Tour of the Princes' Ponds and discovery of Saint-Julien-lès-Montbéliard

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.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.56 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 177 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 177 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 446 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 335 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Raynans (25550)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 47.528435° / E 6.712967°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3621OT, 3622OT
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Parking is available in the car park near the Étangs des Princes, on the right-hand side of the D228E when coming from Raynans, before the climb to Saint-Julien-lès-Montbéliard.

(S/E) From the car park, walk to the nearby pond and take the marked path on the right, towards the downstream end of the pond. At the end, cross the Rupt.

(1) At the end of the footbridge, turn left (marked with a yellow rectangle + blue rectangle) and walk along the pond on your left. Atthe first car park, turn left and take thefirst footbridge. Immediately turn right without taking thesecond footbridge and continue with the pond on your left. At the end of the pond, take two footbridges in succession and return along the pond on your left via a beautiful wooded path. You will reach a small yellow/orange house that serves as a shelter.

(2) Take the path to the right of the house and climb up to the D228E road. Follow this road to the right until you reach the village of Saint-Julien-lès-Montbéliard. Once in the village, take thesecond street on the right. Pass in front of a restored wash house and you will immediately reach a crossroads.

(3) Turn left onto Rue de l'École. At the end (town hall opposite), turn left onto Grande Rue. Take thefirst right, Rue du Temple, and you will reach the entrance to the cemetery next to the temple.

(4) Go through the gate to enter the cemetery and walk past the front of the temple. Leave the cemetery through the gate on the other side, then climb slightly to the right to reach the greenway cycle path. Turn right and follow this cycle path down through the forest to the next T-junction.

(5) Follow the forest path on the left and head south until you reach the foot of the water tower.

(6) Turn left in front of the water tower, still following the yellow rectangle + blue rectangle markings. Follow the ridge due east. Further on, descend slightly and reach a T-junction.

(7) Turn left, heading north-northeast, and climb slightly. At the crossroads (elevation 423), follow the marked path opposite (north) towards the village of Issans and descend. Leave the forest and enter the village via Chemin de la Forêt (tarmac road). You will come out onto Rue Principale; follow it to the left for about 50 metres.

(8) Then take thefirst right and cross the Rupt again. At the end of the bridge, take the marked path opposite. Go up into the woods and then turn left onto a path just after a hedge (no markings). Go up this path and then continue on the tarmac road.

(9) At the crossroads, turn right towards some woods and an antenna. Just after passing the antenna, turn left. At the next crossroads, go straight ahead (north-west). You will come to a crossroads near the D37 (car park).

(10) Turn left, cross the D37 and follow the small road opposite towards Raynans. At the intersection at the entrance to the village, turn right onto Rue des Faillis. Continue onto Rue des Grands Prés (D250) and follow it to the right. Continue along Grande Rue, pass the town hall and school and you will reach a crossroads.

(11) Turn left onto Rue des Moulins and continue downhill until you reach the end of the village. Before the bridge over the Rupt, take the path on the right towards the woods. Turn left into the woods after about 100 metres uphill and you will reach the downstream end of the pond.

(1) Then turn left, take the footbridge and follow the path you took at the start of the hike in the opposite direction. This will take you back to the car park where you started (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 344 m - Car park at the exit of Raynans. - Étang des Princes
  2. 1 : km 0.28 - alt. 344 m - Footbridge - Rupt (rivière) - Affluent de l'Allaine
  3. 2 : km 1.81 - alt. 343 m - Fork in the road - Shelter
  4. 3 : km 2.56 - alt. 359 m - Crossroads - Wash house
  5. 4 : km 2.95 - alt. 388 m - Temple de Saint-Julien-lès-Montbéliard
  6. 5 : km 3.54 - alt. 377 m - T-junction
  7. 6 : km 4.25 - alt. 443 m - Crossroads - Water tower
  8. 7 : km 5.55 - alt. 426 m - T-junction
  9. 8 : km 7.37 - alt. 336 m - Issans
  10. 9 : km 7.84 - alt. 359 m - Intersection
  11. 10 : km 8.9 - alt. 349 m - Crossroads - Car park
  12. 11 : km 9.76 - alt. 360 m - Crossroads - Raynans
  13. S/E : km 10.56 - alt. 344 m - Car park at the exit of Raynans. - Étang des Princes

Notes

Since the ponds were refilled, the areas around the two main ponds have been developed and made safe by Pays de Montbéliard Agglomération (PMA), with the creation of several footbridges between the ponds and numerous picnic tables and benches for visitors, whether they are anglers, walkers or hikers.

Please note (8): there are no markings after the point where you need to turn left onto a path along a hedge instead of continuing straight ahead.

Worth a visit

In Saint-Julien-lès-Montbéliard, don't miss the well-preserved old wash house with its impressively clear water, right next to a curious carved stone with several sundials and the temple overlooking the village, with a cemetery behind it. Note the pink sandstone façade of the temple's main entrance. If the gates of the cemetery adjoining the temple are not locked, the temple is normally accessible.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 9 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.2 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
User 27901095

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The route is clearly marked. There is no point in crossing the cemetery; you have to go around the temple. We defied the prohibition by taking the path, even though it was blocked by a rope.

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gk
gk

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route, with a long stretch through the woods. The route is signposted but can sometimes be confusing; we followed the route without any problems using GPS. The village of Saint-Julien-lès-Montbéliard is very pleasant.

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Sager
Sager

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

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bob25
bob25

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

NO REPORT FROM PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS

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cyprienrbt25
cyprienrbt25

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike, not particularly challenging but with magnificent Comtois landscapes!
The route is a little tricky in the woods, but it's easy to find your way 👍🏻
I recommend it! 😁

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Théophile25
Théophile25
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful walk around Saint Julien and the Etang des Princes, best done in dry weather. Be careful around the Temple, as the route is hidden behind it and not necessarily visible from the Temple. And be careful at point 8, you can no longer go up as described opposite on the path, as the farmer has closed the path. You have to go through the village to the roundabout and go up the other side to rejoin the route.

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vero4400
vero4400

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Magnificent hike, superb views. Forest, lovely route along the Princes' ponds, crossing the medieval "picture postcard" village of Saint Julien les Montbéliard. In short, a hike to do and do again, but... wait several days without rain. We waded through very muddy paths, mainly due to forestry work. No big deal! As Jacques Villeret said in "L'été en pente douce" (A Gentle Summer): that's nature!
In any case, thank you for introducing us to this beautiful route!

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janb
janb

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We really enjoyed the walk through the forest and the villages we discovered.

We hesitated a little after the hedge because the path was blocked with string!
We'll definitely be back.

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Alex Deldevaudes
Alex Deldevaudes

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

A pleasant hike with a varied route. You alternate between ponds, forest, a picturesque village and meadows. In good weather, we were able to see the snow-capped summit of Ballon d'Alsace. There is plenty of wildlife and farm animals. No problems following the route, a wonderful discovery of the Montbéliard region just a few kilometres from the town.

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