Belvoir Castle and the Hautes Roches

Motorhome parking, at the foot of the Saint-Maximin Chapel, 1.2 km from the village centre. Yellow and blue markings.

(S/E) Climb up to the chapel to see a beautiful carved cherub’s head at the back and a fine altar. Head right towards the junction and go down the D21 towards the village, quickly taking the stony path on the left. There is a lovely view of the castle and, on the left, in the valley, of the Basilica of Sainte-Jeanne-Antide.

You arrive in the village at the hairpin bend in Rue des Noyers. Head down to the left, then straight on into Rue de la Fontaine, until you reach the magnificent 14th-century market halls and the wine press. On the right, at the foot of a flight of steps, there is a beautiful porch topped by a Latin inscription and a carved niche dating from 1591.

(1) Continue along Rue de la Fontaine, taking the time to admire the beautiful houses. At the wooden wayside shrine, leave the D21 (Grande Rue) on your right, continuing straight on until you reach the village exit, then climb up to the right to the Church of Saint-Nicolas. Take the small staircase, then turn left towards the castle walls along a stony path that soon veers sharply to the right.

(2) Carry on straight ahead to the foot of the tower to admire the backside of the ‘Mâdje Fâ’, that curious figure supporting the watchtower, poised to hurl some smelly ammunition at the attackers. For those unfamiliar with the local dialect, I’ll translate: ‘Damn it, I’m doing it! ”. Turn back and follow the walls to the left until you reach the castle entrance. Head right for 200 metres and turn left down the stony path for about a hundred metres. You’ll come to a fork in the road.

(3) You have two options:

• Continue to the right along this stony path for a return trip to the Chapel of Sainte-Anne.
• Head down, as indicated below, along the middle path, joining a signposted trail that will take you on a lovely circular route through the hillsides.

You’ll reach a crossroads a little further down. Turn sharp right. You’ll walk alongside a metal fence and the edge of the woods for quite a while (gates to open and close) before coming out onto pastureland. When the path enters the woods again, leave it and climb up to the right. The path quickly turns right and you follow the beautiful ridge line to the chapel, with lovely views of the castle and the Val de Sancey, amongst the sheep and goats.

(4) Head back along the stony path to reach the village, which you leave by turning left. View of the Lomont wind turbines. At Le Bouillet, go past the T-junction for about a hundred metres until you reach the stony path on the right.

(5) Turn right, passing the hunting lodge. Continue (towards circular loop No. 5) across the field, keeping as close as possible to the edge of the woods until you reach its right-hand corner. Then enter the woods. On leaving the woods, continue to follow the edge for about a hundred metres, looking out for a clearing on the right, passing the fence to approach the ledge cautiously over the superb little cove of the Ruisseau de Froidevaux. Caution! Unsafe viewpoint.

(6) Keep following the edge as closely as possible and, after a short descent, you will reach the inviting Fontaine du Chêne, which turns out to be a large metal trough. But the wooded setting at the bottom of this little valley is no less charming.

(7) Leave the woods via a zigzagging path and head downhill along the edge opposite the Hautes Roches. Opposite these beautiful rocks, the path merges with the pasture. Cross over there (signpost in the centre), heading towards the foot of the cliffs to find the start of a forest track that runs alongside the Ruisseau de Froidevaux. As you approach the farms of Montagney, you’ll find yourself back in the pastures. Follow the fence and exit through the metal gate.

(8) Head up the small tarmac road to the right until you reach the edge of the woods. Turn round for a lovely view of the valley. Take care to spot the barely visible little path on the left which leads you to the lovely track (a cart track) that climbs along the edge of the woods. You’ll come back to the small road, heading up it to the left and, at the junction, left again, until you reach the Chapel of Saint-Maximin (S/E).

(2) The authorised visit to Mâdje Fâ is on the castle’s private estate. Do not go any further than this short round trip.

(4) and (5) Picnic tables. At point (5), the hunting lodge is open and, it seems, available for use by walkers.

(6) Please note, the viewpoint is not secured.

The Belvoir market halls and its oil mill: first mentioned in 1314, they were used for fairs until the end of the 19th century. Neglected and used as a warehouse, they underwent a fine restoration in 1980. The market halls contain an animal-powered oil mill.

(2) Belvoir Castle: built at the end of the 12th century, it was purchased in 1955 by the famous painter Pierre Jouffroy; it underwent a painstaking restoration lasting nearly 50 years. Unfortunately devastated by a terrible fire in 1968, it took ten years to restore the building from ruins. It is open to visitors from Easter to All Saints’ Day, every Sunday and on public holidays, and every day from July to August. The tower overlooking the Sancey valley is named Mâdge-Fâ, from the local dialect phrase ‘merde-je-fais’. This figure, supporting the watchtower, is in an unmistakable position. Through the opening, the fortress’s defenders would hurl—I’ll let you guess what—onto the heads of their attackers. It symbolises the defiance and resistance of the lords of Belvoir against the invasion of the County of Burgundy by the French forces of King Louis XI.

(3) The dry grasslands of the Coteaux de Belvoir. They form part of the Doubs’ Sensitive Natural Areas. Developing on very dry limestone slopes, they are home to remarkable flora and fauna. A management plan provides for the restoration of the original grassland. The brochure

(4) The Chapel of Sainte-Anne. Perched above the dry grasslands, it watches over its parishioners—the goats of the hillside—with pious care. It offers a superb view of the castle and the Sancey valley. On a clear day, you can see the peaks of the Jura and the Alps.

(4) The Hautes Roches, with their imposing and majestic silhouette, dominate the charming little wild gorge of the Froidevaux stream, which, a few kilometres downstream, gives rise to the Barbèche. At their feet, you will pass in humble awe before their mineral majesty.