A trail featuring stones and unusual or remarkable trees in Thise

Free car park at the presbytery in Thise.

(S/E) Start the walk by heading towards the entrance to Saint-Hilaire Church. As you walk, take in the colours of the building’s stones, its bell tower porch and its ‘imperial-style’ roof, as well as its marquee-style canopy.
Cross Rue du Paret towards the Fontaine de la Vierge, then walk up Rue Saint-Hilaire, lined with beautiful old stone buildings.

(1) Cross Rue de Champenâtre with care and continue straight on into Rue de la Forêt, which is initially tarmacked but turns into a path sheltered by vegetation once the houses end.

Enter the forest and begin the climb towards the heights of Thise. You may encounter some of the forest’s larger wildlife. As you proceed cautiously through the undergrowth, you’ll have the chance to hone your skills in tracking, approaching and observing roe deer, red deer and wild boar, whilst trying to immerse yourself in the forest, its scents, its colours and its wildlife.
Pass under a high-voltage power line and reach the top of the path, marked by a crossroads where four paths meet.

(2) Take the path directly opposite and continue your walk, stepping over or round a large tree trunk lying across the path. A few metres further on, leave a small valley on your right and enter a lovely straight path lined with holly.

Admire, on your left and after just a few dozen metres, a strange shrub with a spiral trunk.

Carry on, cross a path coming from the left, then carefully make your way down the path (the stones may be slippery) to reach the “Cairn à l’Oiseau”, the name given by the author to a curious stone representation of a bird.

Continue on your way. Pass a numbered stone marker on your right and do not take the path it leads off on, which heads into a valley and quickly ends in a dead end. Carry on to the next junction.

(3) Turn right to join, a little further on, the Sentier du Facteur, which joins the Sentier du Ferré and the educational forest trail a few minutes later. There is a log bench at this junction, as well as an educational forest marker.

Then head down the wide, carriageable track towards Thise, stopping from time to time to admire some unusual and remarkable trees.

As you approach the town, take a moment to admire the replica of a tiled roof – a small masterpiece created by a local resident on the right-hand side of the route – as well as one or two old houses and the Fontaine aux Cygnes, before returning to the presbytery car park (S/E).

Possible shelter: the porch of Saint-Hilaire Church.
Equipment: walking boots, walking poles.

Numerous possible variations:
- Joins the Thise Forest Circular Discovery Loop (educational and interactive forest information boards).
- Connects with the GR 59 / Besançon Ring Trail (Roche-lez-Beaupré; Chailluz Forest via the Chemin des Vaux and Chemin du Paret).
- Connects with two other suggested walks starting from Thise (church & aerodrome).

- Thise: Eiffel-type aircraft hangars dating from 1933 and renovated in 2020. Listed as historic monuments. (continue to: aerodrome). Visits possible by prior arrangement. ==> Visorando walking route: Circular route around Thise.

- Saint-Hilaire Church: open to visitors; an information leaflet is available in the entrance to this harmonious church. Four paintings adorn the walls. Beautiful nave (paintings).

- Fountain of the Virgin: moved in 1898 from the Place de l’Église to the corner of Rue Saint-Hilaire. A beautiful painted statue of the Virgin Mary.

- Monument to Notre-Dame de la Libération (1946): a hill overlooking Thise, visible from the S/E car park. ==> Visorando route: Walk to Notre-Dame de la Libération.

- Château de Beaupré and the communal forest: visible from Rue de Beaupré, towards Roche-lez-Beaupré. See the walk ‘Route around Thise-Est and Château de Beaupré’.

- Chailluz Forest and its wildlife park.

- Doubs Canal, EuroVelo Route 6.