Along the streams, from the Peusse to the Baume Bourla

Accompanied by the murmur of our cool streams, which, if you know how to listen to them, will tell you many forgotten stories, discover the vegetation petrified by our limestone waters and the coolness of the secret caves nestled in the greenery as you climb along a small, wild ravine.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.36 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 945 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 938 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,090 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,148 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

To return to the starting point, Chemin de la Tuillerie, cross the Loue at Ornans via the Nahin bridge opposite the gendarmerie. Then turn left at the fountain on Rue de l’Isle aux Prêtres until you reach a junction marked by a wayside cross, and finally turn right onto Chemin de la Tuilerie until you reach another junction. Park on the triangular patch of grass.

Along the entire route: yellow-blue markings, with a large section unmarked.

(S/E) Facing the fork, take the left-hand path, accompanied by the murmur of the stream. After a small bridge, you’ll enter a pine forest with the pleasant scent of sap and come to a three-way junction.

(1) Turn right despite the cross, leaving the markings behind, onto the stony path which runs alongside the Vau Narbey stream for a good while. This path narrows, and further up, guided by the sound of the waterfall (which you’ll catch sight of through the foliage), look out for a track that descends to the right towards the first waterfall of the Peusse.

(2) Leave the waterfall and continue along this beautiful path for just over 300 metres until you spot the sign (facing the opposite direction to the walk) inviting you to descend via a stony path on the right towards the second waterfall, the most beautiful one. Carefully walk around it, passing under the limestone arch to appreciate its wild beauty.

(3) Return to the path and continue uphill; you’ll soon come to a fork. Keep right towards “Chantrans – Baume Bourla”. At times, the path merges with the stream bed. There are few signposts, but don’t be alarmed; the landscape becomes a bit wild, but you’ll soon come across steps climbing steeply to the right. At the top, you’ll come out onto a wider forest track.

(4) Continue to the right towards Chantrans, staying on this well-marked path. It joins the small tarmac forest road to Châtillon, which you follow to the right for 200 metres until the first bend.

(5) Then turn left onto the forest track that descends into the woods, joining a small stony road. Keep left for about fifty metres, then immediately turn right down a path, soon hearing the murmur of water again and reaching a fork (sign for the hunting reserve on the right).

(6) Head down to the left (sign for Baume Bourla, opposite the direction of the walk) to discover this superb wild spot where the stream plays amongst the rocks. The path merges with the stream’s course. Caution! The rocks are slippery (walking poles are essential). If the path is impassable (due to water), head back up towards the signs and take the path down to the left (see note in the Practical Information section).

As you leave the cave, turn right onto the path that runs alongside the Eugney stream, surrounded by old, moss-covered trees leaning towards you.

(7) Ford the stream several times, if you don’t mind getting your boots a bit wet (and if the flow allows it), or follow it along a small marked path on the right. The path widens and the stream will accompany you pleasantly until you reach a small bridge.

(8) Continue to the right until you reach the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,152 ft - Combe au Rot
  2. 1 : mi 0.32 - alt. 1,178 ft - Vau Narbey stream
  3. 2 : mi 1.43 - alt. 1,421 ft - First waterfall on the Peusse
  4. 3 : mi 1.69 - alt. 1,555 ft - Second Peusse waterfall and wild ravine
  5. 4 : mi 2.4 - alt. 2,064 ft - The climb up the steps
  6. 5 : mi 2.82 - alt. 2,054 ft - Châtillon forest road
  7. 6 : mi 3.48 - alt. 1,440 ft - Baume Bourla
  8. 7 : mi 3.71 - alt. 1,345 ft - Eugney Stream
  9. 8 : mi 4.72 - alt. 1,220 ft - Bridge over the Nuet stream
  10. S/E : mi 5.36 - alt. 1,152 ft - Combe au Rot

Notes

Good shoes, or even waterproof boots and walking poles are essential, as the path is rocky with wet and slippery surfaces. At certain points, the path merges with the stream bed.

Note: I undertook this hike in early spring, following a spell of light rain. The careful descent, with my feet getting a little wet, posed no problem. At other times of year, particularly after the snow has melted, I am unsure whether the water level will allow passage.

(4) At the bottom of the ravine, there is a fair climb up a staircase with fairly high steps.

Worth a visit

(2) to (4) Peusse Waterfalls and Gorge: an impressive tuff waterfall. You’ll discover this immense, compact mass of calcareous tuff, passing beneath its stone arch to admire its wild beauty.

(6) La Baume Bourla: the Eugney stream has carved its way through the rock, creating vast rock shelters.

Ornans, the ‘Little Venice of the Franche-Comté’.

Gustave Courbet Museum: the Courbet Museum, dedicated to the painter’s work. Founded in 1971 by Robert Fernier in the Hôtel Hébert, Gustave Courbet’s birthplace, the museum became the property of the Doubs department in 1976.

Statue of the Chavots Fisherman: in 1862, Courbet created his first plaster sculpture. It depicts a chavots fisherman; ‘chavots’ is the Franche-Comté name for chabots, those small, large-headed river fish that were particularly abundant in the Loue in the 19th century.

Museum of Costume and Franche-Comté Traditions

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 7 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
sbaverel
sbaverel

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 20, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pretty route with waterfalls that are flowing well at this time of year. You absolutely must see the second waterfall, at point 2, with its intriguing passage beneath the pile of tufa formed by the stream: spectacular! After the challenging climb up the high, uneven steps, you come to the Baume Bourla, a magnificent spot but admittedly very slippery. We decided to turn back and take the path leading down to the left, as signposted. All in all, a lovely circular route that we thoroughly enjoyed on this early spring day.

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17decembre
17decembre

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 09, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk, even though the waterfalls weren’t flowing very strongly.
The steps at point 3 are not very visible; they are sometimes quite high and numerous, even for experienced hikers.
Crossing the stream at point 6 was slippery and even dangerous, even with walking poles (we found this out the hard way with a fall....)

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abv
abv
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did this walk in fine, dry weather. This is worth bearing in mind for the rest of the route... an easy walk for everyone, with just one steep section featuring some fairly high wooden steps just before the viewpoint (4). The waterfalls were easily accessible on the day without any ‘slippery’ bits, though they were almost dry at this time of year; however, the sites are very beautiful... La Baume Bourla is also a magnificent spot... Not slippery in dry weather... we were able to cross the streams all along the walk without any trouble. The whole route is through the forest, so don’t expect any picnic spots or viewpoints (lookout points). No more obstacles either (trees) – everything has been cleared away!

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Sylvie Duboz
Sylvie Duboz

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, cool walk through the woods.
Some very pretty waterfalls, though sadly almost dry.
La Baume Bourla is definitely worth a visit.

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carinec21
carinec21

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Please note: when I did this hike on Saturday 2 March 2024, one of the paths was cordoned off with barrier tape and closed by the local council and the police. This is at point 3, where, after the second waterfall, you’re supposed to continue straight on “towards Chantrans – Baume Bourla”. It was blocked off with signs, so I went back up into the woods via the path on the left, rejoining my original route that way. This shortened the hike by about 1 km.
There were also lots of trees blocking the path, requiring you to either climb over them or crawl underneath, always with caution. Personally, it doesn’t bother me; it’s part of the hike and I enjoy it, but I prefer to warn you.
The descent to the first waterfall is a bit steep, “dangerous” (so be careful if you have young children), but it’s very pretty. The second waterfall is just as lovely and it’s nice to “go round” it by passing under the rocks. I did this hike as a dog-led hike with just one dog and didn’t encounter any major difficulties apart from the points mentioned. Thank you for this lovely route.

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pourchet maryse
pourchet maryse

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 24, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

There is little water at the two waterfalls despite the thunderstorms of the previous days. To reach the waterfalls, if you find yourself on a path on the right that is too obvious, you have gone too far and it leads nowhere. The path to the first waterfall is less obvious; it’s a round trip. The second waterfall is about 300 metres away, so further than the obvious path. You go round it and return to the original path.
Take care at Baume Bourla: it is very slippery, as mentioned.
A pleasant walk through the woodland with some lovely geological discoveries

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Socié Claude
Socié Claude

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 04, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

a pleasant, enjoyable and easy walk

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