The lovely countryside of Velleclaire and Bucey-lès-Gy

The municipality of Velleclaire is divided into two parts by the D474 road: an upper section on the Route de Vantoux and a lower section on the other side, featuring a small wooded area.
It is this lower part that you will explore.

This small village of 105 inhabitants is home to a charming 19th-century chapel. The settlement consists mainly of farmhouses, some of which have beautiful cellar entrances and very interesting architectural features.

Details

606975
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.41 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 230 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 223 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 390 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 241 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Parking along Rue Basse de Velleclaire
(S/E) Follow Rue Basse towards the village exit and turn right onto Chemin de Pagot

(1) Take a stony path on the left that runs alongside the meadows. When you see a water tower on the left, enter the meadow (unfenced).

(2) Walk along the edge of the woods until you come to a grassy path. Turn right to enter the copse. From there, follow the path worn by hikers and pass through several barbed-wire gates to cross the various meadows.
This path winds through the grassy areas (with brambles alternating with grass on either side). At the only path junction, head down to your left and continue across the dry grass.

(3) After leaving the last grassy area, you’ll reach a road; take it to the right and turn off a little further on at the hairpin bend. Stay on this road until you reach the D183.

(4) Turn left onto it and, when you reach a shed, follow the road to the left until you reach a monument.

(5) Take the path on the left immediately after to enter the woods. Turn onto the first path on the right; this section involves a fair climb and leads to a lovely viewpoint.

(6) After a short break, continue along the same path until you reach a road again; follow this road to the right for a short distance.

(7) At the first bend, turn left onto a path at the edge of the woods and head back into the woods a little further to the left. The grassy path may not have been mown. Continue gently along this path.

(8) Then turn right onto a path leading to the Ferme des Combes. Follow this stony path.

(9) Then turn onto a path on the left which leads back down to the plain.

(10) At the junction with a road, take it on the right and walk gently downhill towards the village. At a crossroads, turn left and head towards Rue Basse (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 242 m - Parking on Rue Basse in Velleclaire
  2. 1 : km 0.44 - alt. 244 m - Gravel path
  3. 2 : km 0.9 - alt. 282 m - Edge of the woods
  4. 3 : km 2.54 - alt. 285 m - Exit from pasture
  5. 4 : km 3.52 - alt. 244 m - Turn left onto the D283. Cross the - Morthe (rivière) - Affluent de la Saône
  6. 5 : km 4.78 - alt. 278 m - Monument
  7. 6 : km 5.76 - alt. 347 m - Viewpoint
  8. 7 : km 6.22 - alt. 346 m - Path along the edge of the woods
  9. 8 : km 6.73 - alt. 330 m - Path leading uphill
  10. 9 : km 8.46 - alt. 351 m - Path leading back down
  11. 10 : km 9.54 - alt. 271 m - Junction with the road
  12. S/E : km 10.41 - alt. 241 m - Parking on Rue Basse in Velleclaire

Notes

Take care at the barbed wire gates; ensure they are properly closed

Worth a visit

A small chapel built in 1841 stands by the side of the main road.

The meadows of Bucey-les-Gy and the plains of Velleclaire.

The information board with a lovely view.

A few kilometres from the village lies the hamlet of Les Malbuissons, which belongs to this parish.
On the way to this hamlet, there is a sinkhole known as the “Gouffre de Fourouse”, whose opening turns into a veritable torrent during heavy rain. (You will pass very close by when you reach the point (9)).

Reviews and comments

3.8 / 5
Based on 9 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.7 / 5
Route interest
4 / 5
GISORANDO
GISORANDO

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

We also had a bit of trouble between points 2 and 3 because we didn’t spot the path along the edge of the woods straight away…
The dry grass was very dry and the grass very tall, making it difficult to cross this area.
For us, there was a bit of a road to follow, but there was certainly no other way to reach point 5 of the walk.
If we hadn’t had the GPS, it wouldn’t always have been obvious just from the description.

Machine-translated

THENON
THENON

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 04, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk when the mountains are less accessible. The route description should mention that it’s best to head straight from point 2 to point 9, and from there make your way to point 3. This will save you from having to find your way through the woods, which can be a bit of a hassle.
As for the weather, bear in mind that this is a damp area and that fog can be persistent if there’s no wind >>> check the forecast.

Machine-translated

michele loigerot
michele loigerot

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

It was a bit of a struggle between points 2 and 3; I couldn’t spot the path along the woods, so I went down through the meadow and followed the edge of the maize field, reaching point 3 via the forest, the Combes farm, and point 8. This is a hike best done in spring to find that path between points 2 and 3!
There really is a lovely view at point 6; a nice walk all the same, thanks!

Machine-translated

Caroline Sennecey Rando
Caroline Sennecey Rando

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 09, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We didn’t hike the ‘Jolie campagne de Velleclaire’ route, but instead took the ‘Sentier des pelouses’ trail, which starts in Roche, a hamlet of Bucey-lès-Gy.

A very pleasant walk with lovely views.

Machine-translated

richardd
richardd

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 08, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A lovely walk amidst the lush vegetation bursting into life at the start of spring

Machine-translated

maryvonne.guinchard
maryvonne.guinchard

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 28, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Hello,
I went on the walk today, but I’d like to point out that at point 6, if you turn left onto the small road, you need to quickly take a path on the right that leads to the Ferme des Combes. That’s what we did, relying on the map.
As we spent a bit of time looking around, trying to find our way and then asking local passers-by, we went down to Velleclaire to the starting point via the path opposite the farm, on the advice of the owner. We therefore arrived in the village before nightfall.
It is nonetheless a pleasant walk through the meadows.

Machine-translated

rando25870
rando25870

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 03, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A lovely walk.
Point 6: turn right, not left (but if you look at the route map, you can’t go wrong!)
Point 9: poorly signposted. I missed it! But if you carry on to the road and then turn left, you’ll find Velleclaire
Directions up to point 9 + map: hard to get lost.

Machine-translated

le glaude
le glaude

In reply to gazok54. Point 1: found a gate secured with a chain. Then passed under some barbed wire to reach the edge of the woods.
Point 5: Upon reaching the monument (a cross), we took the path opposite which climbs to the left. No further landmarks. We joined the path towards the caravan through orchards. Then, we reached point 10 via a path between fields and crops. Duration and distance are roughly the same.

Machine-translated

gazok54
gazok54 ★

Thanks, you idiot
Clearly, you should always take the route description and map (PDF) with you when you set off on a hike suggested by Visorando.
If you have any ideas for improving the route description, we’d love to hear them.

Machine-translated

le glaude
le glaude

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 03, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

Hikers: make sure you bring a compass and a map for this unmarked route. Pay close attention to the route description.
This route is of little interest.

Machine-translated

bibi
bibi ★

Thank you for your feedback. Please do let us know where you found the description difficult to understand and if you have any suggestions for improving it.
Kind regards

Machine-translated

jochris
jochris

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 19, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

an interesting route because it offers less experienced walkers a shorter and less demanding option for climbing the Monts de Gy than the official ‘Pelouses sèches’ route starting from Bucey-lès-Gy

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.