Arc-sous-Cicon walks

You don't need to be as fit as an Alpine hunter to climb the high peaks and enjoy breathtaking views. This is a walk that is accessible to all. This 10km or 15km hike will take you to Crêt Monniot (1141m) where, on a clear day, a superb 360° panorama awaits you: lomont, the Loue valley, the Jura plateaus, the Vosges, Mont Blanc and the Bernese Alps. You will love this landscape of chaux (the medieval name for high-altitude wasteland) with its sinkholes and sharp limestone pavement.

After the rain, take a walk in the forest on gravel and tarmac paths and walk around Barchet Lake along the peat bogs.

Crêt Moniot, with one or two "n"s, is well known for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, but the site is also ideal for hiking and mountain biking.It offers typical Jura landscapes with sinkholes and sharp limestone pavement, snow all year round in the La Neigère valley, abundant wildlife and superb views of the Alps.

A walk that will introduce you to the Premiers Sapins area, a new commune in the Doubs since 2016, following the merger of six communes. This walk will take you past the ruins of Cicon Castle and its viewpoint, the FFI monument at a place called La Vêche, with a view over Les Premiers Sapins, as well as Crêt Moniot, Étang le Barchet and its peat bogs in the municipality of Passonfontaine, returning via the Derrière la Roche viewpoint.

Varied terrain and landscapes ranging from meadows and woods to coniferous forests, from rocks and pastures to peat bogs, ponds and sinkholes, with views over the second plateau of the Haut Doubs.

Hike around Vanclans from the church. This is a walk through woods and meadows. The first open section is between Vanclans and Etray. Take care when crossing the departmental road. The route then continues along a rocky ridge in the woods above Vanclans. The walk passes by the FFI monument in Vanclans with its Liberation cross before descending back to Vanclans.

Departure from the car park of the old town hall of Nods, in the heart of the village, along the main street. The circular begins at the statue of the Virgin Mary. The path between Nods and the Virgin Mary is the same on the way there and back. When passing through the meadows, keep dogs on a leash and respect the peace and quiet of the animals.

Circuit between woods and meadows with a significant elevation gain between Athose and La Baraque. Presence of game, particularly chamois. It is best to follow the route in the suggested direction, i.e. anti-clockwise.You can start from any point, but the suggested starting point is the church in Athose.

An easy walk with little elevation gain, starting and finishing on the road, otherwise through the woods. A viewing point developed at the hamlet known as Château de Cicon. This is a walking route, but it can also be done by mountain bike or on horseback (preferably on dry, firm ground). The route is easy.

Set off to explore the Barchet Pond and its peat bog. This vast wetland is a remarkable reservoir of biodiversity. Its soil, permanently saturated with stagnant water, deprives the microorganisms responsible for decomposing organic matter of the oxygen they need for their metabolism. The plant litter mineralises slowly and partially. It then accumulates gradually, forming a poorly decomposed or undecomposed deposit: peat.

Climb Mont Pelé (1,045 m) through an open pine forest. At the summit, you will enjoy a 360° view. To the west, view Bugny and the Val des Usiers, the upper Jura mountain range. To the east, view of Crêt Monniot and, with a little luck, Mont Blanc will be visible on a clear day. To the north, above all, view of the magnificent upper Loue valley bordered by the cliffs of Moine de la Vallée and Roche de Hautepierre. Return via a superb rocky ridge with numerous viewpoints over the valley.

You will walk towards this Mecca of Franche-Comté tourism, the Source de la Loue, along the steep path of the Aiguillon de Brasse, crossing our Haut-Doubs pastures, accompanied by the peaceful music of cowbells and overlooking the sumptuous and wild Nouailles gorges from the cliff side.

A pleasant and refreshing short walk leading to the source of the Loue, with several viewpoints along the way.

Walk around Hautepierre-le-Châtelet, with access to the summit of La Roche, views of the Alps and the Loue Valley. You can also take the Sentier de la Roche trail and link up with the GR® trail in the Loue Valley. On a clear day, you can see Mont Blanc from the summit of La Roche d'Hautepierre. In Hautepierre, below the old town hall, you can enjoy refreshments on the terrace of a community café called "La Distillerie". The trail is marked in yellow

The Source de la Loue is one of the most famous springs in the Jura. Located near Pontarlier, the river emerges from the rock through this enormous cave and flows through deep gorges before reaching the plain. This walk, starting from the charming village of Mouthier-Haute-Pierre, begins with an ascent to the Moine de la Vallée viewpoint. The route then generally descends to the Source de la Loue, which offers a refreshing break. The paths that follow are narrow, particularly vertiginous and technical, but this is the most beautiful part of the walk. After this section, which ends at the Aiguillons de Brasse, the path is less dangerous and alternates between ascents and descents to the Roche de Hautepierre viewpoint. From there, you tackle the final descent towards the village.

This short route, which starts off challenging with the climb up Petit Mont, offers a glimpse of the beauty of this valley so dear to Gustave Courbet: its high rocks glistening in the sun, its lost valleys with their gentle green curves, its cool, mossy gorges with deep caves, and the emerald and mysterious Loue river. And to conclude, this small village in the Comté region with its character and medieval statues.

The Loue Spring (tributary of the Doubs) is a resurgence of the Doubs. After journeying underground, it comes out into the open air at the bottom of a 'reculée' (steephead valley), at the foot of the rock face. It has cut deep into the limestone of the Jura massif, creating an enclosed valley, which I invite you to gaze at and contemplate from the many lookout points. You will also go down to the bottom of the gorge to discover this impressive resurgence.

Please note: the left bank is closed to walkers following accidents Start from Mouthier-Haute-Pierre for a hike through the Gorges de Nouailles, passing by the Grotte des Faux Monnayeurs and the Source du Pontet. Hike up the gorges via the Grotte de Nouaille to the source of the Loue along the left bank. After the source of the Loue, descend along the right bank before climbing up to the plateau above the gorges, and walk around the valley above the source of the Loue. Continue along the plateau on the western side of the gorges, passing by the Renédale viewpoints, then return to Mouthier-Haute-Pierre via the west.

Visit the picturesque village of Mouthier and hike along the Loue river in pleasant surroundings.

As you walk along this magnificent path overlooking the Loue, you will discover, from three vantage points, the wild splendour of the Gorges de Nouailles, the Moine de la Vallée overlooking Mouthier and its view of the most beautiful, highest and most superb rock, not only in the whole of Burgundy, but perhaps in the whole kingdom of France: the Roche de Hautepierre and finally, the Rochers du Capucin, a splendid wild viewpoint overlooking the upper and lower reaches of the valley.

You will descend towards this regional tourist hotspot, one of the Doubs' major natural sites: the Source de la Loue. You will overlook the sumptuous and wild Gorges de Nouailles from the side of the cliff, then climb up a steep path to the Aiguillon de Brasse viewpoint. Finally, you will return to Ouhans through peaceful meadows and bright pine forests, stopping for a few moments at the Notre-Dame des Anges chapel to thank the heavens for being a resident of Franche-Comté

Forest walk through the woods of La Joux, La Joux Dessous and La Joux Dessus, along well-marked paths and a road alternating between gravel and tarmac.

From the old, isolated farmhouse of La Perdrix, right in the heart of Le Sauget, you’ll reach the hamlet of La Fresse and climb towards the ridge of Les Rochers du Cerf, a picturesque rocky path dotted with gentians, boundary stones and numerous views over the secluded Théverot valley, Mont Châteleu and the Swiss mountains.

This route will take you from the forest to the cliff via the pastures of the Haut Doubs.

From the foot of a medieval calvary, head towards the Belvédère des Genevois in the small, remote valley of Martinvaux, passing through beautiful pine forests with slender trees. Then descend to the Source de la Reverotte and follow it to the Puits de la Doye and the Grotte de la Baume.

La Roche Barchey, "the pierced rock" in Celtic, where witches of yesteryear celebrated their demonic cult, offers a vast panorama of the Val de Vennes and the Haut-Doubs from its height of 988 metres. You will then descend through the beautiful fir forests of La Joux towards the more Catholic Sainte-Radegonde, who, it is said, fought an evil ghoul, perhaps descended from the rock, on the night of a sabbath, on the site where her chapel was built.