There will be much ado in the Swiss Jura over the Midsummer’s Day weekend this year, as the République et Canton du Jura celebrates the 40th anniversary of its creation. Switzerland’s newest canton secured its independence from the Canton of Berne in June 1979.

On Saturday 22 June 2019, as part of the celebrations there will be a communal walk through the hills from Glovelier to Saint-Ursanne, taking in the tripoint where the three districts of the Jura Canton converge — those three districts are Delémont, Porrentruy and Franches-Montagnes.

It’s good to see such a conspicuous nod to geography by taking in that tripoint on the walk. Choosing Saint-Ursanne as the end point of the walk is also a nice touch, for most inhabitants of the Jura Canton, whatever district they live in, will readily admit that Saint-Ursanne is the most appealing of all the villages in the Jura.

Appealing but not typical. For the Jura is a region where many of the main settlements are located on the broad, forested ridges.