From Quatre-Sapins to the Plateau de Cita

A well-marked circular trail through the woods on a plateau overlooking the Vesoul plain.

Details

86620
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.88 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 134 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 128 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 447 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 349 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Navenne (70000)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 47.60088° / E 6.167675°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3421O
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

(S/E) The starting point is at a place called Les Quatre-Sapins, located on the outskirts of Navenne, just after the training centre.
There is a car park next to a calvary.
The route is marked with yellow circles and arrows.

(1) At the three-way junction, we take a forest road on the left that leads us to the telephone antennas and relays. There, we go through a gate in the fence to cross the pasture, roughly in a straight line. We pass by the cross known as Cassini.
Zigzagging between the bushes, we eventually find a signposted path that leads us into the forest. The path winds through the woods, flanked by a pile of stone gathered from fields, before coming out onto a road.

(2) Turn right onto a path that runs alongside a clear-cut area, then when you reach a car park, turn right along a pine forest. We come out at a beautiful crossroads.

(3) Turn left. The route is circular on the plateau, running alongside the cliff before crossing the meadow and returning to the crossroads (3), where you turn left.

(4) Turn left and continue straight ahead, crossing a pine forest before arriving at the arboretum. At the service tree, turn left. Simply follow the track to return to the three-way junction and, on the left, the Quatre Sapins car park.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 349 m - Car park at the Quatre-Sapins
  2. 1 : km 0.09 - alt. 355 m - Forest road on the left
  3. 2 : km 2.17 - alt. 434 m - Turn right at the road.
  4. 3 : km 3.62 - alt. 384 m - crossroads of the circular
  5. 4 : km 5.37 - alt. 399 m - To the left towards the pine forest
  6. S/E : km 6.88 - alt. 349 m - Car park at the Quatre-Sapins

Worth a visit

- Cassini Cross:
This high point was used to draw up a map of the Kingdom of France in 1657.

- Cita Plateau:
This is a natural lawn on a rocky spur, bordered by cliffs, overlooking the towns of Vesoul, Navenne and Echenoz-la-Méline.
This site was used as a prehistoric and Roman camp. The results of archaeological research are on display at the Garret Museum in Vesoul.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 12 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
randonneur 70
randonneur 70

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Superb hike; very varied landscape, with the option to extend or shorten the route.
I recommend it.

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Séverin
Séverin

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Quiet location

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Patrick R.
Patrick R.

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 31, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely little walk on the Cita plateau. No particular difficulties or dangers. Beautiful views of Echenoz la Méline and Vesoul at the far end of the Cita plateau. Quite a few shaded paths, which is welcome in hot weather.

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Arnaudthecancoillotteeater
Arnaudthecancoillotteeater

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 18, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, fairly wild hike. Not many people and beautiful views of Vesoul in places. Worth doing if you live in the area.

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buthiers
buthiers

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 06, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

We enjoyed the dry lawns and the views from these places.

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valotvalerie
valotvalerie

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 07, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A beautiful walk alternating between woods and meadows. Very well signposted.
Two minor 'negatives': there were cows in the meadow on the plateau, so we couldn't get close to La Croix de Casini... One of the meadows (circular) is accessible via an iron bridge to prevent animals from entering, but above all from leaving. As we had dogs with us, we couldn't enter this part of the route...

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jfvidor
jfvidor

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 18, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

I used this route for running. A very beautiful route with a good elevation gain for cardio training.
The scenery is superb. I will do it again.

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e-t
e-t

Hello
I am referring to the markup because it is safer to have a "roadmap" to follow, although yes, the information in the comments is very valuable.

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gazok54
gazok54 ★

Thank you, e-t
Why only refer to signposting? Visorando is there precisely to provide accurate directions that make signposting unnecessary.

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e-t
e-t

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 31, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Oulala, a very pleasant route, but the signposting is very poor and needs to be redone because when you're on the plateau looking for the Cassini cross, it's impossible to find the signposts. Luckily, we found some hunters.
Then, for the short circular no. 3, you really have to pay attention because after passing under the fence when entering the woods, you have to turn left to return to the car park, despite the yellow cross clearly indicating the direction above.
In short, it's a good walk, but this point really needs to be reworked.

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vosgespattes
vosgespattes

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 11, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A lovely walk in this wet but very green spring.
We waded through the pasture, veered too far to the right, but were able to easily find the trail again.
Towards the end of the hike, the short steep slope was very slippery because it was wet.
The weather was just right.
Thank you for this hike.
See you again soon!
3 Vosgians.

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régis70
régis70

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 29, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Pleasant. Lovely view of Vesoul.

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Claire&Alex
Claire&Alex

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 04, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A lovely walk through beautiful pastureland to an interesting high point.

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damien70
damien70

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 12, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A very pleasant walk. When the author says to cross the pasture going straight ahead, do not go down it but walk along its right-hand side.

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