The best MTB trails around La Rivière-Drugeon

Very pretty little town.

The Église Saint-Bénigne in Pontarlier is a church dating from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. This church combines Romanesque, Gothic and Franc-Comtoise style elements. The striking clocher porch is topped with an imperial domed roof, also known as a clocher comtois, a traditional feature of Franche-Comté. The roof is covered with glazed tiles. The Église Saint-Bénigne is located in the Haut-Doubs and is dedicated to Saint Bénigne. Since May 19, 1970, the building has been registered as a historical monument. Historically, the church was almost completely rebuilt between 1651 and 1666 on the same site as an original 11th century Romanesque church, of which almost nothing remains (except a 15th century portal). This happened after the passage of the troops of Duke Bernard de Saxe-Weimar during the Thirty Years' War. In 1666 the church was rededicated in honor of Saint Bénigne. The church has suffered serious damage over time from two fires, one in 1680 and one during the Pontarlier fire of 1736. The clocher porch was rebuilt in 1681, and the imperial dome was added in 1753 by architect Nicolas Nicole. In 1970 the church underwent a major restoration, and in 1974 new stained glass windows were created by artist Alfred Manessier and the Lorin de Chartres workshops. The organ, which dates from 1758 and is in Louis XV style, was restored in 1844 and again in 1982.

Pontarlier is a mountain town located 837 meters above sea level in the heart of the Jura Mountains. As the capital of Haut Doubs, it is located at the entrance to a vast area of protected natural areas, where forests, lakes and green meadows are essential for the production of Mont d'Or and Comté cheese. Pontarlier was once known worldwide for its production of absinthe at the beginning of the last century. Today, the city has revived this tradition, with two distilleries once again producing absinthe.

The lake of the Funnel or Bouverans is bordered in this part by a small secondary road and little frequented which leads you very close to the peat bogs. The setting for cycling is ideal, if you are looking for a moment of rejuvenation, in the heart of a nature reserve.

This small pond is a real haven of peace, next to an equally peaceful town. It is an ideal place to stop, refuel and contemplate the reflections of clouds or trees in the water. Ornithology enthusiasts, get your cameras!

Here there is an information panel that provides information on the ecosystem of the marsh. There are also superb views of the vegetation, ideal for nature lovers. It is a landscape that constantly changes with the seasons and invites you to return.

Pontarlier is the capital of the "green fairy". It is here that the absinthe liqueur so popular in the nineteenth century and originating in the Val de Travers in the Swiss jura was produced industrially. The drink was nicknamed so because of its beautiful green color. She probably made you see fairies because wormwood has a hallucinogenic substance. It was forbidden to consume. Pontarlier is the second highest town in France after Briançon. Its city center is very pleasant.

small pond