Flagey walks

Discover a unique feature of the Jura mountains: the reculées, narrow, deep valleys lined with high, steep walls, formed at the end of the ice age by a gradual retreat from the beginning of the valley into the plateau, ending in wild cirques. The first part of the walk takes you through woodland, past springs and streams, before returning via the Amancey plateau to discover two villages in the Comté region, Bolandoz and Flagey, and their richly decorated churches.

"In these moments of terrible solitude, between life and death, one involuntarily thinks back to one's youth, one's parents, one's friends. I saw again in the mirror of my mind the meadows of Flagey where I used to go with my mother to gather hazelnuts," wrote Gustave Courbet, imprisoned after the Commune. From the family farm, follow in his footsteps and discover the little valley of Bonneille, the old oak tree of Sillet and the beautiful fountain-wash house of Chantrans.

Discover one of the unique features of the Jura mountains: the reculées, narrow, deep valleys lined with high, steep walls, formed at the end of the ice ages by a gradual retreat of the valley floor into the plateau, ending in wild cirques. The Norvaux reculée ends in three cul-de-sacs carved out by the Pomme Gaude, Fontaine des Cassards and Fontaine de Fer streams.

Starting from Chassagne, this hike takes you on a journey of discovery through the Valbois valley, in the heart of a preserved natural environment. The route alternates between forest tracks, pastures and balcony paths offering magnificent panoramic views of the limestone cliffs, the Loue valley and the village of Cléron. You’ll also discover the ruins of Castel Saint-Denis, an ancient medieval castle perched on its rocky promontory. A varied and wild circular route, combining historical heritage with the typical landscapes of the Jura Comtois.

There are four viewpoints on this woodland hike. The first is in the Ravin de Valbois Nature Reserve, a typical Jura wilderness area, under the protection of the proud thousand-year-old keep of Castel Saint-Denis. Then you will return, overlooking the peaceful Loue valley, discovering the heights, Notre-Dame du Chêne and the old town of Ornans.

Hike in the woods with a visit to the Peusse waterfalls in Ornans.

Accompanied by the murmur of our cool streams, which, if you know how to listen to them, will tell you many forgotten stories, discover the vegetation petrified by our limestone waters and the coolness of the secret caves nestled in the greenery as you climb along a small, wild ravine.

From Cléron, through a beautiful, cool forest alternating between fir and deciduous trees, ideal for a hot summer's day, you will visit the gentle monk Toum Tatre, a monolith resembling a tonsured Capuchin monk, watching piously over the Norvaux valley from the top of his cliff. You will return through the Plain Mont forest to two unsecured viewpoints, one overlooking Castel Saint-Denis and the other overlooking Cléron and its castle.

Six petits kilomètres pour quatre points de vue sur le Val de Cléron, la reculée de Norvaux et le capucin de pierre Tountâtrou où nos anciens Comtois célébraient leurs dieux au sein même de la nature, au pied de ce colosse de pierre.

From this small fortified village, located on the old salt road and overlooking the valley, you will climb towards its rival, Châteauneuf, crowning Vuillafans with its ragged walls, crossing beautiful forests, always accompanied by the Roche du Soleil and the Roche de Hauteppiere, watching majestically and peacefully over the upper Loue valley.

From this small fortified village, located on the old salt road overlooking the valley, you will descend towards Vergetolle, a charming little valley of contrasting light and shade. Then, the landscape becomes wilder as you head towards the Source Bleue and discover, nestled at the end of the valley, the Tuffière waterfall, resembling the mouth of a giant forest creature, ready to devour you.

You will discover the Church of Saint-Gengoult and its old tombs, then climb to two viewpoints over Montgesoye, Ornans and the Loue Valley as you walk through a charming little valley.

From Saint-Gengoult Church and its ancient tombs, you will climb to two viewpoints over Montgesoye, Ornans and the Loue Valley, passing through a charming little remote area, and return via the wild Cornebouche valley.

From the church in Montgesoye and its ancient tombs, you will climb up to a steep rocky ledge offering numerous viewpoints over the Loue Valley. From Vuillafans, a small, characterful Comtois town with old houses leaning over the river, crowned by the jagged walls of its old castle, you will return along the riverbanks, accompanied by the beauty of the rocks that frame the emerald green river.

From the church of Saint-Gengoult, patron saint of cuckolds, our ever-faithful Comtois Lady Nature will lead you along the beautifully named Chemin des Prés to the waterfall at the end of the Vau valley and its petrifying streams. On the way back, along the pleasant forest path overlooking the cornices, you can stop at the Thuyère viewpoint in Montgesoye and admire the Loue valley, from the Vuillafans mountains to Ornans.

From Montgesoye, you’ll climb up a steep rocky ledge to the Thuyère viewpoint overlooking the Loue valley, from the Vuillafans hills all the way to Ornans. A pleasant forest path, overlooking the ledges, will lead you to the waterfall at the head of the Vau gorge and its petrifying streams. On the way back, you’ll stop at the Church of Saint-Gengoult, patron saint of the cuckolded, and its ancient tombs.

Starting from Montgesoye, a lovely walk along the southern slopes, above the old vineyards of Vuillafans, offering beautiful views of the Loue valley and the villages below.

Set off to discover two small valleys of contrasting light and shade. Then, as the landscape becomes wilder, you will come to the Source Bleue and, nestled in the greenery, the Tuffière, resembling the mouth of a giant forest creature, ready to devour you, ending at the Cascade du Raffenot at the bottom of a typical valley of the Loue.

Amondans, home of our regional musician Napoléon Coste, overlooks the Malans stream, which flows into the Gouille Noire, whose wild charm you will be able to admire from above. Passing by oratories and fountains, you will return to Lizine with its ancient houses covered with lauzes, the formidable stone tiles that required our carpenters of yesteryear to build solid frames. Two other viewpoints will allow you to discover the Lison and Loue valleys with their gorges and meanders.

From the curious and pretty fountain in Amondans, quiet paths will take you to a viewpoint overlooking the green Loue valley and the remote Malans stream, where you can admire the wild charm of the landscape. Then, from the Bois des Serpents, winding your way between a splendid sharp limestone pavement resembling menhirs, you will follow the emerald green Loue to the deepest part of the valley, where a waterfall ends its descent into a pool: the Gouille Noire.

A keep dating back to the year 1000 still stands proudly on its rocky outcrop, with superb cornice walls carved out of the rock, overlooking the wild nature of the Valbois ravine. In just four short kilometres, you will be treated to a series of breathtaking landscapes.

At the end of a wild valley, you will discover the Saut de Bonneille, located less than a kilometre from Courbet's father's farm in Flagey. This exceptional site caught the painter's eye in 1875. The tufa, a deposit of limestone, forms a conical mass surrounded by a plume of foam during periods of high water. Return via the Chassagne plateau and the Monts d'Ornans viewpoint.

You will walk alongside the babbling Vergetolle stream in this small valley of contrasting light and shade. Then, as the landscape becomes wilder, you will reach the Source Bleue potholes, before finally discovering, hidden at the end of the valley, the impressive Tuffière waterfall, resembling a stone monster ready to devour you. Enjoy a peaceful return through the forest along the ledges, with several viewpoints over the valley.

Three viewpoints allow you to discover the Ornans mountains from the left bank of the Loue, Mont d'Ornans, Roche Thiébaut and Grand Barmaud, before returning to the valley by winding your way through La Facle, a narrow and picturesque fault that cuts into the cliff, and ending at the erratic boulders, geological curiosities, masses of stone weighing over 130 tonnes, transported by glaciers 600,000 years ago.

You will take the old Tacot railway line, a small, narrow-gauge railway that climbed up to Pontarlier, to discover the Val de Cléron and its castle, surrounded by the white cliffs at the start of the Haute Vallée de la Loue.

From Cléron Castle, through a beautiful, cool forest alternating between fir and deciduous trees, ideal for a hot summer's day, you will visit the gentle monk Toum Tatre, a monolith resembling a tonsured Capuchin monk, watching piously over the Norvaux valley from the top of his cliff. Walking along the ledges of the twin valley of Valbois, you will return via Castel Saint-Denis, overlooking the valley from its rocky spur.

This route will allow you to discover the setting of our small Franche-Comté town from three viewpoints: Roche Fournièche, Rocher d'Ully and Châtelet.

Discover Ornans, a small town in Franche-Comté with plenty of character, via three viewpoints (Roche Fournièche, Rocher d'Ully and Rocher du Châtelet). Nicknamed "the little Venice of Franche-Comté", it will charm you with its houses on the Loue river and its bridges, which were a source of inspiration for the great Gustave Courbet.

Set off to explore the mountains of Franche-Comté, accompanied by the murmur of our cool streams which, if you know how to listen, will tell you many forgotten stories. Discover the vegetation petrified by our limestone waters and the coolness of secret caves nestled in the wild greenery.

From the former Visitandines convent, you will climb up to the unmissable site of the Vierge de la Roche du Mont and its view over the Loue valley and the village of Ornans. Then, following the Mambouc stream, you will return to the old town to walk along the river and its beautiful houses at the water's edge.

Vuillafans and its old houses leaning over the river, crowned by the crumbling walls of its old castle. Lods, its fortified house, its communal mill on the Loue in the protective shadow of the Roche de Hautepierre. You will pass under the replanted vineyards, a reminder of what our valleys might have looked like before the destruction of the vineyards by phylloxera, and return, after a steep climb, via the Échevannes plateau. All this is interspersed with multiple views of the upper Loue valley.

Starting from Vuillafans Church, a lovely circular route passing through Echevannes, waterfalls and Montgesoye with beautiful views.

A long forest walk in the cool Bois sur Roches with its beautiful ledges and views of La Thuyère and La Verdottte, returning via the sunny Pont de Beuque valley.

Walk through the vineyards and along the Loue, passing through Lods, one of the most beautiful villages in France.

You will discover the superb white rock cornices at the start of the upper Loue Valley, balconies overlooking the wild nature of the Valbois ravine, climbing boldly at the foot of the cliffs and crossing them via a narrow rocky pass, La Facle, which will lead you to the Barmaud viewpoint over the Brème valley and Notre-Dame du Chêne and the thousand-year-old keep of Castel Saint-Denis, still proudly perched on its rocky spur.

A short, easy walk to stretch your legs after a visit to the Courbet Museum. It is a shortcut variant of the "La roche des pins" route available in Visorando.

The Rochers du Capucin cliff edge offers one of the most beautiful views of the upper Loue valley with the Roche de Hautepierre. It will guide you along wooded and steep paths to the Moine de la Vallée and the sumptuous and wild gorges of Nouailles.

A 11th-century keep is reflected in the emerald waters of the Loue; a rock dominates the valley from its sunlit ledges, offering a splendid vantage point over the wild scenery of the Valbois ravine and the tranquil Loue valley; old manor houses from a bygone era at the bend of a narrow lane; a rest in the cool of a church under the gaze of colourful wooden saints.

From Éternoz, overlooking the Cirque de Nans-sous-Sainte-Anne, you will head to the beautifully named Belvédère des Feuilles on the meanders and cliffs of the wild Lison valley, notably on the "éperon des aiguilles" (spur of the needles), offering a view of a colourful forest. Then you will descend towards Nans and its old houses and climb boldly to the superb Verneau waterfall before returning along the Lison, through the small, lost and wild valley of the Vau stream.

Hike north of Ornans with many points of interest and viewpoints. On the programme: the Château viewpoint, the Puits de la Brême, the Gouille aux Chèvres, the Grotte du Plaisir Fontaine, the Rocher du Tourbillon, the Saut du Chevalier, Notre-Dame du Mont. The hike can end with a visit to the town centre (§ Practical information). This is a very difficult hike due to its length and elevation gain. You need to be in good physical condition, as some sections are reserved for experienced hikers (ladders, passages requiring the use of your hands, etc.) with areas that are more or less wet and rocky. However, the route is varied and the views are magnificent. In autumn, this route offers a festival of colours.

You will climb a picturesque path overlooking the Loue to the Roche Lahier viewpoint above the Upper Loue Valley. Then on to the vineyards of Loray and its remains of terraced crops, before descending through the fir forests of Onchaud to the Roche Bottine viewpoint on the cliffs of Ornans.

You will climb from the small Franche-Comté town to the Fontaine aux Vipères, a major site on the Courbet Trail thanks to the famous 1855 painting "Le Château d'Ornans", where the gossips of Courbet's time used to gather. Then, from the castle overlooking Ornans, you will return along the cornices with their many viewpoints, via the charming little valley of La Roche des Pins.

There is a short climb to Roche Bottine, which was also immortalised by Courbet in his painting "La Vallée de la Loue par temps d'orage, vers 1849" (The Loue Valley in Stormy Weather, circa 1849). Its unusual shape inspired its name. Along the way, you will discover the Roche Lahier viewpoint overlooking the upper Loue Valley towards Montgesoye.

This circuit will allow you to discover the setting of our small Franche-Comté town from three viewpoints: the Belvédère de Notre Dame du Mont, the Château d'Ornans and the Château du Grand, offering sweeping views of the Loue valley. This is a major site on the Courbet Trail, thanks to the famous 1855 painting Le Château d'Ornans, an oil on canvas kept at the Minneapolis Museum. You will discover the Fontaine aux Vipères (Viper Fountain), which still echoes with the gossip of our cancouaines (local women).

The Loue Valley, an inexhaustible source of hiking opportunities, offers the rugged, wild charm of its rocks, ending more peacefully at the Saut du Chevalier waterfall in the cool Brême Valley, so often painted by Courbet.

There is a short climb to the Roche Bottine, immortalised by Courbet in his painting "La Vallée de la Loue par temps d'orage" (The Loue Valley in Stormy Weather). Its unusual shape, reminiscent of an old boot standing on the edge of a precipice, gave it its name. This viewpoint offers a 180° panorama of Ornans, the Vierge de la Roche du Mont, and the upper and lower reaches of the Loue Valley. Along the way, you will discover the Roche Lahier viewpoint, a natural viewpoint overlooking the upper reaches of the Loue Valley towards Montgesoye.

Crossing the Brême via its old bridge, you will descend to its mysterious well, gateway to the underworld or the fairy kingdom, and climb back up more prosaically to the industrious tile factory. The cornices of Narpent offer another kind of magic, with their rocky crevices silhouetted against the sky and the outline of Castel Saint-Denis, ending at the sanctuary where, long ago, a little girl discovered a small statue of the Virgin Mary, placed there and forgotten, in the hollow of an oak tree.

Au départ de l'Ermitage de Notre-Dame du Chêne, une petite balade facile sans prétention sur les coteaux et le plateau de Narpent. Le retour s'effectue par l'ancienne voie ferrée Ornans-Hôpital du Grosbois, aujourd'hui Voie Verte et un court crochet au passage pour aller voir le Puits de la Brème.

This forest trail will take you to some unusual sites: the Prêtres réfractaires, a small secret wooded area where priests who rebelled against the revolution hid and celebrated mass; and the Chandeliers, large rock columns several metres high, formed by water and frost erosion. You will discover a viewpoint over the lost gorges of the Lison, which you will then follow along a beautiful, cool path, returning via the wild valley of the Vau stream.

From the site of the former castle of Ornans, which overlooks the old town, the route climbs towards the pastures offering beautiful views of the upper Loue valley and Mont Poupet. The return journey takes you along cool, pleasant forest paths to La Roche du Grand, a viewpoint overlooking the lower Loue valley, then to the Fontaine aux Vipères, where you can still hear the gossip of our Franche-Comté "cancouaines" (local women).

Starting from Ornans Castle overlooking the old town, after a detour to the Fontaine des Vipères, a meeting place for gossips in Courbet's time, you will walk along the superb line of cornices indented with small recesses and dotted with numerous viewpoints overlooking the upper and lower Loue valley. A round trip that will not exhaust all the attractions of this walk.

Following in the footsteps of Gustave Courbet, the Ravin du Puits Noir was one of the painter's favourite places. You will follow the course of the Brême, walk peacefully along the old Tacot road, climb the Roche du Tourbillon for superb views of the picturesque and steep-sided Brême valley, and finally end at the Prieuré de Bonnevaux, of which only a charming chapel and its 12th-century bell tower remain.

From a beautiful pine forest, sheltered by beautiful rocks and crossing large boulders detached from the cliffs, you will arrive at the Belvédère de la Roche du Grand viewpoint at the head of the valley, overlooking Ornans and the Val de Scey. Continuing towards the Fontaine aux Vipères, where Courbet's cancan dancers once performed, then to the castle overlooking the town, you will return through meadows overlooking the upper Loue valley, finally descending into the Brême valley through a beautiful, light-filled rocky forest.

Walking along the banks of the emerald-green Brême, you will enter a dense forest until you reach the Ravin du Puits Noir, a dark, hidden, impenetrable and wild place where Gustave Courbet set up his easel more than fifty times. You will emerge at La Gouille, where goats once drank, and return peacefully via the old Tacot road and its viaduct, passing by the Puits de la Brême, the entrance to the underworld or the crystal palace of the fairies.

From a steep rocky ledge, with numerous views over the Loue valley and Châteauvieux-les-Fossés, you will cross the beautiful, airy Tangelet forest, sharpening your sense of direction as you climb back up to the sunny plateau. You will visit the church of La Barêche, lost in the middle of the fields, and finish at the charming Sainte-Gertrude Chapel with its superb view of the valley.

To warm up, the Belvédère de Montmahoux, at an altitude of 828 metres, offers an exceptional view of the Jura Mountains, with the silhouette of Mont Blanc standing out on the horizon. Then, descending through beautiful beech forests towards Nans and its old houses, you will enjoy beautiful views of the wild cathedral of the Grotte Sarrazine. And, after a detour to the Verneau waterfall, return via the Belvédère des Feuilles viewpoint to the meanders and cliffs of the Lison Valley.

Dominating Cléron with its massive limestone cliffs, the Rocher de Colonne is a beautiful landscape, characteristic of the upper Loue valley. From its summit, you can see the Château de Cléron, the Castel Saint-Denis, the Ravin de Valbois valley and the start of the upper Loue valley lined with its corniches.

An easy walk to discover some of Levier’s remarkable monuments and recharge your batteries in the peace and quiet, amidst pastures and pine forests. Also lovely in the snow (though not too much, as the forest paths are only cleared of snow in the warmer months).

This is a fairly easy circular route through the communes of Malbrans and Scey-Maisières. It begins with a superb view at the Vierge de Malbrans, followed by pretty trails through forests, meadows and woods. It then continues along a beautiful path running along the limestone ledges, offering beautiful views of the villages of Ornans, Maisières, Scey-en-Varais, Cléron and the Loue valley.

A wild getaway to discover the entire Loue valley from the top of the Malbrans plateau, from the Hautepierre rock to Mount Poupet, then from an equally wild viewpoint, the Scey en Varais valley and, silhouetted against the sky, the outline of the Saint-Denis castle.

Descend towards the corniches of Scey-en-Varais via the aptly named Chemin de Bellevue, a pretty balcony overlooking the Loue Valley. Then climb back up to the Vierge de Malbrans, which offers a magnificent panorama of the Roche de Hautepierre and Mont Poupet and, lost in the greenery, the Castel Saint-Denis and perhaps the summit of Mont Blanc on a clear day. There are tables where you can picnic while enjoying the breathtaking view. Return through a cool and peaceful forest.

A short forest walk to discover the Rocher de Colonne, a superb viewpoint over the Loue valley. The first viewpoint is over Cléron and its castle. The second overlooks Scey-en-Varais, topped by Castel Saint-Denis, the start of the upper Loue valley and its cliffs, the Valbois ravine and the luminous Hautepierre rock. You will return via the Chapelle du Croc chapel and its old house lost in the woods.

This is a country walk whose great merit is that it is... in the countryside. However, it will take you along beautiful forest paths to the Virgin of Malbrans, offering a magnificent 360° panorama: to the south over the Loue Valley, from Roche de Hautepierre to Mont Poupet, and, lost in the greenery, Castel Saint-Denis and perhaps the summit of Mont Blanc on a clear day. After this short walk, tables await you for a picnic while you enjoy the breathtaking view.

A short forest walk through the Val de Cademène with beautiful, unobstructed views over the Loue Valley and the Jura Mountains, taking in our Comtois villages and their bell towers nestled in the hollows of the hills. Most of the route is unmarked, so this walk will help sharpen your sense of direction.

Starting from the bell tower of the old medieval priory, you will cross the cool Brême valley, so often painted by Courbet. You will climb up to the Saut du Chevalier viewpoint to reach the Vierge de la Roche du Mont, continuing along the cornices towards the Roche des Pins and its views over the Loue valley. You will climb up to the Septfontaine plateau and its views of the Jura mountains, before finally descending towards the Brême via a picturesque mule track.

Starting from the bell tower of the former medieval priory, you will cross the cool Brème valley, so often painted by Courbet. Then, climbing back up to the Saut du Chevalier viewpoint, you will descend into the valley via a picturesque mule track.

Starting from the bell tower of the old medieval priory, you will cross the cool Brême valley so often painted by Courbet. Then you will climb through a beautiful fir forest sheltered by stunning rocks, passing large boulders detached from the cliffs, towards the Grand viewpoint overlooking the upper Loue valley, Ornans and the Val de Scey. Continuing towards the Fontaine aux Vipères and then the castle overlooking the town, you will descend into the valley via a picturesque mule track.

From the old priory, you will climb to the Rocher du Tourbillon viewpoint overlooking the charming little valley of La Brême, then walk along an old railway line converted into a footpath, before climbing back up to the wild cornices via sunken paths reminiscent of enchanted forests, and finally descending to the foot of the rocks towards the Plaisir Fontaine caves.

In Gaulish, ‘Rurey’ refers to a place rich in springs and streams. From its beautiful circular fountain in the centre of the village, passing by the foot of the church and in front of the elegant wash house, you will climb the botanical trail and descend into the Val de Cademène with its beautiful unobstructed views over the Loue Valley and the Jura Mountains. After passing through a somewhat wild stretch of woodland, you’ll reach the viewpoint overlooking the valley, dominated by the watchful sentinel of the thousand-year-old keep of Castel Saint-Denis.

In the Gallic language, ‘Rurey’ refers to a place rich in springs and streams. You will therefore set off from the beautiful circular fountain in the centre of the village, passing, at the foot of the church, in front of the elegant early 20th-century wash house built of cut stone and covered by a curious double hipped roof. You will then climb the botanical trail to a superb viewpoint over the Loue valley, overlooked by the watchful sentinel of the thousand-year-old keep of Castel Saint-Denis.

A lovely walk in the forest with beautiful views of the Loue valley from Ornans to Montgesoye from Roche Lahier and Roche Bottine.

It is difficult to walk through our Loue valley without mentioning Gustave Courbet, who made this stream famous with his painting The Deer Slaughter at the Plaisir Fontaine Stream. He is also said to have painted his Self-Portrait with Black Dog here. Once again, you will follow in his footsteps to climb the Rocher du Tourbillon for superb views of the steep-sided Brême valley and finally return via the Ancien Prieuré de Bonnevaux, of which only the 12th-century bell tower remains.

From Épeugney, you will climb along forest paths towards the Belvédère de Rurey at the head of the upper Loue valley with its white cliffs, and the keep of Castel Saint-Denis, the thousand-year-old sentinel of the Reculée de Valbois. You’ll descend into the Val de Cademène with its unobstructed views of the valley. And, after a stretch through somewhat wild woodland, the ‘obstacle course’ awaits you: the climb to the Croix des Échaulles. Then a peaceful return to the village and its beautiful fountains.

From Crouzet, you will climb up to the remains of one of the largest strongholds of the Chalon family, which are actually quite sparse. Blame Louis XIV, who destroyed a large part of our heritage in revenge! However, your efforts will be rewarded by the splendid view of Nans-sous-Sainte-Anne, nestled in the natural setting of its remote valley, by the pretty Saint-Thiébaud church and by the bold and supernatural bridge spanning the Diable waterfall.

Off the beaten track, discover the little-known Saut de la Brême waterfall and the deep Ravin de Saules by following the stream and hopping from stone to stone. You may get your feet wet, but you will discover a wild world of moss, rocks and freshness. Return via the ruins of the Moulin du Défois mill.