 1 April to 15 November, and Fort Saint-Antoine, 19 km away, houses one of the most spectacular comté maturing cellars in France.

Winter is the speciality of the area: three Nordic areas of the Grand Pontarlier domain are right nearby, Gounefay, La Malmaison and Les Granges-Dessus. La Malmaison, 5 minutes from town, has a floodlit trail on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. You can go cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, Nordic walking, sledging and dog sledding, while Les Fourgs and Métabief offer downhill skiing.

In town, the Musée d’Art et d’Histoire, the Porte Saint-Pierre and the Théâtre Bernard Blier are in the centre, and the local distilleries recall the history of absinthe.