The shepherds’ huts and the Bois du Chanay, starting from Mirebel

Start from the car park by Mirebel Church.

(S/E) Head down Rue du Pré to the right, then after 100 m continue to the left along the wall of the Petit Château park. At the bottom, take Grande Rue to the left for 30 m, then turn right onto Chemin des Grosses Pierre. Join Route de la Marre.

(1) Immediately turn right onto the^first unpaved track and follow it for 700 m until you reach a Fork in the road.

(2) Follow the white track to the left for 200 m and turn left onto a woodland path. At the next fork, turn right, continue for 350 m and turn left onto a lovely woodland path for 1 km.

(3) At Route de La Marre, continue left for 300 m and take the white track on the right. After 250 m of gentle descent, carry on straight ahead. Before the field, turn left into the woods, then after 150 m, take the grassy track on the right.

(4) Enter the area of the Mirebel shepherds’ huts in a cleared section of woodland. Immediately on the left is the^first shepherds’ hut, which is very deep. Cross the cleared area through the undergrowth and scrub, and opposite the^second hut, turn right. Go past the wall and turn left behind it. Go past the tree or go round it on the left, depending on your trial riding ability. Follow the path as it winds through the area, with another very pretty hut on the left. Further on, look out for the hut on the left as you ride alongside the wall. 100 m after this hut, turn left onto a grassy track, then left again after 200 m.

(5) Go past the wall on the right to enter the coniferous woodland and follow a path that winds between the trees (marked out with dead branches for 250 m). You’ll come out onto a track; first turn left then right to continue along the track, keeping the wall on your left. Push your bike up the wall for 5 m and rejoin a path that winds through the trees (marked with dead branches for 100 m). You’ll reach the remains of the Puits de la ville d’An.

(6) On your right, you’ll see the remains of the well from the town of An.
An was a town that existed in this area in the Middle Ages; the walls and this well are part of the town’s ruins.
Continue along the path for 200 m and emerge from the forest onto a dirt track.

(7) Continue to the right for a round trip to a remarkable shepherd’s hut, 100 m to the right, then 100 m to the left across the field. The hut is situated behind the large wall dividing the field in two.
Please take care to cycle in single file through the cultivated field.

(8) Return to the previous crossroads and continue straight ahead.

(7) On your return, as you emerge from the woods, take the dirt track on the left for 900 m. When you reach the crossroads, turn right and continue for 300 m. Turn right onto a field track and, after 700 m, turn right through the gap in the hedge, then follow the path on the left which runs through the middle of the hedge. Follow the path through the hedge and the woods for 450 m.

(9) On your left, you’ll see three huts, notable for being built into the rock face. Follow the woodland path for 300 metres and turn right onto the white path; then, after 200 metres, turn left onto a magnificent woodland path. When you emerge into a cleared area, cross straight ahead and rejoin the lovely little path.

(10) Look out for a hut 10 metres to your right that is in danger of collapsing and has been secured. Leave the woods and emerge onto a white track. Continue to the right, following the edge of the woods, then back into the woods. After 150 metres, go up the wooden path on the right and continue for 1 km.
At the junction of the dirt tracks, turn left, then after 400 m turn right.

(11) At the T-junction, continue to the left. At the three-way junction, veer to the right, pass by the La Goutte farm and emerge onto the Route de La Marre. Follow it to the left for 350 m.

(12) At the left-hand bend, turn right at a 90° angle and follow the path into the forest. At the small fork, turn right and follow the woodland paths. After 400 m, turn right at a 90° angle, then after 50 m, left at a 90° angle, and after 150 m, left at a 90° angle.
Climb and then descend for 700 m, then turn 90° to the right, stepping over a small fallen tree. Climb for 600 m until you come out onto a white track.

(13) Turn left onto the white track, then after 500 metres, turn right onto a track leading into the woods and, at the next fork, turn left. After leaving the woods, turn right onto a slightly uphill track and head towards Bonnefontaine.

(14) At the cross, take Rue Juive to the right for 100 m and continue left towards the last house. Walk past it on your left. Enter the woods and, after 100 m, turn right onto a lovely woodland path. Continue straight on for 800 m (enjoy the ride on your mountain bike).

(15) Towards Le Patouillet, turn right onto the woodland track towards Mirebel and continue straight on along this very pleasant woodland track for 1.7 km. Reach the junction you took on the way there and continue along the white track for 200 m.

(2) Leave the path you took on the way there and turn left. At the Bonnefontaine road, keep right towards Mirebel. At the entrance to the village, near a cross, take Rue du Pré on the left, which climbs diagonally.

(16) After climbing 150 m, look out for the Youto on your left with its tuyé. It is said to be the only one in the Jura. Tuyés are very common in the Haut Doubs and were used for smoking hams.
On your right, take a peek through the gates of the little Château de Mirebel and its well in the middle of the courtyard.
Walk up Rue du Pré to the church (S/E).

(S/E) The thatched roof of Mirebel Church.
(6) The village of An with its well.
(4) to (10) The shepherds’ huts.
(16) The Youto and its Tuyé, and the little castle.
See explanations of all these points of interest in the PDF “Les curiositées” on the website [Les Randos des 4 Châteaux
|http://www.randos4chateaux.fr/], on the ‘Routes’ page.