The Bernese Alps and the Étang du Moulin

From Bonnétage church, you will quickly climb up to the viewpoint on the plateau and, in the distance, the snow-capped peaks of the Bernese Alps. You will cross pastures lined with murgers, charming dry stone walls, and fir forests typical of the Haut-Doubs, walk along deep sinkholes, descend into the hollow of the peat bog and finally, from a rocky ridge, overlook the vast Etang du Moulin lake.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.77 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 177 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 182 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 973 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 863 m

Photos

Description of the walk

(S) Parking in front of the church in Bonnétage, Village Haut. Yellow and blue signposts.

Opposite the church, turn left, follow the cemetery wall and go around it on the right. At the wooden farm building, go up to the left towards the water tower for the orientation table and the view of the snow-capped peaks of the Bernese Alps, rising to 4,200 metres.

(1). Head back down towards the shed and turn left onto the beautiful stone path lined with rose hips, which soon becomes a simple dirt track crossing a pasture. You will enter the woods via a small log footbridge.

(2) About a hundred metres further on, you can turn left through the woods for about fifty metres to approach the ridge and a wild viewpoint over the Dessoubre valley. Three hundred metres further on, the path approaches a meadow on the right, ideal for a picnic while enjoying the view of the Saint-Juilien-les-Russey valley. You can enter by easily stepping over an old, loose fence.

(3) The path becomes stony and joins a small tarmac road which you take on the right towards Boucle 44, passing in front of a chapel and returning to Saint-Julien. At the small square at the bottom of Chemin du Pré Lessus, turn left. You pass a beautiful fountain and a pretty Comtois farmhouse, continuing straight on the D236 towards Frambouans.

(4) On leaving the village, head towards Les Fontenelles on the right. At the end of the housing estate, shortly after entering a copse, turn right onto the path that cuts across the bend. After 200 metres, turn right onto the stony path towards Étang du Moulin.

(5) This road forks at the foot of a signpost. Continue straight ahead towards Boucle 44. Before entering the forest, someone has written in crude letters on the gate : "No entry by municipal order of 2012. Risk of rockfall." However, there are no signs bearing official recommendations! We encountered no danger, but please be careful nonetheless. This is the least attractive part of the walk, as the woods are a bit overgrown and the path is muddy in places. However, you will walk alongside deep, beautiful sinkholes on your left.

(6) You will come out of the woods at a shed. Turn left and follow the edge of the woods until you reach a signpost inviting you to turn right into the woods towards the Creugnots peat bog.

(7) Soon after the signpost, turn right onto the wooden pontoon. Dogs must be kept on a leash. At the end of the pontoon, return to the signpost and head left (towards Crête au-dessus de l'étang), following the signs, crossing two farm tracks and then following the edge of the woods. On the ridge, there is a beautiful view of the pond, the Village Haut and the neighbouring mountains. The path leads to a stony track which you follow downhill to the right. At the end of the woods, the road becomes tarmac.

(8) After the first houses in the hamlet of Longue Seigne, when the road turns left at a right angle, look out for the signpost on the right, heading towards the fence, inviting you to enter the pasture by climbing a small log ladder. continue straight ahead for about 200 metres, climb over the next fence and immediately turn right, following it until you reach the path to the Étang du Moulin.

(9) Cross the road at the signpost and continue along the path that cuts across the first bend, towards Bonnétage. At the end of the second bend, at a signpost, go down to the right into the field. At the stop sign, turn left onto the D236 for about ten metres and turn right into the meadow, following the dry stone wall (sign on the departmental road, half faded). You will come to a stony path which you will follow back up towards the village.

(10) Turn right onto Rue du Village Bas. Go up to the statue of the Virgin Mary and go around it on the right. At the signs for Rue du Seignoule and Village Haut, turn left into the no-entry road and follow the signs to the church.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 944 m - Bonnétage
  2. 1 : km 0.28 - alt. 973 m - View of the Bernese Alps
  3. 2 : km 1.75 - alt. 948 m - Le Côtard
  4. 3 : km 2.6 - alt. 881 m - Chapel
  5. 4 : km 3.06 - alt. 868 m - St-Julien-les-Russey
  6. 5 : km 4.19 - alt. 875 m - Hike fork
  7. 6 : km 5.45 - alt. 878 m - Moulin pond
  8. 7 : km 5.7 - alt. 878 m - Creugnots peat bog
  9. 8 : km 7.47 - alt. 916 m - Longe Seigne
  10. 9 : km 7.97 - alt. 905 m - Chemin de l'Étang du Moulin
  11. 10 : km 9.06 - alt. 885 m - Bonnétage
  12. S/E : km 9.77 - alt. 944 m - Bonnétage

Notes

The paths are slippery in places. Good footwear is essential and walking sticks are recommended.

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 29 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
Praïa25
Praïa25

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful route, without any difficulties and easy to follow.
The weather was superb (sunshine, blue skies) with a light breeze.
One regret at the start: too much fog and no view of the Alps. But on arrival, we were "spoiled" and climbed back up to the viewpoint with the orientation table. This is a bit dated but would benefit from a more recent addition nearby.

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monnin gilles
monnin gilles

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

it's a very beautiful walk, provided the weather is nice and it's winter so you can see the Alps

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Mamie Joce
Mamie Joce

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful view away from the trail at the start of the hike. 👍

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momo8825
momo8825

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 29, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An easy route, pleasant but without any particular points of interest. What I particularly appreciated during this hike was the Visorando app on my smartphone, which I was using for the first time on this route and which allowed me to do without paper completely, while still being very accurate!

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andrejandot
andrejandot

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 07, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The route description allows you to complete the hike without any particular problems.

This is a valuable aid, especially for people who do not live in the area

Well presented.

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Alain 25
Alain 25

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 09, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The route is very pleasant and relatively varied. However, I was disappointed that the map accompanying the description was rendered illegible by black squares. I had to use an IGN map.

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OcéNellMath
OcéNellMath

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 23, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A tip for those who struggle with climbs: find a place to park a little before the church and start with the big climb up to the church, because normally it's at the end, but I find it easier to start with the climb than to finish with it, especially after three hours of walking, especially if it's hot. We got caught out the first time, but not the second time, haha
And regarding the viewpoint between the start and point 1 of the water tower, be careful not to miss it, as the viewpoint from point 2 is difficult to see. For point 6, go to the left of the barrier just after the hangar and don't go into the field to find the marked path.

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Le Garenne 25
Le Garenne 25

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 13, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely route with views from the ridges (two ridges to follow).
No difficulty, we did it today in very dry weather and I would recommend it now: in wet weather, the woods must be a nightmare, but at the moment it's fine and well shaded for most of the loop.
So, this is a short walk that is recommended at the start or end of summer and during dry periods.
Be careful, hunting season has just started, but we only heard two distant gunshots between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Remember to download the map if you're using the smartphone app, as there's no network coverage on part of the route.
Thanks to the contributor.

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Le sexagénaire
Le sexagénaire

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 15, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Recommended for families

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svermotd
svermotd

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 22, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A beautiful hike with lovely views. Very accessible and very pleasant.

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Sager
Sager

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 16, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

a very beautiful hike with unobstructed views of the Bernese Alps.
the mill pond is also worth seeing.

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georges 25
georges 25

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

a beautiful, well-shaded, easy hike, despite a slight incline towards the end
we ate by the pond, which was a very pleasant spot
although we were at an altitude of 900 metres, we still felt quite warm
to get back up to the church where we had parked
we'll do it again in the autumn, perhaps in reverse!

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Chti25
Chti25

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 30, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hike completed this Sunday morning with friends. The route was very well signposted and pleasant, with plenty of shaded areas. No notable difficulties, except for the sun, which was still quite warm in the uncovered sections. Beautiful scenery. We will definitely do it again with our grandchildren. Thank you again.

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Ramabugy
Ramabugy

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 23, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Very good explanations. Very limited view of the mill pond due to the foliage of the trees. Perhaps best to visit in spring or autumn.
However, the route is very pleasant and varied.

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longevelle
longevelle

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 04, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

I had planned to take a group of hikers there on 4 April, but 30 cm of snow fell (altitude 945 m). During my reconnaissance on 26 March, I noted that you had to pay close attention to get to point (2), which is not marked. At (6), you need to turn left, not right, to enter the woods. Similarly, you need to turn left onto the wooden pontoon. It's a very beautiful hike where I had the pleasure of seeing the snow-covered Bernese Alps at the end of March.

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