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To get to Villafans, take the D4 from Villersexel or the D18 and 4 from Lure.
Park at Place de la Mairie. The route is marked by the Villersexel local council with small logos representing a factory and blue arrows.
(S/E) At the end of the square, take Rue de l'Église, pass in front of the church and turn left to join Grande Rue (D4). Turn right towards Athesans, then after 400 m, turn left onto Rue de la Saline along the woods. Then take a forest lane on the left and after 300 m you will see mine shaft no. 11 on the right.
(1) Return to the path. Continue north, cross a first path covered in black slag, then a beautiful forest lane, and you will see the President Oak.
(2) Continue and, at the edge of the woods, turn right and then immediately left onto a beautiful grassy path, which is actually the old local railway line ("le Tacot")
(3) Turn right and follow the road for about 400 metres. Pass the old station and note the old workers' houses with their beautiful vegetable gardens to arrive opposite the entrance to the old Gouhenans saltworks
.(4) As you leave, notice a magnificent mansion. Then follow Rue de la Saline towards Athesans and, on the bend in the road, turn left onto the path that leads into the woods. After passing through a pine forest, you will come to a good path which you take to the left along a field.
(5) Cross the bridge over the railway line and follow Rue des Époisses. At the bottom of the street, turn left onto the D265 and descend towards the bottom of the village.
(6) Go up Grande Rue, noting the two 75 mm guns from the 1914-18 war surrounding the monument.
(7) After admiring the Maison Forte from below with its terraced stone walls, turn right onto Rue du Mont.
(8) Climb up a path on the left that leads to the other side of the Maison Forte with its well-kept gardens. Note the magnificent entrance gate with its weathered stones. Cross the tarmac road and, opposite the farm, turn right until you reach the pylon, then right twice more. At the entrance to the forest, turn left and turn after the water tower. Go down a steep slope to enjoy a beautiful view of the village of Les Aynans and the Ognon valley.
(9). Walk along the pasture, with the barbed wire fence on your right. The path comes out behind a farm. Take the tarmac road on the right which leads to the Planche Vellefaux orientation table with its panoramic view of the first foothills of the Vosges and the Chérimont massif.
(10) Continue along the road. Before the D92, turn right onto a farm track that borders a wood on the left and a field on the right. Enter the woods and, at the exit, you will find the descent to Longevelle via a farm track. Enter the village, turn right, go around the fountain to pass to the right of the town hall/school and, after 100 m, turn left onto a small path that climbs up to the old church, of which only the bell tower and a small chapel remain.
(11) Continue along the path which leads to Rue de Villafans. Turn right and left at the three-way junction. After the cemetery, turn left again and, at the entrance to the village, take a beautiful lane which climbs into the forest to the water tower.
(12) Go down a rough path on the right with lots of stones rolling underfoot. Before leaving the woods, turn left onto a small path that winds through the undergrowth and leads to the paved road.
(13) Turn left, cross the railway line again and continue to Villafans and the Place de la Mairie (S/E).
Great walk, I recommend it to everyone! A sign explaining the coal mines (tonnage) and salt (with the scandals) would have been welcome... But that's not a big deal. Quick question: why isn't the village of Villafans mentioned as a coal producer? Well No. 11 is located in the commune. Last question: where is the ice house mentioned in the practical information? Don't forget to mention that there were two stations... Compagnie de l'EST and C.F.V., and that one of the "Gouhenans" plaques decorating one of the stations has been moved to the communal building in the centre of the village.
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