The Creux Bleu walk in Villecomte

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This route is closed to walkers at weekends from October to March.

Le Creux Bleu is the resurgence (karstic formation) of the Francheville stream, which disappears a few kilometres upstream and is situated 20 metres from the River Ignon in the centre of the village.

Details

n°2153507
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.69 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 699 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 699 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,663 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 961 ft
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Villecomte (21120)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 47.510672° / E 5.036965°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3021SB, 3022ET, 3121SB, 3122SB
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Photos

The MORTIERE farm. (Place of resistance)
Wash house with movable floor
The Blue Hollow

Description of the walk

Starting point: the Creux Bleu car park in Villecomte.

(S/E) From the car park, pop over to have a look at the wash house, then head towards Rue du Moulin and turn left onto Rue de la Forge. At the junction with Chemin du Bois la Dame, turn right.

(1) As you leave the village, the tarmac road ends; continue along the ascending dirt track and keep going straight on until the next junction.

(2) Turn right and carry on straight ahead.

(3) Ignore the path branching off to the right and carry on straight ahead until you reach the road. At the road, turn left for 50 metres and take the dirt track on the right. At the first fork, keep to the right again and carry on straight ahead until you reach the edge of the Villecomte Communal Forest.

(4) On leaving the woodland, carry on straight ahead along the grassy path between the two cultivated fields and, after a small copse, you’ll reach a crossroads. Turn right.

(5) Mortière Farm, a site of the Resistance. Follow the track for 50 metres behind the building to see the pond, then continue along the path.

(6) Just before entering the woods, at the gamekeeper’s lodge, take the path opposite and carry on, keeping to the right.

(7) At the crossroads, carry on straight ahead, then turn left towards Combe Vaudry.

(8) At the fork, turn left, pass between the two fields and, at the next crossroads, turn right following the yellow sign. (Villecomte Creux Bleu)
Enter the village via Chemin de la Mortière and continue to the Grande Rue – D6c –

(9) At the junction of the Grande Rue, Rue du Moulin and Rue Sophie Gancier, carry on straight ahead towards Creux Bleu.

(10) Then make your way to the car park, walking between the Ignon and the Résurgence.
Tables and facilities are available for you to have a bite to eat and enjoy yourself before setting off again (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 965 ft - Creux Bleu car park in Villecomte - Ignon (rivière)
  2. 1 : mi 0.26 - alt. 1,050 ft - Dirt track on leaving the village
  3. 2 : mi 0.9 - alt. 1,342 ft - On the right, at the crossroads
  4. 3 : mi 1.36 - alt. 1,424 ft - Straight on towards the road
  5. 4 : mi 2.57 - alt. 1,572 ft - Exit from the woods
  6. 5 : mi 3.03 - alt. 1,663 ft - Mortière Farm. A site of the Resistance.
  7. 6 : mi 3.15 - alt. 1,657 ft - The gamekeeper’s lodge.
  8. 7 : mi 3.5 - alt. 1,598 ft - At the crossroads, go straight on.
  9. 8 : mi 4.47 - alt. 1,093 ft - Crossroads, on the left
  10. 9 : mi 5.54 - alt. 968 ft - Head straight on towards Creux Bleu.
  11. 10 : mi 5.57 - alt. 965 ft - Le Creux Bleu. Resurgence
  12. S/E : mi 5.69 - alt. 965 ft - Creux Bleu car park in Villecomte

Worth a visit

Le Creux Bleu follows the source of a fast-flowing river channelled over 200 metres to supply mills. Bright emerald green aquatic plants grow there. Ducks and large trout swim around at their leisure. This leat was used to supply the old mill located at the end of this canal. The resurgence is preceded by a large underground network that cannot be visited but has been explored.

During periods of high water, the bubbling of the resurgence is spectacular and, regardless of the flow, the water is always very clear. At the far right end of the leat, you can admire an old wash house with a mechanical lift.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 19 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
Philippe COULOT
Philippe COULOT

Thank you for the information
I hope you have a lovely walk.
Kind regards.

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User 16315601

Additional information to that provided by “user 25793603” on 11 August 2026: hikers are not permitted at weekends from October to March. Enjoy your walk … on other days.

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Philippe COULOT
Philippe COULOT

Thank you for your feedback.
Enjoy your upcoming walk.
Kind regards.

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User 30632030

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 17, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A brilliant walk – a first for us. The route is very well signposted and shaded for most of the way, with a particularly pleasant stretch through the woods. The initial climb, about 2 km long, requires a bit of effort but is still perfectly manageable.
It took us 2 hours 30 minutes as a pair of adult beginners.

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Philippe COULOT
Philippe COULOT

Thank you.
I hope you enjoy your future walks.
Kind regards

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User 25793603

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
A very pleasant route, suitable for walking at any time of day as it is very shaded.

Additional information: part of the route is closed between October and March by local by-law (roughly between points 3 and 8).
After point 8, don’t hesitate to turn left to avoid joining the road.
The estimated time is greatly overestimated; it’s more like 2½ hours.

Enjoy your walk

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User 29416805

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 19, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I’d like to let you know that I’ve taken a different route through the woods.
After point 3, on the road, turn left for 50 metres and take the dirt track on the right. At the first fork, keep to the right. In the woods, turn right again, complete the small circular loop and follow the footpath.
At the end, turn right, then ignore the paths on the right and follow the one on the left to the end.
At the junction, you’ll come to the path leading to Combe Vaudry by turning right.
A lovely walk through the woods. I spotted a magnificent 90-kg wild boar 50 metres away. He was more scared than I was.
The Creux Bleu in Villecomte is spectacular.

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User 19432839

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 09, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very well marked route, without any major difficulties.

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Philippe COULOT
Philippe COULOT

Thank you.
Enjoy your future walks.
kind regards

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saint-apollinaire
saint-apollinaire
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

le Creux Bleu is well promoted by the town hall.
The Mortière farm deserves greater recognition out of respect for the resistance fighters.
This is an easy route.
Good for birdwatching
Thank you for this route.

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Philippe COULOT
Philippe COULOT

Thank you.
Enjoy your future walks.
kind regards

Machine-translated

pailooe
pailooe

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 31, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant and easy walk.

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sunshine
sunshine
• Edited:

White road and highway, no footpaths, trails or wooded charm. Oh well; no interest except for the blue hollow itself, and even then...

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Philippe COULOT
Philippe COULOT

Hike created in 2019, so yes, the route may have changed.
Enjoy your walk
Kind regards.

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wiloucaramel
wiloucaramel

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The blue hollow is ideal for a picnic, as it is quiet and shaded. However, the hike itself is not particularly interesting. There are sections with tall grass (watch out for ticks) and a path that has been widened by tree felling, making it less shaded than we had hoped. We did the hike in bright sunshine and 30-degree heat, so it was quite warm :-)

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