2024: Oscar in Métabief
This year's OSCAR was organized between 10th – 14th June by Chantal and her team from the French association of Dijon and took place at the Village Vacances AZUREVA Métabief, in the French Jura.
Over 100 participants had registered: from France, Germany, Great Britain and Switzerland. As always in OSCAR, there were 2 days of walking and cycling. There were 2 walking groups and 2 cycling groups.
Some Jumeleurs did not participate in these cycling or walking groups and preferred to organise their own programme. On the day in between, there was a joint excursion for everyone. AZUREVA also organised evening entertainment: board games, music and dancing, lottery.
Cycling
The cyclists could choose between 2 groups depending on their form, with or without an e-bike.
On Tuesday (11th June) the destination for both cycling groups was Foncine le Bas. One group cycled there directly: 30 km distant with a difference in altitude of approx. 180 m; the other group cycled 50 km via Mignovillard with a difference in altitude of approx. 490 metres. Both groups of cyclists met for a picnic break in the courtyard of the holiday accommodation "Les Morillons" in Foncine le Bas. The packed lunches were delivered by car. The cyclists all took the same route for the return journey to Métabief: the 30 kilometres route that had been travelled by the first group on their outward journey.
On Thursday morning (13th June), both groups of cyclists had to complete a 32 km route to Lac de Saint-Point with an elevation gain of around 300 metres. The picnic break took place at the lake in Saint-Point-Lac. The packed lunches were again deliveredby car. Two options were offered for the return journey to Métabief in the afternoon. For one group: 45 km via Pontarlier and then along the lake with a difference in altitude of approx. 550 m, for the other group: 25 km via Malpas with a difference in altitude of approx. 300 m.
Walking
Tuesday 11th June
Group 1 walked a route of 18 km with an altitude difference of 465 m to "Lac de Malbuisson".
I (Irmi) formed part of Group 2, which walked a route of 11 km with a difference in altitude of 197 metres. There were 38 of us in total. 
The predicted rain did not materialise at all during the whole day and a pleasant temperatures of around 10° was ideal for walking. We made our way through colourful flowering meadows, past many grazing cows, with wonderful views of the Jura landscape and partly through forest to Jougne, where at the end of the village we took our picnic break. When we later arrived at the Place de la Mairie in Les Hôpitaux Neufs, most of us stopped at the café. Not far away was the Église de Sainte Cathérine, which we then visited. It is known for its baroque interior. Each of the six side chapels has a small altarpiece. The centrepiece, however, is the main altar. Francette, our hiking guide, got married in this church many years ago. On our way back, we passed a fromagerie where we were able to watch a film about cheese production and also buy some cheese.
Thursday 13th June
Walking group 2 had to cover 13.5 km to Le Touillon - Fort Saint-Antoine with a difference in altitude of 252 metres.
I (Alfred) took part in walking group 1, which covered 16 km with a difference in altitude of 329 metres. There were 17 of us in total. In perfect walking weather, we first headed up to the ski lifts, where near a snow cannon we were surprised to meet André - the oldest participant at 92 - who was walking alone. At the end of Jougne, we passed a pile of tree trunks that invited us to sit down. 
We took our lunch break there. We then walked on through meadow landscapes with lots of flowers and grazing cows and had beautiful views across to the mountain peaks in Switzerland. Passing Les Hôpitaux Neufs, we reached Les Hôpitaux Vieux. When we came to a single-track railway line, the "Orient Express" passed us 
gand we and the train passengers waved to each other. The first large cheese dairy we passed was still closed. The second had a vending machine for cheese. It took some time to figure out how the vending machine worked and then the cheese dairy opened its doors! We toured the facility and even watched a film about cheese production. We also had the opportunity to look around the salesroom and possibly buy some products.
Joint excursion on Wednesday 12th June
We travelled to Besançon in two coaches - separated into French and British speakers, German and Swiss. This town is the birthplace of Victor Hugo and lies on a loop of the Doubs river. Once there, we boarded the Petit Train, which took us through the streets of the old town to the citadel built by Vauban and which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There we were able to tour this place, led by a German-speaking guide, who gave us lots of explanations on the citadel. The panoramic view down onto the town was very impressive. The Petit Train also took us back to the banks of the Doubs, where we had lunch at the Chalet du Cervin restaurant.
We then had a short walk to our boat, which took us on a cruise along the Doubs. We now enjoyed a great view of the citadel from the water before our boat went through the 375-metre tunnel under the citadel to the other side of the Doubs loop.
Trophy award ceremony
The walkers covered a total of 1530 kilometres. The trophy was awarded to the French section of Narbonne, which was handed over to Marie-Hélène.
The cyclists covered 3916 kilometres. The OSCAR trophy went to the German association of Constance. It was presented to Ronald.
Simone received the trophy for being the youngest participant.
The next OSCAR will take place in Germany from 16th – 20th June 2025 at Silbersee holiday park near Frielendorf in the vicinity of Marburg.
Irmi & Alfred Corbet
Association of Darmstadt
Germany
