Route de découverte de Pontarlier

Start the walk at the car park by Pontarlier station.

(S/E) From the station car park, head towards the roundabout. Take the exit opposite onto Rue de la Gare. Walk past the secondary school. At Rue Marpaud and the tourist office, head up this street on the left until you reach the second school.

(1) Turn left onto Rue de la Promenade. At the end, go round the gymnasium on the left and cross the Esplanade Charles de Gaulle to the right. Then turn right onto Rue du Docteur Grenier and take the first left onto Place Georges Clemenceau. Then cross Square Clémenceau diagonally. When you reach Rue du Docteur Grenier again, follow it to the left until you reach Porte Saint-Pierre.

(2) Walk up Rue du Faubourg Saint-Pierre on the left, then turn right onto Rue de Besançon. Continue to Rue des Abbés Cottet and turn right towards the Chapel of the Capuchin Convent.

(3) Return to Rue de Besançon and continue along it to the right. Walk to Saint-Pierre Church.

(4) Continue along the street to the small square. Turn right towards it, then continue left to the roundabout. Cross Rue de la Paix to the right and continue along Rue de Besançon to the cycle path. Cross the Doubs and arrive at Parc des Ouillons.

(5) Take the first path on the right. At the junction, first turn right then left, and continue straight on until you reach the River Doubs again. Follow the river downstream to the Pont Saint-Roch.

(6) Cross the bridge and continue down the left bank of the Doubs. Then go straight on until you reach the Pont de la Coop.

(7) Cross the Doubs again. At the cemetery, head up Rue de Doubs on the left. Then continue straight on until you reach the Chapelle des Castors and its square.

(8) Turn right towards the chapel and its cross. Then return to Rue de Doubs.

(8) Walk along it on the right-hand side. At the roundabout, take Rue du Doubs opposite and turn right onto the first street, Rue Jean Perrin. Turn right again onto Rue Racine before taking a small lane on the left. Then continue up the steps to reach Rue de Morteau.

(9) Turn right, then left onto a passageway between numbers 84 and 86. Cut across Rue Pierre Corneille and follow Rue Albert Camus to the right until you reach Rue Pascal and the Apostolic Church.

(10) Walk up Rue Pascal for a few metres, then cross it and cross the green space opposite. Turn right at the fork, then walk down Rue Abbé Perny on the right. At the junction, take Rue Ampère on the right. Turn right onto Rue Albert Camus. As you head back towards the church, cross the street to the left to take a pedestrian crossing through a green space. Cross Rue Pierre Corneille and head towards the end of the electrical substation.

(11) Turn right along Rue Ampère. Cross Rue de Morteau and head straight on along Rue Charles Maires. Turn left, then right and left again to enter the cemetery. Cross the cemetery, heading straight on to the war memorial.

(12) Pass the war memorial and leave the cemetery. At the roundabout, take the third exit onto Rue des Lavaux. Turn right onto Rue du Commandant Valentin. At the second junction, turn left then right onto Rue Collin. When you reach the high street, head up it to the right until you reach the Pont de l’Hôpital and what remains of the Couvent des Augustins.

(13) Turn back towards Rue Collin. Walk down the street alongside the hospital. At the junction, keep right onto Rue de l’Industrie. At the Pont de la Fauconnerie, cross the bridge and the River Doubs. At the first junction, turn right then left onto Rue de Remparts. Walk down the street on the right. Go round the Church of Saint-Bénigne on the right and reach the square of the same name.

(14) Cross the square and turn right onto Rue de la République to discover the Ancien Anditoire. Return to the square. Turn right onto Rue Jules Mathez. At the junction, head straight on towards the Grand Cours and its bandstand.

(15) Turn left at the bandstand to reach the Pont des Chèvres. Follow the road up to Place Jules Pagnier, passing the Caserne Marguet. At the square, turn right onto Rue des Bernardines. Pass near Parc Jeanine Dessay. Turn left onto Rue de la Halle to pass in front of the Théâtre Bernard Blier. At the corner of the theatre, go up Rue du Bastion on the right. On Rue du Vieux Château, turn left and head towards Porte Saint-Pierre.

(2) Go underneath to head down Rue de la République and pass in front of the town hall. Head towards the Chapelle des Annonciades and Place Arçon.

(16) Continue along the street and then turn right onto Rue de la Gare to reach the tourist office. Return to the starting point by following the route in reverse (S/E).

-You can travel to Pontarlier by train.

Cultural information boards provide further details on the town’s history:

-Pontarlier Secondary School

-Porte Saint-Pierre (2)

-Chapelle des Capucins (3)

-Chapelle des Castors (8)

-Augustinian Convent (13)

-Place Saint-Bénigne and Saint-Bénigne Church (14)

-Plaque commemorating Mirabeau at Place Saint-Bénigne (14)

-Former lecture hall

-Marguet Barracks

-Jeanine Bessay Park

-Bernard Blier Theatre

-Town Hall, Chapelle des Annonciades, Place d'Arçon and Pontarlier Museum (16)

-Pontarlier railway station (S/E)

-Pontarlier Secondary School

-Charles de Gaulle Esplanade

-Clémenceau Square

-Porte Saint-Pierre (2)

-Capuchin Chapel (3)

-Saint-Pierre Church (4)

-Parc des Ouillons (5)

-Saint-Roch Bridge (6)

-Chapelle des Castors and its square (8)

-Apostolic Church (10)

-Pontarlier Cemetery and its war memorial (12)

-Pont de l'Hôpital (13)

-Saint-Bénigne Square and Church (14)

-Grand Cours (15)

-Marguet Barracks

-Bernard Bliet Theatre

-Town Hall, Chapelle des Annonciades, Place d'Arçon and Pontarlier Museum (16)