Dwight Peck's farm photos

Farms of the Jura in winter

The Jura mountains run in a southwest-northeast direction along the border between France and Switzerland, from Geneva (Genève) to Basel (Bâle), holding at about 1300-1400 meters altitude (4350-4500 feet), and peaking in the range of 1650 meters (5450 feet). These photos of high alpage farms in winter are mainly from the southwestern end of that range, between the cities of Geneva and Vallorbe.

Chalet à Roch Dessus

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The Chalet à Roch Dessus (1460 meters) lies on the long ridge between the French frontier and the Combe des Amburnex in the Swiss Jura, just north of the wonderful hidden Combe des Begnines, between the Cols du Marchairuz and de la Givrine. Here it is, just before turnaround time (16:30) on 11 February 2001. See the graffiti?

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Better graffiti here than you've got at your house, with wildlife, écussons, and (on the right) the Trois Suisses from 1291.

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Friend Lisa in front of the Trois Suisses

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The end of an unusually sunny Swiss day in winter 2000-2001

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More - call it graffiti if you want to - around at the front, 11 February 2001.

from SwitzerlandMobility (http://map.schweizmobil.ch/?lang=en)


Chalet à Roch Dessus (bis)

Here's a better look at the wall paintings, taken 24 November 2001.

Prof. Pirri poses before the Chalet à Roch Dessus, November 2001. (Luckily for viewers, he's not wearing his patriotic USA suspenders today. A jarring sight!)

The legend painted above the shuttered window says "Restore the old houses instead of building new ones". In Switzerland, that's really good advice; in the USA, only rarely does it make much sense. Why bother to restore a cheesy 60-year-old mall?

Former Prof. Peck, in his insufferable vanity, obscures some of the best parts of the painting. Get out of the way, you presumptuous git!

Les Trois Suisses -- the Iconic Three from the small central Swiss cantons of Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwald who on the 1st of August 1291 took an oath to resist the Hapsburg's empire and win independence (and William Tell was said to be in the crowd, nodding approvingly). To put this in context: Think Paul Revere, Patrick Henry, George Washington, Ethan Allan and the Green Mountain Boys, Benedict Arnold before he lost patience with the whole thing.

The six-pointed star would seem a little incongruous here, but hey! why not?

Heraldic shields of the Canton of Vaud and the Swiss Confederation, and two more I don't recognize, probably local villages.

Drs. Peck and Pirri revel in the neat wall art and prepare to descend again before night tumbles in upon them in the forest.


Chalet à Roch Dessus (ter)

Pete and Mercedes debate which gets to pose for photos under the halo, 23 November 2003.

Lisa and Mercedes and the six-pointed star.

Les Trois Suisses

The fourth Suisse

Hike to Chalet à Roch Dessus, 23 November 2003


Feedback and suggestions are welcome if positive, resented if negative, . All rights reserved, all wrongs avenged. Posted 4 March 2001, revised 31 July 2008, 28 November 2013, 19 January 2020.


Farms of the Jura in winter


More farms of the Jura