how would the weather this weekend (i.e. -14 C_) impact the cross country experience? would the snow be too hard, icy?

I went this afternoon and conditions were really excellent at -13, but very cold with the bise blowing in my face! Snow is perfect, not icy at all but there is a lot of drifting going on and in some exposed areas the tracks were covered by drifting snow. If you have a neoprene face mask, use it.

I was out yesterday and the conditions were just as Odile described - really nice, but it was -16.5 deg C (+ wind chill) in the Jura. Little chilly until you warmed up and the face mask was needed.
The main problem is getting glide with the skis at that temp - it was like skating on sandpaper. It's important to have the right glide wax (Green) for the cold temps - so I'm off to wax my skis now.

An old lady was cross-playingfield skiing in front of my house yesterday! Go girl!!

can any one explain to me why at certain cross country skiing places, one has to pay for the loepe and at others is free?

you can get a pass for the Jura or Switzerland overall ( CHF 120 I believe). Some places you can pay for the day though.

None are free officially - all who use pistes should pay voluntarily - only 70CHF for the Romandie Jura- not sure about day passes. Around here it is totally voluntary, and yet as soon as you get to the French side (near Les Fourgs, Metabief- they have entry stalls and regular patrols checking you have the correct pass.

As said, around here on NE Jura side, I have never ever known any checks to be made. But I do pay as it does cost a lot of money to keep the pistes in good conditions. However if I take small groups out for a couple of hours, I don't bother for them.

Just for the record, if you stray to the German speaking part of Switzerland, only the prepared slopes for downhill skiing are usually called pistes. In 'Grüetziland' the 'pistes' for cross country skiing (both skating and classical) are normally referred to as Loipen.

The weather forecast for La Brevine/La Chaux-de-Fonds/Le Couvent for the weekend is great: about -10 and full sun.

Anybody is willing to make an cross country excursion? Any level of experience is welcome.

Ps.
Last weekend I planned to visit Le Couvent and then go to Couvet to sauna. Maybe this time I will manage to do it.

Visitors arriving from UK for half term this week-end. Le Couvent is great because you can go either way- towards Les Cluds or towards Le Creux-du-Van/La Baronne etc. Enjoy.

You can buy a day pass for 10CHF at the tourist office in Neuchatel for the NE/JU regions.

If you want to go up to the VD Jura to snowshoe or cross country ski by public transport, there is a bus which leaves Morges station direction Le Pont at 9.08 am and will stop at the top of the Col Du Mollendruz at 10.08 (near Restaurant where showshoes and x country skis can be hired) - return leaves at 16.55. If you want to check weather and conditions, phone 0218432960.