The “pyramid” building, which houses the rest area’s boiler room, was also designed by the architect Claude Nicolas Ledoux. It was intended to house a canon forge.
According to Claude Nicolas Ledoux’s original plans, it was intended to measure 25 metres in height. However, the pyramid at the Aire du Jura has been limited to 9 metres tall and contains a wood-fired boiler.
Its original architecture attracts the visitors’ attention and, through the rather unexpected means of heritage, allows the promotion of wood-powered energy.
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This installation is part of the European wood energy route created by the I.T.E.B.E. (
Institut Technologique du Bois-Energie, the International association of bio-energy professionals and users), which includes 70 boiler facilities in Europe, 15 of which are in the Jura.
The fuel used is “branch chip” (forestry work residues, ground and dried naturally in shelters). The various buildings (restaurant, shop, circles pavilion and the nature and wildlife centre) are heated by an underground 1,200-metre long network of heating pipes.
Additionally, a 600-kW fuel oil boiler provides automatic back-up during energy consumption peaks as well as during breakdowns or servicing of the wood-powered boiler (the smoke ducts are cleaned every 3 weeks, for example) in order to provide continual heating.
Free tour possible on reservation +33.3 84 44 49 00.
The Aire du Jura boiler room 
