Circular route around Malbuisson via Fort Saint-Antoine and Montperreux

Parking available at the Parc Aventure car park, Rue de la Côte de Chaudron.

(S/E) Head back up towards the park’s entrance chalet. At the junction, ignore the path straight ahead and slightly to the right; instead, head south along the path climbing into the forest and running alongside the tree-top adventure course. Continue until you reach a road.

(1) Turn left, pass the old farm and enter the forest. Shortly afterwards, you’ll reach a crossroads.

(2) Turn right, cross communal fields and wooded meadows, and look out for signs in a clearing.

(3) Turn right onto a lovely path signposted as a mountain bike trail. Carry on and, as you approach the edge of the pastures, you’ll find a path branching off to your left.

(4) Take this forest track on your left, which heads back slightly before curving sharply to the right and joining a tarmac road.

(5) Turn left towards Fort Saint-Antoine. Follow the road, ignoring any side paths, until you reach the entrance at a cattle grid and some signposts.

(6) Continue to the car park. Enjoy the view and the orientation board showing the surrounding peaks. You can also make use of the various picnic tables, some sheltered and some not, near the car park.

(7) Head back to the Canadian gate.

(6) Look out for the signposts. Walk down the embankment and head to the right, following the tractor tracks across the pasture. Follow the^{PR® trail} and its markings – which are often quite faint – heading north-east.

(8) Further on, at a high-voltage pylon, turn left and head towards the forest. When the path bends to the left, look for a small track on your right.

(9) Leave the marked path and head right, skirting the meadows and the boundary of the municipality. A good sense of direction is essential in this area, and it is advisable to open the app. After a 90° left-hand bend, you’ll reach a wide white track which forms part of the GTJ (Grande Traversée du Jura) route (^GR®509).

(10) Turn right onto this track and continue until you come within sight of a huge quarry, with the village of Touillon-et-Loutelet at your feet. Head down to a hairpin bend to the right.

(11) Just before this, take the white track on your left, which climbs slightly to reach the edge of the forest. Enjoy the view of the Jura and the Alps one last time. Continue along this pleasant, well-shaded track. You’ll come to some signposts at a junction.

(12) At the sign for “La Fuvelle”, turn right, staying on the main path. You’ll come to a road; follow it. Carry on straight ahead, ignoring the various paths branching off to the right or left. Further on, you’ll reach a large forest lodge with picnic tables; walk past it and through a wooded area to reach the edge of the fields, with a farm in sight.

(13) Turn right, walk along the first meadow and continue along the path that crosses the second. The map does not accurately reflect the actual terrain. Find the gap between two large trees that leads you into the undergrowth. Return to the meadows and follow the tractor tracks across these grassy areas. Further on, you’ll reach a road.

(14) Turn left, cross the Fuvelle Nordic ski area and reach the village of Montperreux. Turn right, then left at the Fork in the road that appears immediately, and head downhill to reach a junction and a car park.

(15) Then turn left onto Rue de la Côte. Leave the village and continue southwards. A little further on, look out for a path on the right.

(16) Take this well-marked path, which descends quite steeply to the right. The slope levels out shortly afterwards and the path splits in two. Take the left-hand path, which remains at the same level. Carry on until you reach a tarmac road.

(17) Turn left here and you’ll reach a junction. Take the road on the right and carry on. Much further on, on the descent, look out for a junction with paths leading off to the right.

(18) Turn right towards the fir trees, then immediately left onto the path leading down between the trees. Carry on until you come out onto the forest track. Return to your car park (S/E).

Shelter with table and chairs at point (5).
Open-air and covered picnic tables at the Fort Saint-Antoine site.
Between (6) and (10), the route is poorly signposted; a map is often required.
Between (13) and (14), the path on the ground differs from the map. Follow the route as marked.

Fort Saint-Antoine site.