Culture and landscapes

The Haut-Doubs and the Swiss Jura mountains offer a vast number of natural and historical sites and many places of interest.

DISCOVER THE HAUT-DOUBS AND THE SWISS JURA MOUNTAINS

Natural sites and approximate time

Village of Goumois 10 mn
The characteristic of this village is that it has been divided into two different municipalities, one french, the other swiss, by the Vienna Treaty of 1815. Its offers a wonderful view over the valley from its ledge or from its famous « monkey » rock.
Les Echelles de la Mort (Death Ladders) : hiking trail itinéraire de randonnée following a smugglers’ path with secured ladders 25 mn
L’étang de la Gruère CH (Gruère pond) : peat bog and walking path
(WWF site) 20 mn
Le cirque de Consolation, le belvédère de la Roche du Prêtre et la
vallée du Dessoubre (Consolation cirque, view site and Dessoubre river valley) 40 mn
Le Creux du Van CH : impressive cirque and nature reserve 1h30
Le Chasseral CH : incredible point of view over the swiss lakes of Biel, Neuchâtel, Geneva and over the Alps 45 mn
Le Saut du Doubs (Doubs waterfalls) : from the village of Villers le Lac, a mini cruise on the Doubs basins and small walk to the falls 40 mn
Les grottes de Réclère (Réclère caves with nearby Prehisto-park) 45 mn
Les grottes d’ Osselle (Osselle caves) 1h30 mn
Le Gouffre de Poudrey (Poudrey caves) : 50 mn
Near Etalans village, at 70 meters underground, a hudge cave which could contain a cathedral. One of the 10 biggest cave of Europe.
Nearby, the Dino-Zoo of Charbonnières-les-Sapins, is a 12 hectare prehistoric-park where are displayed about a hundred of full-scale replica of dinosaurs.

Historical sites and approximate time

St Ursanne CH : a lovely little medieval village over the Doubs 25 mn
Château de Belvoir : Castle of the 12th century 40 mn
Abbaye de Montbenoit : Abbaye of the 11th century 45 mn
Neuchâtel CH : beautiful town located on the north side of the lake of the same name, lovely medieval center, castle and church 45 mn
Montbéliard : old city of the Wurtemberg princes 60 mn
« Aventure Peugeot » Museum in Sochaux 60 mn
Arc-et-Senans Royal Saltworks : Designed by Claude-Nicolas Ledoux (1736-1806), a visionary architect, the Royal Saltworks site is a rare and exceptional example of industrial architecture built in the form of a circular arc. 1h30
Château de Joux : At 5 km of Pontarlier, this fortress located in an exceptional site is a wonderful place full of stories and legends where famous prisoners were locked up throughout history 1h30
Belfort : the old town, the citadel fortified by Vauban and the famous lion sculpture by Bartholdi 1h30
Besançon and the citadel Vauban : Victor hugo’s birthplace, Besançon with its rich architectural heritage is the historical and cultural capital of Franche-Comté 1h30

Some photos to discover the Moulin du Plain and its surroundings and an overview of the many sites of the Franche-Comté region and neaby Switzerland.