Golf Club Les Bois
Jeremy Pern laid out Golf Club Les Bois on the high pastures of the Franches-Montagnes, the only 18 hole course in canton Jura and one of the highest in Switzerland at about 1,000 metres. A par 72 of about 6,000 metres, it runs through wooded grazing land where horses still roam, with water gathering around a shared pond on the front nine.
Photo: Golf Les Bois via Google.
The verdict
Les Bois is the quiet surprise of Swiss golf. Set high in the Franches-Montagnes, a plateau of wooded pasture and timber farmhouses in the French speaking canton of Jura, it is the only 18 hole course in the canton and sits at roughly 1,000 metres, which makes for clean alpine air, a generous run on the ball and a season that is short but glorious. Jeremy Pern, the architect behind a long list of well regarded continental layouts, routed it to sit lightly on the land rather than fight it.
This is not a championship bruiser and does not pretend to be. It is a walkable, characterful par 72 of about 6,000 metres that rewards a tidy game and a feel for the contours, with grazing land, drystone detail and pine framing the holes. For a travelling golfer touring the Jura, the Three Lakes or the watchmaking towns, it is a charming, good value half day that few visitors have on their radar. Go for the setting and the calm, not for a card to frame.
Golf Club Les Bois at a glance
- Opened
- 1994
- Designer
- Jeremy Pern
- Type
- Upland parkland
- Par
- 72
- Length
- About 6,000 m
- Access
- Visitors welcome
Designer, opening year, par and length verified June 2026 from Golf Club Les Bois and leading course databases. The course was designed by Jeremy Pern, with the first nine opening in 1994 and the full 18 completed soon after, playing to a par 72 of about 6,000 metres, roughly 6,600 yards, at an altitude near 1,000 metres. It is the only 18 hole course in canton Jura. Visitors with a recognised handicap are welcome; the green fee is published seasonally by the club, so always confirm current rates and availability directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Les Bois plays in two distinct halves, a legacy of its build. The original holes, now the back nine, settle into the wooded ground with a natural, unforced rhythm, while the second phase added across the road brings the water into play. Three holes on the front, the par fours at the 4th and the 6th and the par three 7th, all work around the perimeter of a single irrigation pond, so the same sheet of water keeps reappearing to focus the mind.
At altitude the ball flies, and the smart move is to take less club than the yardage suggests and trust the carry. The greens are honest and reasonably sized rather than tricked up, and the framing of pine, pasture and drystone gives the round a real sense of place. Keep it on the short grass, respect the pond on the outward half, and Les Bois gives back an easy, scenic walk rather than a beating.
It is a course to enjoy at a stroll, ideally on a clear summer morning when the Jura light is at its best. Pair it with a long lunch and the watchmaking towns nearby and you have one of the more relaxed days in European golf.
How to play it
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Visitors welcome with a recognised handicap; book ahead, especially in the short high season |
| Green fee | Published seasonally by the club, with weekday and weekend rates; the Swiss Jura is among the more affordable regions to play (indicative, 2026) |
| Season | Roughly May to October at this altitude; the course closes in the snowbound winter months |
| On the day | An easy, walkable upland layout; buggies and a driving range are available, and there is a hotel and restaurant at the club |
| Getting there | The village of Les Bois, about 20 minutes from La Chaux-de-Fonds and within an hour of Neuchatel and Biel |
| Best months | June to September for the warm, settled Jura summer when the turf runs at its best |
Access and seasonal details verified June 2026; the club sets its own rates and opening dates, so always confirm directly before planning a visit. Green fees are indicative for the 2026 season; always confirm directly before booking.
Where to stay nearby
The simplest base is the club itself, which runs the Hotel du Golf-Club beside the course, ideal for an early tee time and a quiet night under the Jura sky. For more to do off the course, La Chaux-de-Fonds, the UNESCO listed watchmaking town, is around 20 minutes away with hotels, restaurants and museums, and makes a characterful hub for a day or two in the canton.
Golfers building a wider Swiss trip often pair Les Bois with the Three Lakes region around Neuchatel and Biel, or push on to the bigger alpine names. It is an unhurried, good value stop rather than a destination resort, best enjoyed as part of a touring itinerary through French speaking Switzerland.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Golf Club Les Bois.
Build a Switzerland golf trip
We arrange the tee times at Les Bois and the best of Swiss golf, pair them with the right base in the Jura or the Three Lakes and book the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Golf Club Les Bois questions
Who designed Golf Club Les Bois and when did it open?
Golf Club Les Bois was designed by the architect Jeremy Pern. The first nine holes opened for play in 1994 and the layout was completed as a full 18 holes by 1995.
What is the par and length of Golf Club Les Bois?
Les Bois is a par 72 measuring about 6,000 metres, roughly 6,600 yards, from the back tees, set at an altitude of about 1,000 metres in the Franches-Montagnes.
Can visitors play Golf Club Les Bois?
Yes. Les Bois welcomes visiting golfers who hold a recognised handicap. Tee times should be booked ahead, especially in the short high season, and the green fee is published seasonally by the club.
What makes Les Bois special?
It is the only 18 hole course in canton Jura and one of the highest in Switzerland, laid out across the wooded grazing land of the Franches-Montagnes where horses still roam, with water shaping three holes on the front nine.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and length verified June 2026; access and green fee notes indicative for 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.