Sainte-Marie (Doubs) walks

A loop around the Étangs des Princes, a series of ponds that bear witness to the former principality of Montbéliard. Abandoned in the 18th century, they were refilled with water in 1990 and since then have offered a landscape that changes with each season.

The Princes' ponds, named after the Württemberg family who ruled the duchy, are located in the heart of the Rupt valley. Drained two centuries ago, they were refilled with water in 1991 and then stocked with fish. Improvements have been made to secure the surroundings for visitors to this true haven of peace. After a tour of the ponds, the circular offers the opportunity to discover the heritage of Saint-Julien-lès-Montbéliard with a return trip through the villages of Issans and Raynans.

This is a good family walk to do outside of flood season, as the area along the Doubs river would not be passable. Apart from one or two poorly marked spots, the route is easy to follow, winding through fields and undergrowth. Most of the time, the paths are well marked (used by tractors) and widely accessible by mountain bike.

This is a short hike that is suitable for families, with no difficulty in terms of distance, elevation or risk of getting lost. It mainly follows the yellow-blue marked trails created by the Rupt Valley Hiking Association. It can be done by mountain bike, with a few sections where you will need to dismount.

Désandans, hike on the ridge, Chavanne side. Please note: at (4), as the path leading to Désandans is not currently maintained, you will need to return to Désandans via the same route you took to get there.

Enjoy a pleasant stroll through the Lougres Forest to discover the inter-municipal boundary marker.

Discover the bridges in Voujeaucourt: Bridge over the Doubs, railway bridge over the canal. An easy hike.

A short walk with views of Voujeaucourt, Mathay, Mandeure and, at the end, the Côte Roux fun trail, which will delight young and old alike.

A relatively easy circular route starting from Bussurel, returning via the Bethoncourt mine shaft route.

This short hike will take you to the Roman Theatre and the Mathay plain via a path with views over the Doubs and all the biodiversity associated with this coastline: dry and wet forests, cliffs, scree and ponds are home to many protected species. Play areas, picnic areas and facilities are dotted along the route.

Short walk around the Bois Brûlé in Mathay. Pass through the hamlet of Lucelans with beautiful views of Ecot and the Pays de Montbéliard. Discover the Ecot motocross track. 17 February 2023: problem starting from (2) ==> continue along the road and go directly to (4).

This stage is the first stage of the Grande Traversée du Jura (or GTJ). It is the easiest. It can be done in a morning and can be combined with the next stage, which goes to Saint-Hippolyte. Most of the route is through forest. The starting point is in Mandeure. A detour to the Gallo-Roman theatre allows you to start with a touch of history. After an hour's walk, the stage passes near the Mandeure viewpoint before continuing through the forest. There are a few open spaces, but they are rare. The descent to Pont-de-Roide is then short and quick.

A short, easy country walk for the whole family with views of the Lomont wind turbines, the Chasseral massif in Switzerland (on a clear day) and a visit to the Brevilliers dolmen.

Hike in the Héricourt area. You can explore the Fort du Mont Vaudois and its defences. You will descend the inclined plane that was used to build the fort. You will continue through an unusual landscape of old abandoned orchards along the Bois du Mont Vaudois with some very pretty views.

A sandpit, ponds, viewpoint over Bourguignon and the new power station.