Jura mountains in Vaud in western Switzerland rising to an altitude of 1677.2 meters. It is the second highest peak in the Swiss Jura, the highest being Mont Tendre.
La Dôle overlooks to south-east the summit of Barillette Peak, the town of Nyon, Lake Geneva and across the lake the Alps of Upper Savoy, of which Mont Blanc is the highest. To the south are views of the City of Geneva and the Canton of Geneva; to the north the village of Les Rousses. The Dôle massif has a second peak to the northeast, the Pointe de Poêle Chaud, accessible via the col between them which drops to 1557 m.
La Dôle massif is the northwesternmost part of the Swiss Plateau. To the southwest it ends at the Col de la Faucille, and to the northwest at the Valserine valley, a Rhône tributary. To the north it ends at the Col de la Givrine, and towards the southeast merges into the Swiss Plateau.
The northwestern side of La Dôle is equipped with ski-lifts and is traversed by alpine ski paths. There is a restricted-access cable car which provides service to the various electronic facilities on the top, including a ball containing aviation radar, a Swiss weather station, television, radio and EBU telecommunications.
Dole was the capital of Franche-Comté until Louis XIV conquered the region; he shifted the parlement from Dole to Besançon. The university, founded by Philip the Good of Burgundy in 1422, was also transferred to Besançon at that time.
Dole is located on the Doubs River. The commune has a land area of 38.38 km² (14.82 sq mi).
It is the largest commune in Jura, although the préfecture (capital) resides in the commune of Lons-le-Saunier.
Dole was also the birthplace of Louis Pasteur (1822-1895), microbiologist and chemist