An unusual region
Staying in a gîte, such as Villa Petrus de Longemaison, allows you to make many discoveries, rich in emotions, in a pleasant setting, both inside and outside the gîte. Being situated at an altitude of 730 metres, surrounded by the specific fir forests of the Haut Doubs, staying here puts you in the heart of the Franche-Comté and the Jura Massif. This offers you many possibilities of activities, and for all tastes: sporting or cultural, calm or full of thrills.
Here you will find some ideas to enrich your stay and have a great time.
The region and its specialities
The Haut Doubs is a natural region in France which corresponds to the mountainous part of the Doubs department in Franche-Comté. Its specialities are numerous:
- Cattle breeding, for milk, meat or cheese. The Montbéliarde breed, typical of the cows of the Haut Doubs, populates the fields and punctuates the walks. There are many cheese shops selling cheese and regional products near the gîte.
- The traditional industries are microtechnology and watchmaking, as well as all the activities related to the wood industry. You can learn more about watchmaking by visiting its museum in Morteau.
The Haut-Doubs also boasts a very beautiful natural heritage through its peaks, its lakes and rivers, its monuments and its towns. Only ten kilometres away, you can enjoy the coolness of the Cirque of Consolation, with its hiking trails along the streams. In winter, the snow is often present and will allow you to go snowshoeing, cross-country skiing or downhill skiing in the surrounding villages such as Gilley, Fournets-Luisans, or to go to Métabief.
Among the culinary specialities of the Haut-Doubs are its famous cheeses: Comté, Mont d’Or and Cancoillotte. The Morteau sausage is no less well known, having a national reputation.
Closer to Longemaison, you will discover the aniseed-flavoured aperitif “Le Pontarlier”, which is distilled in Pontarlier, in the Armand Guy distillery, which you can visit.
Surrounding towns.
45km away, it is the capital of the historical and cultural region of Franche-Comté, as well as the historical cradle of watchmaking in France. Thanks to its rich heritage and unique architecture, Besançon and its fortifications created by Vauban, as the Citadelle, are on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Longemaison is also close to the Swiss border, about 3 hours drive from the city of Neuchâtel, known for its lake.
30km away, situated at an altitude of more than 800 metres, the town is world famous for its absinthe and is also part of the network of the Most Beautiful Detours in France. It is a small, dynamic and pleasant town, whose architecture can be appreciated as well as the banks of the Doubs, which are well laid out and very popular.
21km away, it is a small town nestled in a valley, which owes its development to the watchmaking industry but is also known for its gastronomy.
Activities
The Haut Doubs is therefore a region that is rich in activity, both in summer and in winter.
In summer
- walks and hikes in the Jura forests in the middle of the green countryside,
- cycling routes completely off the main roads, mountain bike routes adapted to different levels,
- water activities is possible in the surrounding lakes: swimming, canoeing (in Ornans for example), paddling (activities proposed by the Lac St-Point). Also, located about 20 km away, the Saut du Doubs is a must-see place in Franche-Comté. It is a magnificent immersion in the heart of Franche-Comté natural beauty
- fishing, in breeding ponds or in the middle of nature,
- visits to Comtois farms,
- historical monuments: many castles, including the Fort de Joux overlooking the Joux valley or the Château Pertusier which houses the Morteau clock-making museum,
- visits to caves: the best known is the Oselle cave, which is very refreshing, especially during the hot weather, you can find too the Poudrey chasm, the Remenot chapel-cave or the Glacière cave.
In winter
In the Jura mountains you can practice many winter sports. The ski slopes in Switzerland are also nearby. You can find :
- cross-country skiing, the reputation of the Cernets cross-country ski trails is well known, other trails are available in the neighbouring villages,
- downhill skiing, in the Swiss resorts, in those of Métabief or for more tranquillity in the small villages,
- snowshoeing,
- sledging,
- thermal springs in Salins-les-Bains or Yverdon-les-Bains.
Lac Saint-Point
Lac Saint-Point
Un matin d'hiver
Citadelle de Besançon
Ski de fond
Château de Joux
VTT
Morteau
Grottes de Valorbe (Suisse)
Saut du Doubs
You are also invited to check the website of the tourist office, for more informations, or to check these other websites :
- Franche-comté tourisme , the free guide of outings, visits & gastronomy in Franche-Comté.
- Doubs Travel, everything related to tourism in the Doubs (places, etc).
Emma Petronela, your host, is also present during your stay to guide you through the discovery of the magnificent region that is Franche-Comté, as well as its unmissable places.