Tête de Ran, Mountain summit in Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
Tête de Ran is a 1,422-metre summit of the Swiss Jura in the canton of Neuchâtel, on the territory of Val-de-Ruz, about 9 km northwest of Neuchâtel. Its limestone crest, part of the chain running from Mont Racine to the Chasseral, falls steeply to the north and carries broad Jura pastures with isolated spruces. The Hotel Tête de Ran stands about 100 m below the top, reachable by road from the Vue des Alpes.
The name Ran comes from the local Patois word for a slope or hillside, recorded for this Jura summit above the Val de Ruz. The mountain lies on the territory of Val-de-Ruz, formerly Les Hauts-Geneveys, about 9 km northwest of Neuchâtel. Ski lifts were later installed on both the southeastern and northwestern slopes, and a wind power plant has been planned on the heights.
The summit draws local hikers and skiers from the nearby city who value its accessible location. Families regularly visit for day trips into nature away from urban areas.
A paved road reaches 1,329 meters with parking available at the base. The final stretch to the summit is manageable on foot for most visitors, whether coming in winter for skiing or summer for hiking.
The summit stands on the southern flank of an anticline, not on its crest: the ridge line is cut by several faults, and the older Middle Jurassic layers of the fold core crop out a few hundred metres west of the top. The east face is Kimméridgien limestone of the Reuchenette Formation, the west face "Séquanien" limestone.
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