Avanne-Aveney walks

Starting from the church in Avanne, you will walk along the river, climb up to the cabordes, old dry stone winegrowers' huts, then on to Fort de Planoise or Fort Moncey, built in 1877, the first defensive rampart of the city of Besançon. You will pass numerous batteries and fortifications at a military pace, then stop at the superb viewpoints, one overlooking Besançon and its hills, the second to the south, overlooking the Doubs valley and the Jura mountains.

This gentle stroll to the Rocher de Valmy, a key site in the Franche-Comté Resistance, offers views of the lower valley where the Doubs river forms one of its most charming meanders. Then, between pastures and beautiful forests, you will discover the Belvédère Martelin overlooking Avanne and the Côte de Planoise, the Roche Trouée, a wild gateway opening onto the valley, and finally, the ruins of Fort de Pugey, the Grotte de Malpertuis and the massive, distant silhouette of Mont Poupet.

A short but richly rewarding walk: the Rocher de Valmy and the memorial stele, a tribute to the 16 resistance fighters shot at the Citadel, located on a rocky outcrop (406m) overlooking the valley where the Doubs river forms one of its most charming meanders; the Martelin viewpoint over Avanne and the Côte de Planoise; the Roche Trouée, a gateway to the valley; and finally, the old royal road with more beautiful views of the neighbouring mountains.

This short but intense hike will take you to a series of historical sites, including the military fort at Pugey, the ruins of Arguel Feudal Castle and the Valmy Monument, a memorial to the members of the Guy Mocquet resistance group who were shot at the citadel, as well as natural sites such as Malpertuis Cave, the Arguel Castle viewpoint, the viewpoint towards the Chère cave, the surprising Roche Trouée in the Martelin woods and finally the Valmy Monument viewpoint, which overlooks Besançon and the entire valley, from the Vosges to Burgundy.

This hike offers magnificent views of the Doubs valley and its contrasting hills: warlike with the ruins of the feudal castle of Montferrand, peaceful with the protective Virgin of Notre-Dame du Mont. You will walk along a beautiful, rocky ridge, punctuated by numerous viewpoints over the valley.

See Practical Information. Besançon, France's first green city, surrounded by wooded hills, is a city in the countryside. This route, from the Malcombe sports complex to Fort de Planoise, will convince you. You will climb picturesque and peaceful paths to two belvederes and cabordes, dry stone huts that bear witness to a time when vineyards stretched across our hillsides.

Twelve short kilometres to the end of the world: a great destination that won't tire you out. You will discover the old village of Beure, a waterfall, an old wash house, a charming little church and its cemetery, and several viewpoints over the Doubs valley. Perhaps you will also have time to spare a thought for the young men who died under Nazi bullets, whose memory is perpetuated by the memorial at Rocher de Valmy.

Overlooking the village of Arguel, the ruins of a feudal fortress stand on a rocky outcrop. This short walk through pastures and beautiful forests offers superb views of the valley and, if you are discreet, you may spot a few deer or chamois.

On 26 September 1943, between 7.36am and 8.24am, 16 members of the Guy Mocquet and Marius Vallet resistance groups were shot at the citadel. Later, the German officer in charge of the operation reported the end of the shootings in these terms: " None of them agreed to be blindfolded. They all died bravely, shouting 'Long live France!'" Hike in tribute to the memorial stone located at one of the most beautiful viewpoints in the Besançon area.

Present on the hills of Besançon since the 16th century, these dry stone constructions without mortar are a reminder of a time when vineyards stretched across the hillsides. A niche, a bench, a fireplace, they allowed the winegrower to store his tools, shelter in case of a storm and perhaps sleep there for a night, as the city gates closed every evening at 10:45 p.m. until 1875. Along the way, you will discover no fewer than five belvederes and the forts of Rosemont and Planoise.

A short, challenging hike for busy city dwellers who want to explore the wild corners of our mountains around Besançon. However, it is rich in the Baume Martin (from the Gaulish "balma", meaning a rock shelter), the superb cornices of the Bois de Peu overlooking the Doubs valley, the Gorges and waterfalls of the Pisseur and the Cascade du Bout du Monde.

This is a short hike on the outskirts of Besançon, but it offers the Cascade du Bout du Monde waterfall, an ancient Roman road, superb views of the Doubs valley, the Bois de Peu and its wooded valleys with slender trees and wild rocky crevices that cut into the cliffs. Not bad at all!

A Roman and medieval path leads from the Bout du Monde to the heights of the Doubs and Mercureaux valleys, allowing you to pass discreetly under the ruins of the castle, stronghold of the infamous Sir Jacques d'Arguel, the racketeer, and quickly placing you under the protection of our polychrome saints of Franche-Comté.

This forest walk is ideal for an autumn morning, when you can surprise a few peaceful chamois in secret clearings and discover the superb Grand Méandre viewpoint over the Loue valley and the keep of the feudal castle of Chenecey, emerging from the forest. Return via the Chalet d'Arguel and pastures that will sharpen your sense of direction.

A lovely short but varied loop. After the Cascade du Bout du Monde waterfall and a detour to the old wash house, the trail climbs steeply through rocky, green surroundings to the Cascade de la Pisseur waterfall. You can still see traces of the old iron-wheeled carts here, before enjoying superb views of the mountains and the Doubs valley.

According to Besançon tradition, the Sun King, Louis XIV, sat under a lime tree during the capture of Besançon by his troops: "the king's lime tree". But "Les Tilleroyes" is undoubtedly an old variant of tilleraie, a forest of lime trees. I don't know if you'll still find any lime trees, but there will be plenty of shade and coolness for city dwellers looking for a breath of fresh air just a stone's throw from the city.

A short hike on the outskirts of Besançon, but rich in the small gorges of the Pisseur, the Bout du Monde waterfall, an ancient Roman road and a superb viewpoint over the Doubs valley. Please note! Despite its short length, it is challenging and requires sure-footedness.

A short climb to warm up your legs and discover two villages and exceptional views over the Doubs and Loue valleys, the Chapel of Notre-Dame du Mont, overlooking the valley, the Château de Thoraise above the river, the feudal castle of Montferrand and its medieval keep overlooking the meanders and, on the horizon, Besançon. Then a more leisurely return via the towpath, along the banks of the Doubs in the protective shade of the ruins.

For a change from the crowds in Chailluz Forest, this is a peaceful little walk on the outskirts of Besançon, best done in dry weather.

This is a lovely walk that starts in the Franois woods, where you will find pretty wooden buildings belonging to the nursery school on either side of the path. Then, via a small path through the forest, you will reach the equestrian centre. You will follow the Pirey ridge path, with a view of the "shooting range". You will cross Mont de Pouilley, with its military ruins, its old aviary and its view of the village. Then return to the starting point in Serre.

This hike offers magnificent views of the Doubs valley and its contrasting hills: warrior-like with the ruins of the feudal castle of Montferrand, peaceful with the protective Virgin of Notre-Dame du Mont, and will lead you through bucolic me anders towards the beautifully named Notre-Dame de l'Assomption des Champs, protecting you from demonic medieval gargoyles.

This hike offers magnificent views of the Doubs valley and its contrasting hills: warlike with the ruins of the feudal castle of Montferrand, peaceful with the protective Virgin of Notre-Dame du Mont, all while travelling along a beautiful ridge line.

This route allows you to discover Notre-Dame de la Libération with its panoramic view, the Chapelle des Buis and Les Mercureaux, all while walking through the woods.

Fans of alpine races who chant the Sambre et Meuse song as they run, move along. If, on the other hand, you like to make long speeches to one of our good old Montbéliard cows encountered along the way and find them very witty, if you like to trudge along our Cambrousard trails, then enjoy the charm of this peaceful walk along the Mercureaux stream where, it is said, a temple dedicated to the god Mercury stood in ancient times.

"To the south, there was no need for walls of wood or stone: the seigneurial tower spread its mismatched wings at the top of a steep cliff at the foot of which flows the Loue. The tranquil river continues to lap at the rocky escarpment, drawing the same green loops on the earth as it has done since time immemorial," writes Carole Martinez in her book Du domaine des murmures. Come and listen to the murmur of the Loue in the shadow of the ancient castle.

You will walk peacefully along the river towards Chenecey, with its old church and picturesque 18th-century turreted house, then climb up to the hidden ruins of the 9th-century feudal castle of Charencey, which dominates the village and the Loue valley. Finally, you will end your walk at the Grand Méandre viewpoint overlooking the valley and the castle keep, where you may even spot some chamois.

Visit the ruins of Montferrand le Château castle.

A stroll along the ridge separating the Loue Valley and that of the river Doubs and then along the banks of the Doubs with a panoramic view of the Château de Montferrand ruins.

A forest and countryside walk, accompanied by the Montferrand keep and the Bisontin mountains, down the beautifully named Chemin de l'Essart du Loup, an old cart track, to discover the Monument de Vorges in memory of the long-forgotten poor biffins of 70, a gypsum factory and the small valley of Moulin Caillet lost between two mountains.

Discover panoramic views of the Doubs valley, the Chapel of Notre-Dame du Mont and, dominating the valley, the feudal castle of Montferrand and its medieval keep overlooking the meanders. Then a picturesque steep path will take you down through a beautiful forest of slender trees to the Canal Monsieur dit la Percée de Thoraise, a 185-metre tunnel dating from 1810.