Loray walks

La Roche Barchey, "the pierced rock" in Celtic, where witches of yesteryear celebrated their demonic cult, offers a vast panorama of the Val de Vennes and the Haut-Doubs from its height of 988 metres. You will then descend through the beautiful fir forests of La Joux towards the more Catholic Sainte-Radegonde, who, it is said, fought an evil ghoul, perhaps descended from the rock, on the night of a sabbath, on the site where her chapel was built.

From the foot of a medieval calvary, head towards the Belvédère des Genevois in the small, remote valley of Martinvaux, passing through beautiful pine forests with slender trees. Then descend to the Source de la Reverotte and follow it to the Puits de la Doye and the Grotte de la Baume.

The Reverotte, a tributary of the Dessoubre, is full of charm along its twelve kilometres. You will discover some of its features as you descend from La Sommette towards its mossy and rocky banks.

In 1747, Pierre arrived in the village and settled in a nearby cave on the edge of the cliff, where he lived for 45 years, making tinder from oak agaric mushrooms and carving Christs and Virgins from lime wood for the inhabitants. Discover this viewpoint over the wild Reverotte valley and our cool fir forests. An ideal walk for a beautiful summer afternoon.

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.

A walk around the Cirque de Consolation with a thrilling variety of views and valleys. Beautiful panoramic views and bodies of water on way.

A wild, 350-metre-deep valley, the Cirque de Consolation, framed by magnificent cliffs, is a paradise for hikers and nature lovers. You can discover it from two viewpoints, Chauve Roche at the bottom of the valley and Sainte-Catherine downstream and the old seminary. After a visit to the old priory of Laval, you will climb back up to the plateau, along the aptly named Pissoux, through a superb wild and mossy valley.

An easy walk with little elevation gain, starting and ending on the road and otherwise through the woods. Viewpoint developed from the Château de Cicon. This is a walking trail, but it can also be done by mountain bike or on horseback (preferably in dry, hard terrain). The route is easy.

You will descend along the aptly named Pissoux, through a mossy valley. From the top of a wild and jagged promontory, then from the Roche du Miroir, to the more civilised viewpoint, you will discover the Dessoubre, overlooked by high cliffs, home to chamois and peregrine falcons. Along a charming path winding and weaving between superbly carved rocks, you will cross sunny meadows to reach the Montbéliardot botanical trail, running alongside an old pile of stone gathered from fields.

Hike around Vanclans from the church. This is a walk through woods and meadows. The first open section is between Vanclans and Etray. Take care when crossing the departmental road. The route then continues along a rocky ridge in the woods above Vanclans. The walk passes by the FFI monument in Vanclans with its Liberation cross before descending back to Vanclans.

From the top of the Roche du Miroir, at the viewing point, you can admire the Dessoubre valley, which is overlooked in places by high cliffs, home to chamois and peregrine falcons then, along a charming path winding and weaving between superbly carved rocks, you will cross sunny meadows to reach the Montbéliardot arboretum and its sculptures. Return via La Vie au Loup, skirting the edge of the cliffs with a panoramic view of the entire plateau.

This route will take you on a journey of discovery through the Dessoubre valley, where you will be enchanted by the landscapes and religious heritage. This route covers a large part of circular 43 and is marked in yellow and blue.

Circular around Mont Vouillot via Chez Fraichot, Le Mausenet, Les Fins and Les Teurés.

(!) Read Practical Information. A balanced route between countryside and forests to discover the Dessoubre from the heights of Bretonvillers. Then, returning to the valley via paths winding between fir trees and rocks, you will walk along the river, stopping at the old mill.

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.

You don't need to be as fit as an Alpine hunter to climb the high peaks and enjoy breathtaking views. This is a walk that is accessible to all. This 10km or 15km hike will take you to Crêt Monniot (1141m) where, on a clear day, a superb 360° panorama awaits you: lomont, the Loue valley, the Jura plateaus, the Vosges, Mont Blanc and the Bernese Alps. You will love this landscape of chaux (the medieval name for high-altitude wasteland) with its sinkholes and sharp limestone pavement.

Departure from the car park of the old town hall of Nods, in the heart of the village, along the main street. The circular begins at the statue of the Virgin Mary. The path between Nods and the Virgin Mary is the same on the way there and back. When passing through the meadows, keep dogs on a leash and respect the peace and quiet of the animals.

Louis Pergaud, teacher and writer, author of "La guerre des boutons" (The War of the Buttons), winner of the 1910 Goncourt Prize for his novel "De Goupil à Margot" (From Goupil to Margot), in which he observes nature in minute detail and recounts all this animal life in his novels. He fell on 8 April 1915 at the foot of Les Eparges, in Marchéville-en-Woëvre, in the Meuse. This route allows you to hike through the places that inspired Louis Pergaud.

Crêt Moniot, with one or two "n"s, is well known for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, but the site is also ideal for hiking and mountain biking. It offers typical Jura landscapes with sinkholes and sharp limestone pavement, snow all year round in the La Neigère valley, abundant wildlife and superb views of the Alps.

From the Glacière Cave, where ice is becoming increasingly rare in these warmer times, you will descend towards the Gorges de l'Audeux to reach the Abbaye de la Grâce Dieu, a peaceful abbey in the heart of this wooded valley, once beautifully named the "Valley of Owls". Finally, you will climb back up to the ledges and their viewpoints over the valley.

A short, varied and shaded route to discover the ancient Hiboux valley, the old Cistercian abbey and the magnificent Audeux waterfall.

After visiting the source, you will climb to the Dard viewpoint, located at an altitude of 600 metres above Sancey-le-Grand, overlooking the valley with the Château de Belvoir and the Lomont mountain range crowned by fifteen wind turbines in the background. Then, from this magnificent rocky amphitheatre, a sunny valley will lead you to the wild cliffs of the Cul de Voye.

Three highlights of this hike: the superb view from Le Chaufaud over the valley and mountains surrounding the Dessoubre; the Belvédère viewpoint over Rosureux nestled at the bottom of the valley and the surprising Creux de Hauteroche gorge; the return via the sunny meadows with a panoramic view of the neighbouring mountains, ending at the ancient 18th-century wooden cross at the Chapelle Saint-Claude chapel.

From Aïssey, a village in the Comté region destroyed during the fighting in June 1940, you will climb in the footsteps of the carts of yesteryear to the strange Calvaire de Rochandeux and its viewpoint over the Val de Saint-Juan. You will return, following in the footsteps of other soldiers, this time more ancient, by walking along the old Roman road.

"In the shade" is a misnomer for this route, which takes you along beautiful sunny forest paths, bordering pastures and woods, to the fortified castle of Belvoir, overlooking the Val de Sancey. Don't forget to visit the old village, centred around its 14th-century market halls, but beware of the irreverent Madge-Fâ as you pass underneath. Finally, you will descend into the valley via the Chemin de la Vie à la Mort (Path of Life and Death), no doubt invigorated by this country walk.