Continuing from the last post about La Chasseral, Jura Mountains …
At the top of La Chasseral is a directional radio tower owned by Swisscom. In fact, one can see this Star Wars-like installation from miles away. There is a path that leads to the base which offers a panoramic view of Swiss Alps, Northern Jura (above view), the Vosges and the Black Forest. I got the picture above from Wikipedia since it has the hotel and the tower in the same picture. The pictures below are all mine.
We approached La Chassarel by car from the north. You can just see the tower as a little stick near the top of the ridge. It is 120 meters tall and was built in 1983.
I walked from the Hotel du Chassarel to the base of the tower – thinking it would take a few minutes but it took much longer. I misjudged the distance because of its height and also the path is hidden by the ridge line.
A few people were flying their radio-controlled model planes – lots of open sky here. I cannot imagine what this place looks like in wintertime … all white and probably zero visibility.
At the base, there is a seating area and a path that lead to a viewpoint on the other side. The views are breathtaking to say the least. One feel so small in this vast open space.
It must be the highest thing (1607m, 5272 ft) around for many miles and must be struck by lightning frequently. I wondered how it handles the electrical energy from lightning and remains functional as a transmitter. Someone must have pictures of it during a lightning storm but I can’t find it by Google Images.
This to me is a fairly typical Swiss landscape, among the picturesque farm villages, cows and pasture, and in the middle of it all is a high tech structure. 21st century installation and rustic 19th century farmhouse comingling.
