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Nantua: This picturesque town is nestled by a beautiful lake and surrounded by stunning mountains. It’s an ideal spot for those seeking outdoor adventures while enjoying the natural beauty of the region. Explore the nearby Parc Naturel Régional du Haut-Jura for hiking and wildlife, and relax by the lake after an exciting day of racing.

Pontarlier: Nestled in the picturesque Jura mountains, Pontarlier invites visitors to explore its unique absinthe culture. Join locals and fellow fans in celebrating the race with outdoor activities that showcase the area's natural beauty throughout the year. Don't miss the chance to taste local absinthe at traditional distilleries, and explore nearby trails for hiking or cycling.

Auvergne-Rhône Alpes Region
Departments:
Ain, Allier, Ardèche, Cantal, Drôme, Isère, Loire, Haute-Loire, Puy-de-Dôme, Rhône, Métropole de Lyon, Savoie, Haute-Savoie.
Population:
8 million
Prefecture
: Lyon
Surface area:
69,711 km2
Specialities:
Beaujolais, Côtes du Rhône and Savoie wines, Lyon specialities (quenelles, cervelles de canut, saucisson), potée auvergnate, Savoyard specialities (raclette, fondue, tartiflettes, diots, crozets), cheeses (beaufort, reblochon, cantal, bleu d'Auvergne, Salers, saint-Nectaire...), green lentils of Le Puy, waters (Evian, Thonon, Volvic) verbena, chartreuse. Sports clubs: Olympique Lyonnais, AS Saint-Etienne, Clermont Foot 63, Grenoble Foot 38 (football). ASM Clermont, Lyon OU, FC Grenoble, Stade Aurillacois, US Oyonnax (rugby), ASVEL Villeurbanne (basketball), Chambéry (handball), Brûleurs de loup Grenoble, Pionniers de Chamonix (ice hockey).
Competitions: women's football world cup, ski competitions (Première neige criterium in Val d'Isère), Tour de France mountain passes, Critérium du Dauphiné.
Economy:  8the European region, high-tech industries, automotive (Berliet), metallurgy, rubber, plastics, chemicals, electronics, agri-food, textiles, digital, banks, universities, administration, wine-growing. Tyres (Michelin). Design. New technologies (Inovallée). Winter and summer  tourism. 
Festivals: Fête des Lumières in Lyon / Nuits de Fourvière in Lyon / Quais du polar in Lyon / Biennale du design in Saint-Etienne / La Chaise-Dieu classical music festival.
Tourist attractions:
Old Lyon and Croix-Rousse, Le Puy-en-Velay cathedral, Lake Annecy, Chambéry castle, winter sports in Isère, Savoie and Haute-Savoie, Cantal, spa resorts, Auvergne volcanoes. Caverne du Pont d'Arc. Château de Grignan. Grenoble Bastille. Vulcania. Parc des Oiseaux.
Website: www.auvergnerhonealpes.fr

AIN (01)
Population:
671,289 (Aindinois, Aindinoises)
Prefecture: Bourg-en-Bresse
Sub-prefectures:
Nantua, Belley and Gex
Surface area:
5,762 km 2
Region: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Specialities:
Bresse poultry (the only AOC-AOP poultry in the world), Bresse cream and butter, Bugey wines, cheeses (Comté, Bleu de Gex, Morbier, etc.), Dombes fish, pike quenelles with Nantua sauce, Bresse tart, Pérouges tart, etc. 
Heritage: Royal Monastery of Brou, Ars Basilica (Ars sur Formans), Bird Park, Maison d'Izieu, medieval town of Pérouges, Château des Allymes, Ambronay Abbey, Musée de la Bresse now called Domaine des saveurs-Les Planons, as well as 38 sites designated as sensitive natural areas...
Sport:
US Oyonnax (rugby), JL Bourg (basketball), USBPA (rugby), FBBP01 (football).
Major competitions:
Tour de l'Ain cycle race. Jumping international de Bourg-en-Bresse (CSI 4****). Bourg Open de l'Ain tennis Grand Prix. Ain'ternational Rhône-Alpes Valromey Tour (International junior 1 and 2 team event). Mondial de Quad de Pont-de-Vaux. La Forestière UCI. La Bisous (gran fondo). L'Aindinoise (gran fondo)
Heritage: Royal Monastery of Brou, Basilica of Ars (Ars-sur-Formans), Bird Park, medieval town of Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne, House of Izieu, medieval town of Pérouges, Château des Allymes, Ambronay Abbey, tDomaine des saveurs-Les Planons, Cerdon copperworks, etc. As well as an exceptional natural heritage: 40 sites designated as sensitive natural areas, numerous lakes, waterfalls, ski areas and the Grand Colombier pass...
Culture: Ambronay baroque music festival / Le Printemps de Pérouges (music) / Les musicales du Parc des oiseaux / BD dans l'Ain Comics Festival / Cuivres en Dombes Festival (brass bands)/ Oh! Bugey festival / À la folie pas du tout / Le grand marché des AOC-AOP-IGP / Les entretiens de Belley (gastronomic event)
Economy:
first industrial department in France. In January 2019, the Ain department launched its Origin'Ain label to promote its many areas of expertise (400 companies). Numerous international competitiveness clusters (La Plastic Vallée, Alimentec, Le Parc industriel de la plaine de l'Ain...)
Websites and social networks: www.ain.fr / www.tourdefrance-ain.frwww.ain-tourisme.com / Facebook : @Departement01 / Instagram: @ain.le.departement / Twitter: @Departement_AIN / Youtube: Département de l'Ain / Snapchat: Snapdelain  

Situated between Lyon and Geneva, the Ain department boasts a diverse natural landscape and a rich historical and architectural heritage. A perfect blend of countryside and mountains, this destination is packed with tourist nuggets that will delight nature lovers and sports enthusiasts, as well as food lovers and history buffs. In October 2024, Ain was voted France's favourite department! Above all, Ain is a generous, unspoilt region where water is omnipresent. The Dombes and its thousand ponds make up one of the largest wetlands in France, a haven for an extraordinary diversity of birds. Lakes, rivers and waterfalls enhance the mountainous areas of the Bugey and Pays de Gex, providing an excellent playground for hiking, Nordic activities, water sports, golf and cycling. This is where the highest peaks in the Jura Massif are climbed!
Ain's culinary tradition is intimately linked to its terroir and its agricultural and winemaking expertise. Nine products of excellence (AOC / AOP) and the talent of great chefs are the pillars of a local gastronomy with an international reputation. Who hasn't heard of the famous Bresse poultry, Nantua sauce or Dombes frogs' legs? Travelling in Ain is like going back in time, immersing yourself in a geological, cultural and architectural heritage that spans 150 million years, from the Jurassic period to the industrial era of the 20th century. In Bourg-en-Bresse, the Royal Monastery of Brou is one of the jewels of the flamboyant Gothic style. Listed as one of France's Most Beautiful Villages, the medieval town of Pérouges rivals in charm Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne, Trévoux and Nantua, all three of which are among France's Most Beautiful Detours. Ain is also a great place for cycling, with plains, mountains and hills offering a wide range of sporting and leisure activities. The Grand Colombier pass is particularly popular with cyclists who love a challenge! Ain also has some exceptional greenways , such as the Viarhôna and Viasaona. Ain is also France's leading department in terms of the number of cycling events it organises (over 160 every year).

Km 9.7

Km 9.7: Saint-Germain-de-Joux (Pop: 500)
This is the birthplace of poet Jean Tardieu.

Jean Tardieu (1903-1995) French writer, poet and mechanic, born on 1 November 1903 in Saint Germain de Joux. In the early 1920s, he studied law but fell "in love" with poetry. He joined La Nouvelle Revue française and published his first works in 1927. He then worked for a number of companies, including Hachette and radio. In 1939 he published Accents, his first collection of poetry, followed by Le fleuve in 1933 and Le Témoin invisible in 1943. These poems were dominated by a dark lyricism and a sense of irreducible anxiety. Varying genres, in 1951 he published a collection of humorous poems entitled Monsieur Monsieur. In the years that followed, Tardieu tirelessly pursued his work, publishing numerous collections such as L'Obscurité du jour in 1974 and Da Capo, published the year of his death in 1995. A poet committed to opposing the German Occupation, Jean Tardieu wrote his poem "Oradour" in September 1944. It followed the massacre perpetrated by the Nazis against the inhabitants of Oradour-sur-Glane on 10 June 1944. This long poem of seven stanzas denounces the horror of Nazi barbarism. Deeply affected by this tragedy, the author expresses his despair at these violent deaths and pays tribute to the victims. A veritable call to resistance, Oradour was first published in underground newspapers during the Second World War, then in the collection Jours pétrifiés in 1947. Poet, playwright and novelist, Jean Tardieu succeeded in all genres and was awarded the Grand Prix de poésie de l'Académie française in 1972, as well as the Grand Prix de littérature de la Société des Gens de Lettres in 1986.

Former Thévenin sawmill
Built:
around 1900.
History:
built on top of an old flour and oil mill, the buildings of which were incorporated into a large complex. The mill ceased operating around 1960, and the site suffered several decades of neglect before it was purchased in 2001 by the municipality of Saint-Germain-de-Joux, which launched a restoration project. A subscription was opened with the Fondation du Patrimoine. Work began in 2012, with support from the Haut-Jura Regional Nature Park and the Pays Bellegardien Community of Communes.
Characteristics: it has a wheel with a diameter of 7.54 m. This wheel, with its 92 buckets, has been completely renovated and is the largest in the Ain region.

Region: Bourgogne-Franche Comté
Departments:
Côte d'Or, Doubs, Jura, Nièvre, Haute-Saône, Saône-et-Loire, Yonne, Territoire de Belfort
Population:
2.8 million
Prefecture: Dijon
Surface area:
47,784 km2
Specialities:
Burgundy and Macon wines, Jura wines, cheeses (Comté, Mont d'Or, morbier, bleu de Gex, cancoillotte), Burgundian beef, Bresse poultry, kir.
Sports clubs: FC Sochaux-Montbéliard, AJ Auxerre, FC Gueugnon (football), Elan sportif chalonnais, JDA Dijon (basketball), Jeanne d'Arc Dijon (handball)
Competitions:
car races on the Dijon-Prenois circuit, the Franck Pineau gran fondo in Auxerre Economy: automotive (Peugeot-Montbéliard), Alstom, General Electric (rail), steel, mining, parachemicals, pharmaceuticals, electronics, plastics, paper, mechanical and automotive industries, agriculture (cereals, beetroot, cattle farming, cheeses). Forestry. Watchmaking. Tourism.
Festivals: Eurockéennes in Belfort, Hospices de Beaune sales, Grandes heures de Cluny, Rencontres musicales in Vézelay, Ecrans de l'aventure in Dijon, International and Gastronomic Fair of Dijon, Fenêtres sur courts in Dijon. Courbet bicentenary. Besançon Early Music Festival.  Tourist sites: Fontenay abbey, Vézelay basilica, Notre-Dame-du-Haut chapel in Ronchamp, Burgundy vineyards, Besançon citadel, Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy in Dijon, Arc-et-Senans royal saltworks, Autun cathedral, Guédelon castle, Beaune hospices, Belfort citadel and Lion, Cluny abbey, Alsace balloon, Solutré rock. 
Websites and social networks: www.bourgognefranchecomte.fr

JURA (39)
Population
: 260,000
Prefecture
: Lons-le-Saunier
Sub-prefectures
: Dole, Saint-Claude
Surface area
: 5,000 km²
Specialities
: Comté, Morbier (cheese), Vache Qui Rit (portioned cheese), Jura wines (7 AOCs including Vin Jaune, Château-Chalon, Etoile, Macvin, Marc du Jura, Crémant du Jura, Vin de Paille), toys, Saint-Claude pipes, watchmaking, eyewear, woodworking, industrial subcontracting, wildlife watching (lynx, eagle, black grouse, chamois).
Competitions
: La Forestière (mountain bike trekking and racing from 40 to 100 km), the Transjurassienne (must for Nordic skiing in France), Tour du Jura (cycling), Criterium de Dole, Chalain and Vouglans International Triathlons, Lons International Showjumping, Rock'N Horses, Transju trail, Trail des reculées, Jura International Tennis Open.
Tourist attractions : Les Rousses resort, Jura lakes, Arc-et-Senans Royal Saltworks, thermal baths (Lons-le-Saunier), Museum of Fine Arts and House of Louis Pasteur in Dole, Pipe and Diamond Museum in Saint-Claude, Spectacles Museum in Morez, Herisson Waterfalls and Plateau des 7 Lacs (Grands Sites de France listing), Pic de l'aigle and Belvedere of the 4 Lakes Lake Vouglans, Reculée of Baume-les-Messieurs, Gorges of the Langouette and Upper Valley of the Saine, Hautes Combes, etc.
Festivals/concerts: Idéklic Toy and Children's Festival (Moirans-en-Montagne), Moulin de Brainans, Cirque et Fanfare (Dole), bouche à oreille festival (Musiques en Petite Montagne), NoLogo festival (Fraisans).
Economy
: plastics processing, chemicals, food processing, screw-cutting, subcontracting to the luxury goods industry, eyewear, watchmaking, timber construction, livestock farming, four-season tourism, spa treatments, subcontracting to the automotive and aeronautical industries, wine-growing, cheeses.
Websites / FB
www.jura.frhttps://www.facebook.com/departementdujurahttps://www.instagram.com/departementdujurawww.jura-tourism.comhttps://www.facebook.com/juratourismhttps://www.instagram.com/juratourisme

Km 23.6

Km 23.6: Les Bouchoux (Pop: 310)

Cross of the Corridors
Construction:
20th century.
Characteristics:
This imposing cross, which rises to an altitude of 1,225 m, was erected in 1934. Some believe it provides a symbolic link between the communes of La Pesse and Les Bouchoux, which were one and the same until 1832.

Km 24.7

Km 24.7: Croix de Serra pass
This pass has been climbed twice in the Tour de France: on stage 6 of the 1996 Tour de France, when Dutchman Léon van Bon took the lead, and on stage 7 of the 2010 Tour de France, when French rider Jérôme Pineau, then wearing the polka-dot jersey, took the lead. In the women's Tour de France in 2024, it was on the programme during stage 7 and rated in the 1st category. Dutchwoman Puck Pieterse rode it in the lead.

Km 37.6

Km 37.6: Saint-Claude (Pop: 12,000)
Condat (its first name) lies at the confluence of the Bienne and Tacon rivers. In 510, it took the name of its fourth abbot, Saint Oyan, whose prestige faded around the 12th century in favour of its 12th abbot, Saint Claude, who died around 700 after having been bishop of Besancon (a place of pilgrimage, the town took advantage in 1160 of the discovery of the intact body of Abbot Claude, who had died 460 years earlier, to increase its renown). A centre for wood and stone carving in the Middle Ages, followed by carving in the 18th century, violin making and the manufacture of snuffboxes and pipes. Pipe and diamond museum. Remains of the old ramparts. Saint-Claude is the birthplace of Alexis Vuillermoz, winner of the 8th stage of the 2015 Tour de France in Mûr-de-Bretagne and of a stage of the Dauphiné in 2022. A former mountain bike specialist, he contested eight Tours de France and finished 13th in 2017. He retired from sport in 2024.

Cathedral of Saint-Pierre-Saint-Paul-et-Saint-André
Location:
at the foot of Mont Bayard, the cathedral, far from being crushed by the mountain, appears to be one with it.
Style: Gothic.
History:
the former 14th-century abbey church of the Abbey of Saint-Oyend, founded in the 5th century, it was elevated to the rank of cathedral in 1742.
Characteristics:
14th-17th century fortifications: buttresses with watch-towers and spires; 15th century apse, classical facade 1727, 15th century stained glass windows. The exterior walls are more than three metres thick. The whole is austere and massive. One of its distinctive features is that one of its bell towers (on the left-hand side) was never completed. Listed as: Historical Monument in 1906.


Pipe and Diamond Museum In the 19th century, Saint-Claude was the world centre of the pipe industry and a renowned site for cutting diamonds and precious stones. The Confrérie des maîtres-pipiers (Master-Pipers Brotherhood) and the Association des Diamantaires du Haut-Jura de Saint-Claude (St. Claude Upper-Jura Diamond Merchants Association) have joined forces to present the history of pipe-making in this museum, as well as the history of the gem-cutting industry in Saint-Claude. On display are collections of pipes from the past and the present, snuffboxes, diamonds, precious stones and cut synthetic stones, masterpieces by various craftsmen, tools and machines from the past, a manufacturing and cutting workshop, photos, documents, video projections, etc. The museum displays a series of unique pipes, each bearing the effigy of a President of the French Republic. Extraordinary pipes (the longest pipe in the world) and historic pipes (the corn pipe of the Micmac Amerindians, made famous by the American general Douglas MacArthur) are also on display.

Km 54.1

Km 54.1: Hauts-de-Bienne (Pop: 5,100)
Formed in 2016 from the merger of Morez, La Mouille and Lézat. After being the capital of the local clockmaking industry in the 19th century, Morez was shaped by the spectacle industry in the 20th and 21st centuries. It is located close to the Swiss border, at the foot of the Les Rousses ski resort. It is the second-largest town in the Upper-Jura Regional Nature Park. The town boasts an eyewear museum. Morez is the birthplace of industrialists who have left their mark, such as Henri Lissac (eyewear manufacturer) and Lucien Terraillon (scales).

Eyewear Museum Opened: 2003.
History:
Morez has been the capital of the French eyewear industry since the early 19th century. The town owes its existence to the presence of a river, the Bienne, which enabled iron to be worked. Morez is a relatively young town. It wasn't until the 16th century that men settled in the area known as La Combe Noire. Among them was a blacksmith, Étienne Morel, who gave his name to the village: Morez.
Characteristics:
Four hundred and fifty modern and antique eyeglasses are on display here, among the 2,500 items in the collection. The eyewear on display has been chosen for its history, its owner (including Marie de Medici, Victoire de France and Sarah Bernhardt), its designer (André Courrèges and Philippe Starck), its shape, the materials used and the manufacturing technique. Finally, the main models produced in the Moorish workshops are also presented.
Label: Musée de France.

Km 60.7

Km 60.7: Lake of l'Abbaye
This glacial lake in the Jura is located at an altitude of almost 900 m, on the edge of the Haut-Jura. It covers an area of 96 hectares. Now privately owned, the lake is surrounded by pastures where Montbéliard cows feed. Their milk is processed into Comté and Morbier cheeses.

Km 61.7

Km 61.7: Grandvaux Abbey
History: abandoned for a time, the site was reactivated in the 12th century and the monastery became an abbey from 1172 to 1244, before becoming a simple priory dependent on the Abbey of Saint-Claude (also known as the Abbey of Saint-Oyand de Joux). The priory was abandoned again in the 17th century. The monastery buildings were converted by the villagers. All that remained was the church, which became the centre of a vast parish. It is bordered by the Lake of l’Abbaye, whose name keeps alive the memory of the former monastery.
Characteristics: Part of the building dates back to the third quarter of the 15th century. It has an elongated plan with no transept. The choir was altered in the 17th century. It ends in a three-sided apse and surprisingly adjoins the bell tower and sacristy. The facade overlooking the lake has a central portal topped by a bay window. The bell tower was rebuilt and the bays widened in 1729.
Listed as: Historical Monument in 2009.

Km 76.3

Km 76,3: Lake Ilay
The 72-hectare Lake Ilay, also known as Lake de la Motte because of the rocky island of La Motte, 200 m from the north shore, on which a Benedictine priory was built in the early Middle Ages, with remains dating back to the time of Charlemagne (9th century).

Km 77.9

Km 77.9: Le Frasnois (Pop: 170)

Lake Narlay
Situated in the plateau area at an altitude of 748 metres, Narlay lake is one of the lakes of the Jura limestone region. Nearby are Lake Ilay, Lake Maclu and Lake Vernois. It has a triangular surface area of 41 hectares, with a maximum length of 950 metres and a width of 625 metres. Bordered by meadows and forests, it is funnel-shaped with fairly steep edges, with a maximum depth of 40 metres, the deepest of all the Jura lakes.

Km 86.5

Km 86.5: Le Vaudioux (Pop: 170)

La Billaude waterfall
Or cascade Saut Claude Roy, one of the most picturesque sites in the Jura.
Characteristics: 2 successive waterfalls totalling 28 m in height gush out of a narrow fissure in the middle of the cliffs.  At the bottom of the deep valley of the Lemme (a 16.7-km-long river that rises at the foot of the Col de la Savine, at an altitude of 908 m, and flows into the Saine at Le Vaudioux). Over time, the force of the water has eroded a layer of marl, a phenomenon responsible for the surprising horizontal cavity in this jump.

Km 93.9

Km 93.9: Champagnole (Pop: 8,000)
At the foot of Mont Rivel, Champagnole is a cross-country skiing stronghold where the star of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Quentin Fillon-Maillet, hails from. The 29-year-old biathlete won two titles and three silver medals in Beijing, becoming the first Frenchman to win five medals at the same Winter Games. Champagnole is also home to champions such as Nordic skiers Hervé Balland and Sylvain Guillaume, as well as footballer Grégory Pujol and former rugby international Alain Carminati. The town has also twice hosted the Tour de France, in 1937 (Sylvère Maes won) and in 2020, when Dane Soren Kragh Andersen won solo.

In Syam (6 km)

Syam Palladian Villa (or Syam Castle)
Foundation: built in the 19th  century.
Style:
Palladian.
History: built in 1818 for Jean-Emmanuel Jobez (1775-1828), MP for the Jura during the Hundred Days (period between 1 March 1815 and 7 July 1815), ironmaster and mayor of Morez, the villa was built in the spirit of the beautiful 16th-century Italian villas designed by Andrea Palladio (1508-1580).
Characteristics: On a square plan, with a peristyle of 8 columns and 3 circular balconies, like a theatre, it features a 16 m-high rotunda topped by a cupola. Parisian architect Louis Feine, who was in charge of the first restoration and modernisation campaign, endeavoured to respect the spirit of the place and the neo-classical character of the building. A highly coherent collection of Empire furniture and period restorations, and a unique collection of wallpapers and panoramic paintings by prestigious names such as Zuber and Joseph Dufour (1754-1825). Thanks to the efforts of the current owners, the Palladian Villa's remarkable library is gradually being rebuilt. At the time of its construction, Jean-Emmanuel Jobez had a sumptuous library on the 2nd floor of the residence: 24-m long with up to 36,000 books.
Current use: Exhibitions and concerts are regularly held here. The former stables are used for a variety of events. A private estate, the Palladian Villa also offers bed and breakfast accommodation. 
Trivia: the Villa Palladienne is a luminous building that won its admirers and enjoyed a brilliant and serene 19th century. Preserved and maintained by the descendants of Sadi Carnot (1837-1894), President of the Republic (1887-1894), it was coveted by the public authorities and sold to its current owners in 2001.
Listed as: Historical Monument in 1994.

Km 99.7

Km 99.7: Vannoz (Pop: 220)


Château de Vannoz
Construction:
17th century.
History:
the fortified castle of Vannoz (known as Château de la Motte) was burnt down by the French in 1637 during the Ten Years' War, then rebuilt and transformed into a residence by the Baron du Pin in 1679 with the creation of a beautiful terraced garden. The improvements were continued by his successors.
Characteristics: the castle retains a rectangular tower facing outwards, a polygonal tower in the inner courtyard and single-storey buildings with sloping roofs covered in small tiles. A coat of arms and a stone bas-relief depicting St. George have been restored near the entrance to the main building.
Destination: Château de Vannoz was bought for his mother by Étienne Lamy, a politician and academician from the nearby village of Cize. On his death in 1919, Étienne Lamy bequeathed his château de Vannoz to establish a retirement home for priests from the diocese of Saint-Claude.

Km 104

Km 104: Vers-en-Montagne (Pop: 230)
Vers-en-Montagne has a rich historical past, both in terms of its castle and the lords who occupied it, and in terms of the famous and not-so-famous people who have lived in the village. Its origins appear to be very ancient. Remains, 50 m in diameter (the Motte de Malpas), can be seen in the commune and are similar to those known as "Caesar's camps" in Béarn. Stephen Pichon, who was born in 1857, was several times Minister of Foreign Affairs and a friend of Clemenceau. He lived in Vers-en-Montagne from 1903 until his death in 1933. He bought the château from the De Prudhomme family. Stephen Pichon was mayor of the commune from 1904 to 1929, senator of the Jura from 1906 to 1924, general councillor from 1904 to 1922, and president of the council from 1917 to 1921. Stephen Pichon was Minister of Foreign Affairs when the Treaty of Versailles was signed, and his signature appears on the treaty.

Km 116.5

Km 116.5: Bracon (Pop: 270)
The commune is home to a lime tree listed as a "remarkable tree". Tradition has it that it was planted in 1477 to mark the marriage of Charles the Bold's daughter Marie to Maximilian of Habsburg. Others estimate that it is "only" 240 years old. 

Km 116.9

Km 116.9: Salins-les-Bains (Pop: 2,430)
The town has a glorious history thanks to a flourishing industrial past in salt production dating back to the fifth millennium BC. It was the second-largest town in Franche-Comté in the Middle Ages and had around 8,500 inhabitants on the eve of the French Revolution. From the 19th century onwards, its industrial activity expanded thanks to the development of plasterworks, sawmills and earthenware factories. The town also created a spa in 1854, while the second half of the 20th century saw the gradual disappearance of its industries: the plasterworks closed in 1958, the saltworks in 1962 and the earthenware factories in 1995. Awarded the Cité de Caractère de Bourgogne-Franche-Comté label, the town is basing its economic conversion on health, spa treatments and tourism. The latter is based in particular on the restoration and enhancement of a rich and prestigious historical heritage, marked by the inclusion of the Great Saltworks of Salins-les-Bains on the Unesco World Heritage List on 27 June 2009, as an extension of the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans, which has been on the list since 1982. The town hosted the Tour de l'Avenir in 2006. But above all, it is a town that Jonas Vingegaard knows well, having won a stage of the Criterium du Dauphiné here in 2023, where he took the overall lead before finishing the week as the overall winner.

Salins-les-Bains Saltworks
Construction:
date unknown.
History: Salt has been mined in Salins since Neolithic times, and the existence of salt works in the town has been documented since the High Middle Ages. The need for large quantities of wood for the boilers led to the major project of the royal saltworks at Arc-et-Senans, built between 1775 and 1779 near the Doloise Chaux forest. The brine from Salins was transported there via a 21 km-long brine pipeline. Operations at Arc-et-Senans began in 1779 and were completed in 1895. However, the Salins saltworks continued to operate almost uninterrupted until 1962, when they closed, and were bought by the local authority four years later. The Salins-les-Bains saltworks are one of the oldest known sites for the production of ignigenic salt (evaporation of brine by fire), and illustrate the history of techniques for producing "white gold", based on the harnessing of salt water springs over a period of almost 7,000 years. Today, the Salins-les-Bains saltworks welcome around 70,000 visitors every year.
Listed as:
Historical Monument since 1957, then 2009. UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.

DOUBS (25)
Population:
547,096 (2021)
Prefecture:
Besançon
Sub-prefectures:
Montbéliard, Pontarlier
Surface area
: 5,234 km²
Specialities:
cheeses (Mont d'or, Comté, Cancoillotte, Morbier), charcuterie (Morteau and Montbéliard sausages, Bresi, smoked ham), alcohol (Absinthe, Pontarlier-Anis, fir liqueur), watchmaking, microtechnology expertise
Sports clubs
: Football Club Sochaux Montbéliard, Entente sportive bisontine féminine (handball), Entente sportive bisontine masculine (handball), Club cycliste Etupes, Besançon Avenir Comtois (basketball), Grand Besançon Doubs Handball (GBDH)
Competitions:
Nordic Combined World Cup, Tour du Doubs, Classic Grand Besançon Doubs (cycling), Trans'jurassienne, Cross national des Sapeurs-Pompiers, Trail des Forts, etc. Festivals: Besançon International Classical Music Festival / Festival de la Paille / Le livre dans la boucle / Gardens Festival in Arc-et-Senas / Rencontre et racines, in Audincourt / etc. Economy: 4-season tourism, food industry, microtechnology, automotive industry, new technologies, watchmaking.
Websites and social networks: 
www.doubs.fr / https://www.facebook.com/cddoubshttps://twitter.com/doubscd25https://www.instagram.com/doubscd25 /  

Located in the heart of the Jura mountains, Doubs is an ideal destination for four-season tourism, with its unspoilt countryside, rich heritage and authentic way of life. In winter, its snow-covered landscapes invite you to go Nordic skiing, snowshoe trekking and enjoy the warmth of local know-how. Spring and summer transform rivers and forests into playgrounds for hikers, cyclists and water sports enthusiasts. In autumn, the flamboyant colours sublimate the villages and valleys, perfect for gourmet getaways. A land of traditions, Doubs cultivates an art of living where gastronomy, crafts and culture blend harmoniously, offering a unique experience every season. It is also home to two UNESCO World Heritage sites: the Besançon Citadel, an architectural jewel overlooking the city, and the Royal Saltworks at Arc-et-Senans, an exceptional example of 18th-century industrial engineering.

Km 169.8

Km 169.8: Val-d'Usiers (Pop: 2,130 inhabitants)
A new commune formed in 2016 from the merger of the delegated communes of Bians-les-Usiers, Goux-les-Usiers and Sombacour. The 18th-century church of Saint-Valère in Goux-les-Usiers has been a listed historical monument since 1992. It has a porch bell tower topped by a typical Franche-Comté imperial dome, a listed altarpiece and extensive furnishings

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Sombacour Calvary Mount

Built: 1879
History and characteristics: the complex was built between 1890 and 1895. It comprises thirteen aediculae containing high stone reliefs and an oratory. It is a devotional route that winds its way up from the village to the top of the hill just beyond. It is located at the entrance to the village and is highly scenic. Chapel XIII bears the inscription of author Guillin de Mouthier-Haute-Pierre, 1891 to 1895. Jules Guillin also designed the war memorial at the base of the route. The recumbent Christ, located inside the oratory, is the work of sculptor Charles Auffret, 1956.
Listed as:
Historical Monument in 1989. Listed as 20th century heritage.

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