The Rocher du Tourbillon and the Brême Valley

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From Bonnevaux-du-Haut, you’ll descend along lovely paths to the Rocher du Tourbillon viewpoint overlooking the charming little Brême valley, then walk through a beautiful, sun-drenched forest slope and return to the village via sun-drenched pastures with views of the Jura mountains.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 1.98 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 312 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 315 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,791 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,503 ft
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Photos

The Brême Valley
Bonnevaux-du-Bas
The Rocher du Tourbillon

Description of the walk

Car park in front of the town hall in Bonnevaux-le-Prieuré. Yellow and blue markings; some sections are unmarked.

(S/E) Set off along the dead-end road to the left, facing the town hall. Walk past the signpost, heading towards ‘Rocher du Tourbillon’. About a hundred metres further on, near an orchard, leave the road and head down to the left along the lovely forest track, towards ‘Bonnevaux-du-Bas’. Continue past a hairpin bend (about sixty metres) and look out for the path that winds down the wooded hillside to the far right, at the signpost marked ‘Sous la Côte’.

(1) Join the D280 road at a bend, follow it to the right and carry on to the next bend. Continue along the path that climbs to the left until you reach the fork.

(2) Turn left towards the Rocher du Tourbillon. After a wooden gate, you’ll come to the first viewpoint overlooking the lower and upper reaches of the Brême valley. Carry on to the end of the promontory for the second viewpoint, looking out over the upper valley and the Plaisir-Fontaine ravine.

(3) Turn back to the previous fork in the path.

(2) Head left, staying on this lovely, well-marked path, whilst keeping the paths on your right. You’ll soon be walking along the slope of a beautiful, light-filled forest and reach the pastures at a stony track.

(4) Head up to the right along this track. When it turns into a tarmac road at the fork, carry on straight down towards the village. There’s a view of the Jura hills, Mont Mahoux and Mont Poupet. At the stop sign, carry on straight ahead. Turn right at the roundabout, walk past Saint-Marcellin Church (it was open) and head towards the town hall. (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,745 ft - Bonnevaux-le-Prieuré
  2. 1 : mi 0.33 - alt. 1,529 ft - Below La Côte
  3. 2 : mi 0.72 - alt. 1,631 ft - Junction. Return trip to the Rocher du Tourbillon
  4. 3 : mi 0.85 - alt. 1,555 ft - Rocher du Tourbillon
  5. 4 : mi 1.43 - alt. 1,693 ft - The Châtelards pastures
  6. S/E : mi 1.98 - alt. 1,745 ft - Bonnevaux-le-Prieuré

Notes

The route includes ledge paths. The trails are rocky and slippery. Sturdy footwear is essential and the use of walking poles is recommended.

Worth a visit

The Plaisir-Fontaine Cave is nestled at the end of a small ravine, in the heart of a wooded, limestone landscape. Relatively shallow, it offers a chance to observe the shapes carved into the limestone and gain a better understanding of the valley’s karst landscape.

The former priory: Bonnevaux-du-Bas grew up around a priory, of which only a beautiful little chapel remains today, featuring a listed 12th-century bell tower.

Other walks in the area

Walking The Brême Valley: The priory, the Roche du Grand and the castle

Visorando Member
La Vallée de la Brême : Le prieuré, la Roche du Grand et le château
↔8.31 mi ↗+1,348 ft ↘-1,348 ft ◔5h 00 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Bonnevaux-le-Prieuré (Doubs)
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.

Walking The Brême Valley and the Plaisir Fontaine Caves

Visorando Member
La Vallée de la Brême et les Grottes de Plaisir Fontaine
↔7.58 mi ↗+1,093 ft ↘-1,102 ft ◔4h 25 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Bonnevaux-le-Prieuré (Doubs)
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.

Walking Le Saut du Chevalier

Visorando Member
Le Saut du Chevalier
↔4.31 mi ↗+755 ft ↘-725 ft ◔2h 40 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Bonnevaux-le-Prieuré (Doubs)
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.

Walking From Brême to Loue

Visorando Member
De la Brême à la Loue
↔7.64 mi ↗+1,040 ft ↘-1,010 ft ◔4h 25 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Bonnevaux-le-Prieuré (Doubs)
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.

Walking The Plaisir Fontaine Cave

Visorando Member
La Grotte de Plaisir Fontaine
↔3.29 mi ↗+571 ft ↘-574 ft ◔2h 00 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Bonnevaux-le-Prieuré (Doubs)
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.

Walking The Tourbillon Rock

Visorando Member
Le Rocher du Tourbillon
↔5.48 mi ↗+568 ft ↘-551 ft ◔3h 00 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Trépot (Doubs)
You will walk along an old railway line that has been converted into a footpath to reach the Rocher du Tourbillon viewpoint overlooking the charming little valley of La Brême. Return via the plateau with views of the Comté hills and the Hautepierre rock.

Walking Circular La Roche Bottine from Saules

Visorando Member
Boucle de la Roche Bottine depuis Saules
↔5.93 mi ↗+545 ft ↘-522 ft ◔3h 10 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Saules (Doubs)
A lovely walk in the forest with beautiful views of the Loue valley from Ornans to Montgesoye from Roche Lahier and Roche Bottine.

Walking The Ornans corniches from the Château to Notre-Dame du Mont

Visorando Member
Les corniches d'Ornans du Château à Notre-Dame du Mont
↔4.86 mi ↗+325 ft ↘-322 ft ◔2h 30 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Ornans (Doubs)
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.

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