The Col de la Faucille is the Jura's front door to Lake Geneva. At about 1,320 metres, this pass on the French side of the border carries the main road from Gex up and over the ridge toward Les Rousses and the Haut-Jura, and the first view from the top is the thing people remember: a long drop through meadows and forest to the lake, a smudge of Geneva beyond it, and on clear days the white dome of Mont Blanc floating above everything. The name means the sickle pass, after the curved shape of the ridge, and it has been used as a route for centuries.
The ride up from Gex is the kind of road that makes you glad to have left the city. It starts among the villages and fields of the Pays de Gex, a flat shelf between the Jura and the lake, then climbs through beech and spruce in a succession of well-banked bends. The surface is generally good, with moderate gradients and enough hairpins to keep things interesting. It is popular with cyclists and sports-car drivers, so on weekends you will want to ride with patience, and winter can bring snow and ice. Early morning, with the mist in the valley below and the sun hitting the ridge, is the best time.
The Jura is limestone country, and the cheese reflects it. This is the area of Bleu de Gex, a mild, creamy blue cheese made in the high pastures, and of Comté and Morbier a little farther north. The pass has a small ski area, with lifts and a hotel or two, and a few places selling hot drinks, crêpes and local specialities. The pastures are grazed by cows with big bells, and in spring the slopes are covered with gentians and narcissi.
Gex, about five kilometres below, has fuel, supermarkets, bakeries and cafes, so top up there before you climb, and stock up on water and snacks. Services at the pass itself are limited and seasonal. Weather can change quickly on the ridge, with fog rolling in from the Swiss side and a wind that can find every gap in a jacket. It is a good place to begin a ride, with a coffee and a map, and the ability to see exactly where you are going.