Cirque de Consolation from Mont-de-Laval

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Circular route starting from Mont-de-Laval, passing by the Roche du Prêtre and looping through the Cirque de Consolation.

Details

n°3212632
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.69 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 2,333 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 2,336 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,841 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,621 ft
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Description of the walk

Parking at the church in Mont-de-Laval.

(S/E) Follow the D41 towards Les Champs Raccordons.

(1) Continue right along a path towards the viewpoint. At the large junction, turn right onto the road.

(2) At the Roche du Prêtre viewpoint (elevation 843 m), continue left towards La Scie-dessus.

(3) Turn right into the woods at the gate.

(4) At the Grande Grotte (Source du Lançot), continue along the path.

(5) At the Source du Tabourot, continue along the path.

(6) At the junction, turn left. Cross the first footbridge and turn left;

(7) Cross the second footbridge. Head due south until you reach a third footbridge to cross.

(8) Walk to and from the Cascade du Lançot (below the cave).

(9) Turn back to the previous junction. Cross the footbridge.

(8) Turn left, then immediately right. Follow the Roche Sainte-Catherine and reach the Cirque de Consolation viewpoint.

(10) Walk up the field opposite the viewpoint, facing south.

(11) At La Roche Sainte-Catherine (end of the zip line), continue south-west. Pass over the Source du Dessoubre then head to the car park by the D39 (start of the zip line and via ferrata).

(12) Head down to the right, towards the Auberge de la Source and then the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Consolation.

(13) From the abbey, head back up to the right, skirting the park until you reach the Source Noire. You will reach the fork you passed earlier.

(7) Turn left, then immediately right to cross the footbridge.

(6) Leave the route you have already taken and head down to the left, north-west through the woods to the lower car park at Consolation.

(14) Follow the D377 due north, towards Laval-le-Prieuré.

(15) Leave the road at a small bridge on the right and follow signs for Laval-le-Prieuré through the Bois de Tenne.

(16) At the fork, turn right towards Laval-le-Prieuré along the edge of the forest.

(17) From Laval-le-Prieuré, head up to Mont-de-Laval, turning right towards the south-south-west into the woods.
Pass the 706m mark, then turn left (Aiguillon viewpoint) and right 400m further on (before the other viewpoint, La Rousse) to reach Mont-de-Laval (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 2,648 ft - Church of Mont-de-Laval
  2. 1 : mi 1.32 - alt. 2,805 ft - Les Champs Raccordons
  3. 2 : mi 2.5 - alt. 2,762 ft - La Roche du Prêtre
  4. 3 : mi 3.27 - alt. 2,257 ft - La Scie above
  5. 4 : mi 3.83 - alt. 1,867 ft - Grande Grotte. Source du Lançot
  6. 5 : mi 3.96 - alt. 1,959 ft - Source du Tabourot, steps
  7. 6 : mi 4.1 - alt. 1,811 ft - Return junction. Return via the Cirque circular loop
  8. 7 : mi 4.26 - alt. 1,680 ft - Return junction.
  9. 8 : mi 4.33 - alt. 1,680 ft - Return junction. Return to Cascade du Lançot
  10. 9 : mi 4.54 - alt. 1,804 ft - Lançot Waterfall
  11. 10 : mi 5.1 - alt. 1,864 ft - Cirque de Consolation viewpoint
  12. 11 : mi 5.23 - alt. 2,083 ft - Roche Ste-Catherine - Zipline arrival
  13. 12 : mi 5.6 - alt. 2,087 ft - Car park D39 – Zipline departure point – Source of the - Dessoubre (rivière)
  14. 13 : mi 6.12 - alt. 1,657 ft - Consolations-Maisonnettes Monastery and park
  15. 14 : mi 7.47 - alt. 1,650 ft - Car park. Follow the D377 towards Laval-le-Prieuré
  16. 15 : mi 7.98 - alt. 1,631 ft - Cross the bridge then turn left into the woods
  17. 16 : mi 8.59 - alt. 1,732 ft - Follow the path to the right towards Laval-le-Prieuré
  18. 17 : mi 9.42 - alt. 1,949 ft - Laval-le-Prieuré. Turn right towards Mont-de-Laval
  19. S/E : mi 10.68 - alt. 2,648 ft - Church of Mont-de-Laval

Reviews and comments

4.1 / 5
Based on 5 reviews
Reliability of the description
3.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.8 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
DJ 25300VUILLECIN
DJ 25300VUILLECIN

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Everything went well.

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Véronique Gindre
Véronique Gindre

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 26, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

If you wish to use the iron staircase near the large cave, please use it only to go up, as the descent is too technical and vertiginous. In fact, there is a sign at the priory advising that it is only suitable for ascending and is not recommended for families with children.

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loict31
loict31

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

You can start from the Rocher du Prêtre: there’s a large car park at Mont-Laval, depending on which direction you’re coming from...
Please note that the path closest to the cirque via the steps may be closed; in that case, take the circular route via the Rocher Sainte-Catherine.

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richardd
richardd

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 17, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A fantastic hike with stunning views

Machine-translated

kaola123
kaola123

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 06, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

After passing through the pretty little village (Mont de Laval), a 2-kilometre drive, there were some side roads – a shame
Roche du Prêtre: magnificent view over the valley, then a descent to the rather picturesque village of Consolation along the cliffs
Large cave, Source du Tabourot, then a circular route to Roche Sainte-Catherine and Source du Dessoubre, followed by another uninteresting circular route back to the car park. Headed towards Laval Le Prieuré through the forest and back to Mont de Laval via a rather steep climb...
Worth doing again, but in the opposite direction to avoid that final, very steep climb when your legs are already heavy!

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Other walks in the area

Walking The Cirque de Consolation

Visorando Member
Le Cirque de Consolation
↔7.64 mi ↗+1,713 ft ↘-1,732 ft ◔5h 00 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Mont-de-Laval (Doubs)
A wild, 350-metre-deep valley, the Cirque de Consolation, framed by magnificent cliffs, is a paradise for hikers and nature lovers. You can discover it from two viewpoints, Chauve Roche at the bottom of the valley and Sainte-Catherine downstream and the old seminary. After a visit to the old priory of Laval, you will climb back up to the plateau, along the aptly named Pissoux, through a superb wild and mossy valley.

Walking Le Pissoux and La Roche du Miroir

Visorando Member
Le Pissoux et la Roche du Miroir
↔7.14 mi ↗+1,480 ft ↘-1,450 ft ◔4h 35 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Mont-de-Laval (Doubs)
You will descend along the aptly named Pissoux, through a mossy valley. From the top of a wild and jagged promontory, then from the Roche du Miroir, to the more civilised viewpoint, you will discover the Dessoubre, overlooked by high cliffs, home to chamois and peregrine falcons. Along a charming path winding and weaving between superbly carved rocks, you will cross sunny meadows to reach the Montbéliardot botanical trail, running alongside an old pile of stone gathered from fields.

Walking From the Reculée du Pissoux to the Montbeliardot Arboretum

Visorando Member
↔10.38 mi ↗+1,732 ft ↘-1,696 ft ◔6h 15 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Mont-de-Laval (Doubs)
Discover the Reculée du Pissoux and its stream, the Dessoubre Valley and its river, passing by the Moulin de Girardot. A lovely climb up to the Roche du Miroir, which offers a panoramic view, then a walk through the village of Plaimbois-du-Miroir and back via the Montbeliardot Arboretum and its sculptures. A hike through wild, lush countryside.

Walking Cirque de Consolation, the Roche du Prêtre and the cave

Visorando Member
Cirque de consolation la roche au prêtre et la grotte
↔3.85 mi ↗+1,444 ft ↘-1,437 ft ◔3h 00 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Consolation-Maisonnettes (Doubs)
A walk around the Cirque de Consolation with a thrilling variety of views and valleys. Beautiful panoramic views and bodies of water on way.

Walking The Cirque de Consolation and the springs from Consolation-Maisonnettes

Visorando Member
Le Cirque de Consolation et les sources depuis Consolation-Maisonnettes
↔2.17 mi ↗+423 ft ↘-449 ft ◔1h 20 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Consolation-Maisonnettes (Doubs)
A walk to ‘recharge your batteries’ in the cool air during heatwaves.

Walking La Roche du Miroir

Visorando Member
La Roche du Miroir
↔6.65 mi ↗+814 ft ↘-801 ft ◔3h 45 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Plaimbois-du-Miroir (Doubs)
From the top of the Roche du Miroir, at the viewing point, you can admire the Dessoubre valley, which is overlooked in places by high cliffs, home to chamois and peregrine falcons then, along a charming path winding and weaving between superbly carved rocks, you will cross sunny meadows to reach the Montbéliardot arboretum and its sculptures. Return via La Vie au Loup, skirting the edge of the cliffs with a panoramic view of the entire plateau.

Walking Plaimbois du Miroir and Laval le Prieuré

Association / Club / Walk leader
Plaimbois du Miroir et Laval le Prieuré
↔7.66 mi ↗+1,355 ft ↘-1,329 ft ◔4h 40 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Plaimbois-du-Miroir (Doubs)
This route will take you on a journey of discovery through the Dessoubre valley, where you will be enchanted by the landscapes and religious heritage. This route covers a large part of circular 43 and is marked in yellow and blue.

Walking The Cirque de Consolation from the Roche du Prêtre

Visorando Member
↔6.64 mi ↗+2,159 ft ↘-2,175 ft ◔4h 55 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Consolation-Maisonnettes (Doubs)
Among the must-see spots in Franche-Comté are the Saut du Doubs, as well as the Cirque de Consolation, a few dozen kilometres away. Numerous waterfalls flow into this funnel-shaped valley, at the bottom of which stands a church. Various hiking trails are also available. This hike allows you to walk around the entire area via a ridge path not shown on IGN maps, discovering all the secrets of the cirque along the way.

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