The walk through the forest of Oujon takes you back eight hundred years. Above Arzier, the woods contain not only the ruins of a charterhouse which was built in 1146, but also trees which were growing in mediaeval times.
From the NStCM stop at Arzier, you should count on 40 minutes walking time. Follow the path above the village, taking the route to the right at the last curve of the Saint-Cergue road before it enters the forest. Follow this paved road to the clearing where signs forbid car drivers against travelling further.
The forest of Oujon is one of the rare deciduous forests of the Jura going back to the time when it was mainly a source of firewood. Until the 16th century, the forest was the property of the charterhouse of Oujon but it was confiscated by the Bernese in 1536 and went to the canton of Vaud during the revolution of 1803. The priority given to deciduous trees led to the selection of a rare species of beechwood which you can admire during the walk. The hike ends at the ruins of the charterhouse, a trip eight hundred years back into the history of the area. To preserve these valuable ruins, a covering of earth has been placed over them in much the same way as nature would have done.
