The Reculées de Baume-les-Messieurs

This route will give you an overview of these great glacial valleys of the Jura.

Details

26938
Creation:
Last update:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 25.97 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 9h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 770 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 769 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 527 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 265 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Just at the entrance to Nevy-sur-Seille, park in the car park by the Seille river.

(S/E) From the car park, take the path on the other side of the D70, markedGR®59Dand with red and white signposts. It climbs towards Château-Chalon.

(1) At the top of this valley, follow theGR®59to the right towards Blois-sur-Seille.

(2) In Blois-sur-Seille, take the first street on the right marked "GR®" and start a steep climb. Once at the top, you can go to the viewpoint just after the lift station.

(3) Return to theGR® and follow it to the right to Granges-de-Baume, ignoring all the paths at the various intersections. You can reach the viewpoint near the cheese dairy (beautiful view of Baume-les-Messieurs).

(4) At Granges-de-Baume, follow the D 210 along the cliffs, still following theGR® markings for about 1,500 metres, until you reach a car park.

(5) Leave theGR® and turn right, following the path marked "Croix de Suchot" and "Belvédère".

(6) Take the poorly marked path on the left that runs along the cliff and follow it until you reach the end of the Aldegrin valley.

(7) Rejoin theGR®59to reach the summit of the Baume and Belvédère valley.

(8) Leave theGR®59and descend the steps leading to the Grottes de Baume.

(9) Continue.

(10) Go under the tufa waterfalls and cross to the left bank of the Dard. After Baume, rejoin theGR®59on the same bank.

(11) Cross the Dard.

(12) Continue opposite on the hillside, climbing straight up to the top until you reach a road.

(13) Leave theGR®59by turning right and follow the road to a large farm (sign saying "attention aux chiens" [beware of dogs]).

(14) Continue right on the unpaved path and follow it to a bridge, cross it and immediately turn left. Follow this path to the car park at the entrance to Nevy-sur-Seille (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 265 m - Parking at the edge of the - Seille (Affluent de la Saône)
  2. 1 : km 1.43 - alt. 451 m - Summit of Combe
  3. 2 : km 5.25 - alt. 316 m - First right. Cross the - Seille (Affluent de la Saône)
  4. 3 : km 6.25 - alt. 499 m - Lift station
  5. 4 : km 11.43 - alt. 494 m - Follow the D 210
  6. 5 : km 12.98 - alt. 498 m - Take the Croix de Suchot road
  7. 6 : km 13.55 - alt. 499 m - Follow the cliff on the left - Belvédère de Suchot
  8. 7 : km 14.77 - alt. 509 m - GR59 junction
  9. 8 : km 16.92 - alt. 491 m - Belvédère des Roches de Baume
  10. 9 : km 17.43 - alt. 403 m - Grottes de Baume
  11. 10 : km 17.54 - alt. 376 m - Cascades de Tuf sur le Dard
  12. 11 : km 19.27 - alt. 313 m - Dard (torrent) - Affluent de la Seille
  13. 12 : km 21.04 - alt. 295 m - Take the hillside opposite
  14. 13 : km 22.24 - alt. 484 m - GR crossroads
  15. 14 : km 23.13 - alt. 493 m - At the farm
  16. S/E : km 25.97 - alt. 265 m - Car park on the banks of the Seille

Notes

Toilets and water point in Granges-de-Baume
Toilets and water point at the Grottes site

This route passes through a protected area, which may be subject to special regulations:

Worth a visit

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 35 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.1 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
SHERMAN69
SHERMAN69
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Magnificent tour!

The start, with the vine-covered hills of Château-Chalon, is reminiscent of Tuscany. The passage through Blois-sur-Seille is relaxing and timeless. Reaching Granges de Beaume isn't the best part, but it's necessary for what comes next.

Walking through the remote valleys around Baume-Les-Messieurs is impressive. The path between the Croix de Suchot (Point 6) and the viewpoint (Point 8) is an initiation. The view from the viewpoint is magnificent! So are the steps leading down. Reaching Baume-Les-Messieurs allows you to recover.
This is because the 2.5 km climb (Point 12) that follows is difficult and not clear (there were trees across the path and brambles/nettles everywhere when I went). The start of this climb runs alongside a small farm (the yellow markings between points 11 and 12 are difficult to see).

The Tuscan-style summit is worth the detour. The descent to Nevy-Sur-Seille allows you to recover, although it will be long for those who have used up too much energy.

The difficulty lies in managing the elevation gain and staying hydrated/nourished given the distance.
So, if you don't feel up to it, it's best to listen to your body.

As a keen sportsman, I completed it in 6½ hours with a few quick breaks.
If I return to the region, I hope to do it again in trail mode for fun.

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FREGIS
FREGIS

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Very good route, very enjoyable. The Beaune les Messieurs circus section with the waterfall and cave is magnificent. The colours of the water are simply incredible.

The difficulty level is very reasonable, but be careful not to underestimate the 26 km distance when starting again in spring. Keep in mind the 770 m elevation gain.

There are public toilets in Château-Chalon, Grange sur Beaune and at the waterfall, where you can fill up your water bottles.

We just extended the route because it doesn't go through Château-Chalon, which is a real shame. We deviated from the itinerary to visit one of the most beautiful villages in France. Allow an extra 2 km.

I recommend stopping off to enjoy some homemade ice cream in Beaune-les-Messieurs in the little restaurant opposite the entrance to the abbey (on the other side of the road), where they have a truly delicious blackcurrant sorbet.

So I did this hike with my two teenagers; 28 km in 6 hours and 55 minutes on 27/04/2025, which was great!

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fredosteph
fredosteph

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Watch out for the dog near the farm. I managed to get past, but it wasn't very reassuring.
Watch out for ticks too, there's a lot of paths in the tall grass
But very pretty hike🤩

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Fab.L
Fab.L
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike despite quite a few sections on roads. I did it over two days with a bivouac.
There are beautiful things to see and discover if you have time.
Best done in summer or dry weather as some sections of the trail are slippery and muddy at this time of year (February).

One small hiccup for me: you cross quite a few farms and a large dog that wasn't on a leash forced me to take a detour and then cross some cow fields to get back on the trail 😅

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Gégé 21
Gégé 21

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 12, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb hike. Magnificent landscapes. 7.5 hours without breaks.
However, I had to use the app to find my way a few times.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful route.

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Emeline 54
Emeline 54

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 14, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Route mapped using GPS coordinates with Map on your phone: matches the information provided on the information sheet.
Remember to bring a portable charger to recharge your phone (there is network coverage throughout the route, which is handy 👍)
It took us 9 hours and 20 minutes to complete this hike: we are beginners.
The elevation changes were particularly challenging at the beginning and end of the route: make sure you have good shoes!
The views were magnificent: at the Belvédère and the Suchot cross, as well as the Tufs waterfalls (they were dry when we went), where you can visit the caves (there is an entrance fee, adult admission is €9.50 for a 1-hour guided tour covering 1 km, temperature 11 degrees, ticket office located at the Tufs waterfall, surrounded by a park with a refreshment stand and toilets. We didn't visit the cave because there was a 2-hour wait).
The trail runs through the forest at an altitude of 534 metres at its highest point, overlooking the villages and winding its way over the large rocks of Baume les Messieurs
There are also sections on departmental roads.
there are two drinking water points on the route.
We recommend this circuit for walkers, even beginners (like us!!! 💪😁) who want to push themselves a little...
Good luck to those who want to give it a go!
We came out exhausted but proud and in awe of the beautiful landscapes we encountered! 🥰🤗

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dayson
dayson

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 14, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful route suitable for average walkers.

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Gaulliard
Gaulliard

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful route with some real challenges, so be sure to come physically prepared. Granges sur Beaume is ideally located along the route and offers a warm welcome, clean toilets and a table for a snack.

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josettechagnon
josettechagnon

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 22, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Nice route, not too difficult, lots of views

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Bugs78
Bugs78

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Until the first half, the route is not very appealing. After that, it is magnificent.
Be careful on the first two climbs, which are quite tough, especially if you are carrying a backpack.
We completed the circuit in 10 hours with backpacks for bivouacking, so we were carrying a heavy load

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jeff randonneur
jeff randonneur

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 27, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

This hike, including a snack break and stops at the caves and waterfall, took almost 10 hours. We left Nevy-sur-Seille at 8:20 a.m. and returned at 6:10 p.m. I would rate it as difficult ++. The distance indicated is less than the actual distance (at point 11, I had walked 2 km more). I couldn't check at the end of the hike because my smartphone battery had died. We only had the description downloaded from the website, which caused us a problem at point 11. We missed the sign at point 11 and lost time trying to find the small path that climbs towards point 12. Advice for future hikers on this route: set off very early (before 8 a.m.), be well trained and take an IGN map with you, which is a bonus on this type of hike. We have fond memories of it, but we did suffer.

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QntnCat
QntnCat

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 12, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

This route is ideal for observing the reculée from several different vantage points.
There are three notable difficulties corresponding to the climbs up to the plateaus: on leaving Nevy, on leaving Blois-sur-Seille and after point 11.
There are points of interest all along the route, but most of the distance is covered on small roads or wide, open paths. It's a bit monotonous.

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Anna479
Anna479

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 27, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The route of this hike is truly magnificent. There are a few difficult climbs on the plateaus, but most of the time the terrain is flat. It's really nice to arrive at the Tufs waterfall via the cliffs. There are some beautiful spots to eat between numbers 6 and 7.
However, you really need to be careful between numbers 10 and 11. The signposts can point in several directions and the description given on Visorando is not precise enough. You really need to follow the route on the map.

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Christian.Baillet
Christian.Baillet

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 17, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Short, easy hike with beautiful views. Be careful of slippery conditions on the descent from the cirque.

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Vuillot
Vuillot

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 12, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful walk starting from Arbois via the belvédère with views of the Bresse, follow the Rivière aux Planches and the Cuisance to its source, passing by the beautiful fan-shaped waterfall. Return to the Planches, passing by the hotel on the right, climb to the top of the horseshoe towards Pupillin, and return to Arbois, a total of 20 kilometres

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