Kingfisher trail along the ramparts in Pesmes

The walk starts at the junction of Rue de Choiseul and Rue du Donjon. There is a sign at the start. There are plenty of parking spaces in front of the town hall and on Place des Promenades.

(S/E) At the signpost, head towards the town hall and take the gravel lane on the left. Follow this lane to the end and turn right. A small gate leads to the ramparts.

(1) You are now on the ramparts. To continue the route, follow the ramparts until you reach the Bernard Joly gardens. In the garden, turn right onto Rue des Châteaux. Turn left and follow Rue des Châteaux, which offers views of the most beautiful Renaissance houses in the city of Comtes. There is an alternative route (see practical information). Continue to Rue de Grandvelle.

(2) Turn left onto Rue de Granvelle, then left again onto Rue Sainte-Catherine. You will pass under the Porte Loigerot, the remains of an old entrance to the city when it was surrounded by ramparts. You will arrive at the banks of the Ognon. You can enjoy this view at water level and have a picnic on the tables set up nearby.

(3) After this break, walk back up Rue Sainte-Catherine. This will take you to the church.

(4) At the junction with Rue Gentil, turn left. You will arrive at the entrance to Saint-Hilaire Church. Follow Rue Gentil, then turn left to pass under the Saint-Hilaire Gate. Follow Rue Saint-Hilaire to the rampart walk.

(5) The street name changes to Rue de Coulances after a few metres. You are now out of the medieval town centre and passing through more recent residential areas. Continue along Rue de Coulances until you reach the junction with the D15 (Rue des Loups).

(6) At this intersection, you will see the pretty Coulance fountain and wash house. Continue along the road, turning left towards the forges. Enter the Pesmes forges site. Continue along the white path. On your left, you will see the Forges Museum. Continue straight ahead until you reach a small car park.

(7) Go through the gate and take the path on your right. This path runs alongside a branch of the Ognon river and takes you around the Île des Forges. Stay on the riverbank until you return to the junction you came from.

(7) After walking around the island, take the path in the opposite direction until you reach the Porte Saint-Hilaire.

(5) Just before the Porte Saint-Hilaire, take the small path on the left. This is the old rampart walk. Continue until you reach the intersection with Rue Jean Jaurès. At the intersection, turn right into the street, then right again onto Rue Gollu. This will take you to the church and its intersection.

(8) At the end of the street, turn left onto Rue Saint-Hilaire to head towards Grande Rue and its shops. At the end of Grande Rue, climb the few steps leading up to the esplanade and the war memorial.

(9) All you have to do now is turn left to complete the loop and return to the starting point (S/E).

The route is dotted with information panels explaining the heritage of Pesmes.

Alternative route (1): go down the steps leading to the bottom of the ramparts. When you reach Rue des Tanneurs, turn right and walk along the houses on the banks of the Ognon river until you reach the Roche stairs. Climb these stairs to discover a small chapel. At the top of these steps, turn left onto Rue des Châteaux and follow it to the end. You are now back on the main trail.