La Pâturie, Le Prélot and the “Sentier des Pierres sèches” in Champlitte

A pleasant little walk through the vineyards and the heritage of Franche-Comté.

Details

11616
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.93 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 126 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 119 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 316 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 250 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Champlitte (70600)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 47.617001° / E 5.509967°
  • Accessible from the train station Gare de Champlitte.
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3221SB
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Car park near Leroi-Gourhan College.

(S/E) From the car park, walk up to the reservoir and take the street on the left, Rue des Annonciades, passing in front of the Tour des Annonciades, then see the Place des Halles and the Tour Charles Quint before arriving at Avenue Carnot near the gendarmerie.

(1) Turn right.

(2) After about 300m, turn left onto a path leading up to La Pâturie.

(3) Walk through the vineyards.

(4) Join the road that descends to the right towards Le Prélot.

(5) As you approach the church, turn right, then shortly afterwards turn left downhill, cross the D460 and go up the road opposite. Follow it for 1 km.

(6) Take a grassy path on the right; when you reach a bend in the Route d’Orain, follow it to the left for 100m.

(7) Take a path on the right. After about 850m, reach a path and follow it to the right. Pass through a valley and rejoin the Route d’Orain; do not follow it but go up the road on the left.

(8) Follow it for about 50m.

(9) On the right, you will find the ‘Sentier des Pierres sèches’ with its markings and information boards. Once you have completed this route, rejoin the road and follow it to the right to return to the reservoir. Return to Champlitte by taking the path on the right before the reservoir (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 265 m - Parking near Leroi-Gourhan College
  2. 1 : km 0.47 - alt. 252 m - Turn right onto Avenue Carnot
  3. 2 : km 0.77 - alt. 257 m - Path to La Pâturie
  4. 3 : km 2.88 - alt. 315 m - Path through the vineyards
  5. 4 : km 3.9 - alt. 304 m - Road to Le Prélot
  6. 5 : km 5.64 - alt. 274 m - Church
  7. 6 : km 7.01 - alt. 260 m - Grassy path on the right
  8. 7 : km 7.54 - alt. 276 m - Path on the right
  9. 8 : km 9.67 - alt. 277 m - Road on the left
  10. 9 : km 10.05 - alt. 303 m - "Dry Stone" Trail
  11. S/E : km 10.93 - alt. 265 m - Parking near Leroi-Gourhan College

Worth a visit

Champlitte Castle, Albert Demard Museum of Traditional Crafts.

Reviews and comments

3.9 / 5
Based on 8 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.9 / 5
Route interest
4.1 / 5
richardd
richardd

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A bit too much tarmac

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Cousis
Cousis

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk; the "Pierres Sèches" section is well worth a stop. However, point 3 (crossing the vineyards) is no longer passable. Everything is fenced off to protect the vines from wild boar (wire mesh at least 2 m high plus an electric fence). There is a gate, which is unlocked, but at the end of the path you come to a gate that is firmly locked and impassable. So, between points 2 and 3, once you reach La Paturie, you must take the path immediately to the right towards point 4.

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soudoune
soudoune
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 20, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I didn’t follow the entire route described, but only the ‘dry stone’ section. These man-made structures from the past are truly beautiful. It’s moving to witness such ingenuity and tenacity in making the most of a barren hillside. My respect goes to our ancestors, and well done to those who are currently maintaining or restoring the enclosures, their walls and their cabordes.

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ChristianNant70
ChristianNant70

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 03, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An interesting route thanks to its scenery and the villages it passes through, with a visit to the lavières to boot.
At No. 3, follow the road to No. 4; the vineyards are well fenced off.
A good route for an afternoon.

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michel.begin@wanadoo.fr
michel.begin@wanadoo.fr

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 24, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Please note (3) It is no longer possible to enter the vineyards as they have been enclosed by a 2-metre-high fence stretching for several kilometres (this is included in the price of the wine you will buy at the Domaine de la Paturie, which has left no access route, so you’d be better off visiting a friendlier local winemaker instead). Therefore, at the car park, you must turn right 300 metres before 3) (sign for timber delivery) and take the small road leading to point 4). The tourist office suggests a detour, but even this is blocked by electric fences that are difficult to cross. Follow the mountain bike signs.

I recommend visiting the Lavières site (just after 8) with its piles of stone gathered from fields, cabottes and vineyards – it’s beautifully restored and a pleasure to explore. Consider stopping for a bite to eat (setting off by 9.30 am at the latest) as there’s a table, shade, grass, trees, dry stone walls, peace and quiet (on Friday 24 July, at least) and a bucolic setting. Bring a good book, a blanket, and perhaps a nice cold beer – but in moderation.

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gazok54
gazok54 ★

Good evening, miphil
I’ve just checked:
- the description seems accurate when you reach the Orain road. You do indeed need to turn left and then take the path on the right...
- As for the car park, I don’t understand.

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miphil
miphil

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 26, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

There is an error in the route description:
When you reach the road to Orain, turn right and continue for 350 metres; when you reach the car park, turn left.

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Nathalie-Guillet E.
Nathalie-Guillet E.

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 24, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Actually, the route description is a bit vague when it comes to the vineyards; I don’t think it quite matches the actual route – the best thing to do is to follow the mountain bike signposts through the vineyards from the Paturie car park

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gazok54
gazok54 ★

Hello, and thank you, rando21, for your first comment.
We will bring your comments to the author’s attention with a view to improving the description.

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rando21
rando21

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 01, 2014
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

A pleasant route to start with, passing through Champlitte along the old streets. Poor signposting in the vineyards after La Pâturie, compounded by the very brief route description. The return journey from point 314 is rather monotonous, apart from the section through Le Prélot. The site of Les Lavières on the way back should be signposted more clearly; it is very well laid out and highly interesting, and well worth spending a little more time there.

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