Les Gras walks

From Les Gras, you will climb through beautiful, clear forests to the Rochers du Cerf ridge trail and its many viewpoints over the discreet Théverot valley, Mont Châteleu and the Swiss mountains. Return via the Swiss pastures and their concert of cowbells.

Passing through beautiful pine forests, you will walk along a small gorge, home to waterfalls where the rotation of pebbles has carved the soft rock over thousands of years, forming basins known as chaudières in our Haut-Doubs region. Then, passing isolated farms nestled in the hollows of the pastures and surrounded by our good old Montbéliard cows, you will reach a panorama stretching south-west over the Chasseron, the Suchet, the Gras topped by the Rochers du Cerf, Switzerland to the south and, in fine weather, Mont Blanc.

Rousseau once wrote «I have, opposite my windows, a beautiful waterfall which from the mountain top, plunges from a rocky escarpment into the valley, with a sound heard for miles around, especially when waters are high». From waterfall to waterfall, alongside these impressively steep gorges which once inspired fear (poëta from the latin putidus meaning "altered, fetid"), this trail will lead you through a delightful hike through rocks and water.

Short loop through the fields (no gates to open) on horseback, with the option of staying at the Brin d'Herbe equestrian lodge. Please note: this route is only possible when the hay has just been cut and the grass in the meadows is short.

Starting from the Brin d'Herbe equestrian lodge, enjoy an unusual hike along forest paths, past cows and alpine landscapes. There is a magnificent view from the Ferme des Miroirs road, from where you can even see the Alps if the weather is not too cloudy! Enjoy a refreshing break or a good meal at the Les Papillons restaurant before returning through fields and forests. NB: as this hike crosses several cow pastures, please be sure to dismount, open and, above all, close any gates you come across.

During this first stage, after the tedious climb up the 14 contours, you will be rewarded by the local geological curiosity, the Creux du Van. This Swiss version of the "Grand Canyon" is a large rocky cirque 1.5 km long and 200 m high. At Soliat, you will enjoy a splendid panorama of Lake Neuchâtel.

This magnificent route passes through peaceful forests, along long ridges and steep cliffs. Every day offers panoramic views of the peaks of the Alps, the lakes of Neuchâtel, Geneva and Joux, and curiosities such as the great Cirque du Creux du Van.

The goal for this second stage is to climb Chasseron. This rocky cliff offers breathtaking views of Lake Neuchâtel and, further south, Lake Geneva. You will also enjoy views of numerous Alpine peaks in the distance, rising up from the horizon.

Set off to explore the Barchet Pond and its peat bog. This vast wetland is a remarkable reservoir of biodiversity. Its soil, permanently saturated with stagnant water, deprives the microorganisms responsible for decomposing organic matter of the oxygen they need for their metabolism. The plant litter mineralises slowly and partially. It then accumulates gradually, forming a poorly decomposed or undecomposed deposit: peat.

The Saut du Doubs is a major tourist attraction in the region. This hike will allow you to discover it and also enjoy the surrounding landscapes, continuing on to the Chatelot dam.

This walk is a marvellous way to explore the beautiful Saut du Doubs.

The highest point of the Montagne du Larmont, the Grand Taureau, at an altitude of 1,323 metres, offers a panoramic view of Pontarlier, the Loue Valley, the Jura mountains (the Aiguilles de Baulmes, the Knoll, the Mont d'Or), the Alps and Mont Blanc in good weather. This well-balanced route allows you to enjoy the coolness of beautiful pine forests and the sunshine of these alpine pastures dotted with gentians, accompanied by the music of our cowbells.

Pass through pastures dotted with gentians and friendly, cuddly horses, then through cool fir forests with slender trees to discover Fort Malher and Château de Joux overlooking the valley with all the imposing severity of a medieval watchtower.

From the picturesque village of Bizot, with its farms, courthouse and 16th-century church, the route takes you up a superb steep ridge path to the ruins of Réaumont Castle. You return via the peat bogs, skirting piles of stones gathered from fields and the Étang des Belles Seignes lake.

This is a well-marked mountain bike trail. Number 80.A very varied and technical circuit, very interesting from a mountain biking point of view.