Le Jura, villages d’exception au cœur de la Franche-Comté – Les 100 Lieux qu’il faut voir – MG

Le Jura, villages d’exception au cœur de la Franche-Comté – Les 100 Lieux qu’il faut voir – MG

Do you like France? Do you like to explore it,
discover it, and meet it? Sometimes you even
feel like you know her well. We all have a small beach,
a small cove, a clearing, a hamlet or a path that belongs
only to us, far from the beaten track and that we want to share
only with those we love. This is the France we want
you to discover through 100 places that you absolutely must see in your lifetime. Today,
we take you to the Jura, a region of high plains and mid-
mountains characteristic of Franche-Comté. A region dotted with breathtaking scenery
and architectural gems. Our first stop will be in Baume-les-messieurs,
the most beautiful village in the region . Then we will go to Dole,
the birthplace of Louis Pasteur. You will discover many treasures there,
such as its imposing collegiate church. Finally, we will visit the
Joux fortress, which for a long time was the only military building in the entire massif. So many discoveries that we
invite you to make in the company of authentic and generous characters
who are all keen to show you the sometimes little-known richness of their region. Officially listed among the most
beautiful villages in France, Baume-les-messieurs is a small haven
of peace nestled at the crossroads of three so-called remote valleys. This rare geological phenomenon is the
origin of this fabulous natural setting that you should not miss
under any circumstances. Our guide, Thierry Moine,
is a restaurateur and a great lover of Jura wines. It must be said that in his village
of Arbois, yellow wine is venerated even in churches. Usually, it is in the kitchen that Thierry
likes to introduce his guests to his Jura. His specialty? Coq au vin jaune cooked
in an old-fashioned sauté pan. A homemade recipe that his young second
must learn to master. My passion remains wine.
The vineyard. I chose to make coq au vin.
That’s to say ? It’s just wine. So, are there any aromatics?
No. Is there any pepper?
Zero. So what
will give it the taste? Only the quality of the wines. The meat, The meat. And then after, the last thing we’re going to
add later is yellow. No, it’s coq au vin
jaune and morels. So. So. In his kitchen, Thierry loves to bring
his ancestors’ techniques up to date. That’s something from my grandmother. That is to say, we reduced the
morel juice to recover, to recover the taste of the morels. You know, I’ve already explained it,
the goal is to lose. Never taste. Between two shots, Thierry likes to
come for a walk in Baume-les-messieurs. Even if you’ve never been there,
you definitely know this village. Instead, listen to this tune
that Bernard Granveaux, its former mayor, loves to hum. A bell rings and
its voice echoes from echo to echo. Tell the world who is amazed. This is for Jean-François. Nico still weak. Madame de la Brosse. Yes indeed! It is in Baume-les-messieurs that we owe
one of Edith Piaf’s greatest successes. The three bells. I will take you to a grave which is that of the hero of the famous song Les Trois Cloches,
immortalized by Edith Piaf and the companions of the song. You mean the hero
is a balm, gentlemen. And is buried in Baume les Messieurs? And there you are, standing in front of his grave. Jean Vilar put for the rhyme
Jean-François, Okay, but his name was François Nicot. His wife, the sweet Elise, was
only called Louise, but that was also for the rhyme. It needed three syllables. But oral tradition says that he was
standing in front of this tomb, and it happened to be
12 o’clock and the Angelus was ringing. And why the three bells,
this church, the abbey church of Baume-les-messieurs
and the church of Granges sur Baume, above the rock, and poet of his state,
he made them the three stages of the life of Jean-François Nicot. Bernard must now close
the church, or rather the churches. My dear friend, I am going to leave you
since I am the attendant. I come to see, as I often say,
because I also take care of the parish of candles at the main church. So every day I go to see my great
good God at the abbey church and my little good God here. So I’m going to go
see him to lock him up. Let him not run away tonight. Thierry Thank you.
A lot. Thank you and thank you very much
again for coming to see me. It was a pleasure.
And then see you soon and see you soon. Bye. Thierry therefore leaves Bernard
to join Anthony Luciana, a young guide passionate about
history at the gates of the abbey. Hi Thierry, how are you? Welcome to the Abbey
of Baume-les-Messieurs. Thierry and Anthony
now enter the church. Undoubtedly the most beautiful
building of this 11th century abbey. Thierry We are here
in the abbey church of Saint-Pierre of the abbey of Baume les Messieurs. It was built in the 11th century. We are then under Romanesque art. The base is Romanesque and the nave above. The ribbed
vaults are Gothic. The architecture of this church is quite
sober, quite simple, as you can see. There is still an alternation
of stack shapes for the first six. When you say piles, you mean pillars. Actually yes, we can say both things,
there is no problem, the two words agree. So the first pile here
is octagonal in shape. It becomes square, it becomes round,
it becomes octagonal again, square and round. And this alternation of piles
is typical of the first Romanesque Jura art. As in the Saint-Just church in Arbois.
Actually. It’s the same principle and that’s what
Lons le Saunier wanted, the same principle. And if we look down, we can
also see that we are walking on graves. So what about these graves? It’s not just monks
who are buried here. Villagers could come and be
buried in the abbey church for a fee, and the closer they were to
the choir, the more expensive it was. It is here, in the heart of the Church,
that the jewel of the sanctuary is found. A
16th-century polychrome Flemish altarpiece. This sublime work of art is
impeccably preserved in its original condition. It measures five and a half meters wide
and three meters high in the center. As you can see,
we have a magnificent stage set, sculpted in relief,
but also in the round. What is round-bossing? So Thierry’s Round-bosse
is simply three-dimensional sculptures, sculpted in the front,
behind and on the sides. Is the altarpiece
in very good condition? This triptych was restored
in the 1990s in Vesoul, where it had gone to be restored. They worked about
1500 hours on it. In terms of restoration,
it has been touched very little since then, so it remains close to its original state. And
in Baume-les-messieurs we can boast of having a triptych which is one of the four
largest triptychs towards oneself in existence. If Boom is a model of
local architecture, it is at the Harley castle, located a few kilometers away,
that you can admire a fine example of Jura furniture. Little known to the general public. This splendid 11th century estate is
the oldest vineyard château in France. Alain de Laguiche is always proud
to show off his ancestors’ apartments. Apartments entirely decorated
and furnished by one of the most famous master cabinetmakers in the Jura. I welcome you here in the large living room
designed in 1825 by Pierre d’Arenberg. It is a splendid piece of furniture
that represents you and Jura. It was made entirely
by a cabinetmaker from Poligny, a small craftsman from Poligny,
Monsieur Répécaud, from whom Pierre d’Arenberg would
order all the furniture on the ground floor of the château. And what wood is it made of?
Actually. It is light wood,
plain wood, white wood, mainly ash. And for example, here
you have a very beautiful star-shaped parquet floor , in
light hornbeam and dark oak. It is in the castle library
that the creativity of master Répécaud takes on its full dimension. We are here in the library. It is, I think,
one of the most beautiful pieces from the Figure-toi house, always made
by Monsieur Répécaud. What talent! Look at this magnificent woodwork with bird’s eye maple
, woods that only grow in very cold climates. Maybe from Haut-Jura,
probably from Haut-Jura with a bit of an amazing stove in the middle
of the room that can heat itself. You see, on all four sides,
it was already comfortable. There is no exhaust to the stove.
Oh no, did you notice? Indeed, the fireplace
is hidden under the parquet flooring which can be removed and goes up into this
trompe-l’oeil false library. A fictional library
down to the titles of the books. Well, come closer! Look at these derisive titles. The rules of legality by level. Oh yes, but you understood correctly,
it is through Monsieur at the level of justice. Just by superhuman chance. Well, it’s really very funny,
it perfectly depicts the mentality of the time since of course it’s
the monarchy and we try to forget a little the tumultuous period
of the revolution through humor. For a connoisseur
of yellow wine like Thierry. It would be a shame to come to Beaune
without going just fifteen minutes away to reach
the heart of the Jura vineyards. Château-chalon is in fact considered
the temple of gold of the Jura, as it is nicknamed here. And thanks to Jean Pierre Salvadori, a
winemaker for 42 years, you will learn everything about this
monument of Jura heritage. So Jean-Pierre,
what grape variety are these terraced vines planted with? So here we are
in the Château-chalon appellation. So we use exclusively the
Savagnin grape variety which is intended for the production of yellow wine. But the grape variety is not everything,
as Jean-Pierre likes to point out. It is above all the quality of the land
that gives its unparalleled character to the 50 hectares of the Château-chalon vineyard. We are going to see this particular terroir. Terroir, you mean,
it’s the earth in fact. So. So here we have what we
call blue-grey marls. We see, it’s in a layer of
very fine marl like that, okay? And then on the surface we find
rocky scree due to the cliff of Château-chalon. And so there you have it, all this terroir brings
the complexity that we know in the famous yellow wines. And so, when we have Savagnin
planted in this terroir. I feel it in your blue eyes. I think we can expect
a very complex product with a very complex aromatic palette. It is therefore the combination of this Marne
and the limestone scree that gives the yellow wine of Château-chalon its
characteristic mineral flavor, which has earned it AOC classification since 1936. A wine, as you will see, very different
from other French productions. So here we are in one of the old
yellow wine cellars, which are several centuries old. This wine will be put in barrels
for a minimum of six years and three months. So here, we will move
on to the typical breeding of yellow wine. So, it’s a special breeding process,
a filling the first time and then, during the six years and three
months, we let the emptying take place in the barrel. Evaporation of up to a third of the volume
and the veil that will form on the surface. There you have it, Vin jaune will protect the wine
for six years and three months. The alcohol that evaporates
is therefore not compensated. This unique feature is
reflected in the unusual shape of the bottle, limited to 62 centiliters. A bottle to be drunk
in moderation, of course. So the story of this bottle
is still unique. Yes, very special. 62 centiliters.
And what does it come from? Let’s say that 62 centiliters
is what remains of a liter after six years and three months of aging. Evaporation, what we
call the angels’ share. Everyone should know.
It’s beautiful. It’s beautiful. So the angels’ share is 38%.
All right. Did you explain to me
in the vineyards earlier? We immediately feel the minerality,
the stones and despite a vintage which has a beautiful power, a really
beautiful freshness on the palate. And then really, this drinkability
is extraordinary. On the way out, Thierry wants to
show us another little-known gem of Jura heritage. It is located 40 kilometers
from Château-chalon, in the village of Salins les Bains. Here, the Grande Saline is one of the only ones
in Europe to have preserved intact its ancient salt extraction system. And it is with its director,
Yann Garnache, that we will dive into its lair. So here we are in the Upstream well. This is the place where
salt water has been drawn since the 19th century. At a depth of 246 meters.
And how do we do it? SO ?
How do we do it? We will use a water wheel which
allows us to generate energy. And then on the other side,
the well that pumps salt water from 246 meters deep. And this is a mechanism that dates back to when? These mechanisms, which date back to the 1840s,
installed non-polluting renewable energies and which continue
to function? The wheel works like that of a
traditional mill powered by the river which crosses the town
until the beginning of the 20th century 135 zero zero zero liters of brine,
that is to say water filled with salt, were thus drawn daily. Here you go Thierry, before going any
further, I would like you to taste something. It is the salt water that is brought up from
the depths of Salins. Mmm. It’s very, very salty.
What concentration! So there we are at 330 grams per liter,
so imagine that what you just tasted is still
210 million years old. But the funny thing is, it
really does feel like pure salt. In fact, we have nothing at all compared
to Guérande salts or fresh salt waters. We really have a feeling of salt. It’s very concentrated and it’s saltier. Imagine the Dead Sea.
All right. Here Thierry, we are in front of the pan. So you have pans in your
restaurant, but here there is a bigger pan. We talk about a stove because the operation
is exactly the same. This is the last frying pan
that exists in France. Inside, we will put 36 zero zero zero
liters of salt water, which we will heat. The salt water that came in through the
pipes we saw earlier. It comes in through the pipes,
so it fills the pan. We obtain fleur
de sel on the surface which we will grate. We’ll put it on the roof so it
evaporates and then they’ll add the salt. Once it is dry in this dumper,
in this wooden wheelbarrow to be taken to the SEL store
and repackaged in 70-100 kilo bags. But there must have been an
extraordinarily hot atmosphere here. It was a scorching hot day there, with temperatures
between 40 and 50 degrees all year round. we can’t see each other five meters away
because there’s water vapor everywhere. And salt workers
can lose up to 20 kilos in the first two months of their activity.
It’s incredible. The saltworks have been closed since 1962,
when salt extraction ceased to be profitable. Hurry up and visit it, because since then,
the salt continues to eat away at the cast iron of the pan. Soon, nothing will remain. And if you haven’t quite figured out how
this giant pan works, a group of enthusiasts
regularly organizes demonstrations on a much smaller scale,
right next to the Saline. The next stage of our journey in the Jura awaits us in the north of the department. A stopover that will particularly delight
art and history lovers. The historic capital of the Jura, Dole is a
town with an exceptional heritage. Near the Notre-Dame collegiate church,
the emblem of the city, peaceful medieval streets wind their way
around the banks of the Doubs. It is with Patrick that we
invite you to discover this city. A restaurateur for around thirty
years, he is a key figure in Dole. Patrick absolutely wants to
show us this city that he loves. For the occasion, he is accompanied by Alain
Szewczyk, heritage facilitator. Our guide suggests we start
with the Jewel of Dole, the Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame,
as he is very attached to this 500-year-old Gothic church. Alain, you know, it’s always
a moving moment for me to come to this collegiate church because I have
so many good memories. I got married and then we
also baptized our children here. It’s an important building for you
and it’s a very, very important monument for the Gauls. In fact, it is the emblem of the city. Do you see the bell tower
we are under here? It is the highest in Franche-Comté. It is 73 meters high and it is true
that it really marks the Gallic landscape. We can see it from very, very far away. If this collegiate church is
really worth the detour. Patrick was always very impressed by its unique organ of gigantic size. And I’m going to introduce you to Etienne, who is
the organist. Gorgeous.
Nice to meet you, Etienne. Good morning.
Hello Patrick. So it’s an organ above
us that dates from the 18th century. We are lucky to have practically
preserved it here and so it sounds as it did originally and it is Etienne who will
show it to you and make you hear it. So Etienne, I think I just have to
follow you. Let’s go, let’s go. There’s
just now. Alain, see you later. Exceptionally,
Etienne Baillot will take us behind the scenes of this
monumental organ with 3,500 pipes. So Etienne, there you are in your
lair, no one sees you. Yes, that’s not the point. The main advantage of being in a
compact location is that the mechanics are much more direct
between the fingerboard and the pipes. Precisely at the sound level. So these are the objects, I don’t know
what they’re called. These are called register pulls
or stops which each time make a series of pipes speak. From bass to treble, there are
about sixty here. Different. Etc.
All right. And there you have it, on the same keyboard, you can
already have a certain number of sounds. And then the fact that we have four
keyboards here is a real asset. That is to say that the first keyboard,
for example, here makes all the pipes which are
in balustrades behind my back speak. On this keyboard,
we can already make almost a complete organ speak, which is quite
sufficient to fill the collegiate church. To activate all these
pipes at the same time. Etienne must couple the four keyboards
After fourteen years spent behind his console, this incredible instrument
never ceases to captivate him. That’s interesting. Not only because it is a large,
spectacular instrument in a large acoustic.
And it is. But above all in France, it is
one of the very rare instruments which has kept its very
particular timbre since its origin. What is extraordinary
is that, on the one hand, the 18th century parts have remained
perfectly well preserved and that the additions that were made
subsequently fit in with this in a totally harmonious way. So, Etienne,
can you give us a concert? A concert? It might be a little long,
but I can play you a piece. Indeed, but probably
the best place to hear the organ. It’s still in the nave downstairs,
if I may say so. But I’ll go with pleasure. So.
Thank you Etienne.
You are welcome. Leaving Notre-Dame,
Aline and Patrick continue on to the most famous district of the city. Yes, it is a very picturesque neighborhood
called the Tanners’ Quarter. Because here, until the middle of the 20th
century, and even a little after the Second World War,
there were tanners who made leather and worked the skin. He cleaned it in the canal and
then they soaked it over time with crushed oak bark
to make leather, which is a rot-proof and waterproof material. And then, well,
these skins were put to dry in the drying sheds, like the one
behind us. Ah!
Yes, yes, yes! It was also in this formerly
unsanitary neighborhood that Louis Pasteur, the inventor of the rabies vaccine, was born in 1822. If you look around,
you’ll inevitably come across his birthplace, around the corner of an alleyway. A little further. Patrick wants to show us another
emblematic place in Dole, the Hôtel-Dieu. We are in a cloister. We are almost in a cloister. Let’s just say it was never a convent. This was a hospital. They were the nuns
of the Congregation of Sainte-Marthe who came from Beaune,
who arrived at the end of the 17th century and who cared for the sick
for 300 years, 300 years. All right. The architecture of this former hospital
alone is worth the visit. But what intrigues Patrick the most here
is a room with the strange name: The Apothecary. Well, here
we are in The Apothecary, the old hospital pharmacy. Oh okay, these pots are superb. So these are the jars in which we
The Apothecary Sisters. So, pharmacist, put the remedies she
made here. They were experts in flora,
they were really botanists too. So it was a meaningful job,
a bit like yours today. And there, this basin,
what was it used for? So it’s a large metal pot
that dates from the 17th century and was a mortar. The mortar is the instrument,
the pharmacist’s instrument. It was in this immense mortar
that ointments, oils, syrups and other balms were prepared
under the watchful eye of Saint Damien, patron saint of pharmacists. Each decoction was then preserved
in an earthenware pot specially created for the Hôtel-Dieu. I’m interested in the pot. Longueville syrup. Yeah, that’s super interesting.
What was in there? So
that’s a bit like you when you’re in the kitchen, you
don’t easily reveal your secrets. That’s right, you’re right.
I keep my secrets too. Come on, come on, I’ll show you
something else you might not know. Oh yeah? What are these instruments?
It’s a little scary. Yes. So, these are
surgical instruments. We have some
pretty dangerous tools, like this big saw. Exactly. It reminds me a little of my
kitchen when we cut the bones. Exactly.
So it’s for cutting the leg of lamb. So. Exactly. But hey, that was
on the battlefield. In fact, from the Napoleonic era,
this surgical kit was used for
traveling hospitals. So yes, absolutely. And that was it.
So that was what was needed to amputate. So that’s why we have one. And the peak was not
the only instrument of torture. This one, for example,
was used to remove bullets. Enough to make your blood run cold. Especially since at the time,
there was no anesthesia, and even then, that’s nothing compared to what happened next. So below,
we have the equipment for trepanning, that is to say for performing
brain operations. There you go, on the skull
to reduce a hematoma for example. So it looks like a crank. So yes, yes, actually
it’s the crankshaft. And on this crankshaft,
we fixed a wick. All right. Here, which allowed
different areas of the skull to be perforated. Here, we’ll try it right away. No, I don’t care about it that much,
I don’t care about it that much. So. So here we have it. After this visit,
Patrick offers to let us taste the local gastronomy at the table of his
friend Philippe Court, just five kilometers from Dole,
in the small village of Parcey. The two chefs
often compare their recipes. That’s why Patrick put on his outfit. Hi Philippe, Hi Patrick. How have you been since we last saw each other?
Perfect ! I’m glad you welcomed me
into your kitchen this morning. We’re going to have a little fun.
My pleasure. Come on, let’s go, let’s go. Their challenge of the day? The creation of a dessert that
showcases local products. So today
we’re going to make an orange cracker. Yes, with a light
macvin cream and a macvin caramel. So the Macvin is
the star, the star. We are in the Jura here.
Exactly. You did well to point that out. If you don’t know what Macvin is,
it’s a typical Jura liqueur with a hint of quince. We’re going to make a little cream,
so a little light cream with a pastry cream base that I’m going to make with
a little whipped cream which will be a mixture. Oh yes, you’re going to lighten
the pastry cream. And a little macvin. And in the meantime, are
you going to make me the caramel? Are you going to make a caramel? Do you think I can do it? Quite.
I have complete confidence in you.
Perfect. You reassure me.
Milk. The two friends
immediately set to work in the kitchen. First step: preparing the cracker made from
sugar, butter, almonds and sesame seeds. So it doesn’t stick to my roller. I give them a second
sheet which says here. I’m going to put my device
between the two sheets. GOOD. And so the roller, that’s where it
should come in, in my opinion. You’re not trying to hit me, are you?
No. Oh okay, I wouldn’t have allowed myself to.
Philip. After spreading
the mixture on a plate. Philippe puts it in the oven at 180
degrees for six minutes. There, while still hot, we’re going to cut out our squares,
our triangles, our circles, whatever we want.
We will give it the shape we want. Because it cools down pretty quickly,
I think. Quite. But we can reheat it
if it is too hard and we cut it again. This prevents breakage.
Good, you put it back in the oven on demand. Quite.
Then, the cream and the macvin caramel. Once again, nothing complicated. Sugar, eggs, cream
and above all the essential ingredient. So here, I’m going to incorporate
a little macvin into my cream. Let us be generous. We are from the Jura. Oh yeah,
but you know I hesitated to take a little sip before,
but I didn’t dare. Since you have. Have you calculated your recipe precisely? It doesn’t really surprise me. The final step is the presentation
on the plate. Like a mille-feuille. If the result makes your mouth water,
know that this dessert can be prepared in less than 2 hours.
Ah, that’s superb! Oh yes, superb!
Do you like it? Oh yes!
Yes yes ! Are you looking forward to tasting this one?
Good. A foodie like you,
it’s not surprising. Yes yes. After this gourmet interlude,
Patrick takes us 30 minutes to Dole, on the border of Jura and Doubs. He wants to show us a
geological curiosity that you absolutely must not miss. The Osselle Cave is undoubtedly
the most famous cave in the Jura, but it is also the most difficult to find. Its entrance is practically
invisible from the road. Patrick hasn’t been here since his
youth and it is with Brigitte Az, the owner of the place,
that he will rediscover this cave. This cave was discovered when. In the 13th century, we don’t know.
Not by whom. It’s too old, but it has been
regularly visited since 1504. It is in fact the first visited cave
in the world, along with Antiparos in Greece. Located 110 meters below the hill. The salt galleries are
more than a kilometer long. They are home to thousands of
natural concretions that everyone can interpret as they wish. This column is majestic. Yes, it’s the biggest one in the cave. It is called the July Column,
because of the column of the same name which is located in Place de la Bastille, in Paris. So.
You’re thinking more of a big cake. Oh yes, yes, yes, I imagine a nun
with lots of cream. Even in the confines of these
underground galleries, Patrick’s greed is put to the test. Patrick, I’m going to show you something. I’m sure it will
make you very happy. Look at this column,
what does it make you think of? With a chicken leg
and a confit chicken leg in addition. We can see the fatty part
that we use for cooking. So there it is.
It’s wonderful. It makes you want to go eat.
Oh yes. Also, it has
another peculiarity. While water flows almost
everywhere, a small part of this cave remains curiously dry. This is what allowed
refractory priests to take refuge here during the French Revolution. The only trace of their passage is
this pile of clay which served as an altar. Later, this shelter hosted
much more festive activities. It’s here. In this part of the cave,
many banquets were also organized , especially in honor
of Voltaire, who came very often and where people came here
to eat and especially to dance. So you mean that today,
if I come with my friends from the county, Morteau sausage and yellow wine,
we can party? I’ll think about it. Do
you allow me? Maybe so.
All right. This is the end of the sightseeing tour.
Already ? Yes.
The final bouquet. I can’t go any further. No, it is not developed, but the cave
continues for another four kilometers. So we just have to.
Come out. But you’ll see in the other direction, it looks
like you’re seeing another cave. Our getaway to the Jura would not be
complete without a little excursion to the mountain range of the same name
which extends to the neighboring department of Doubs. Famous for its sporting activities in both summer
and winter, the massif has an
unjustly ignored historical heritage, of which the Fort de Joux, on the edge of Switzerland,
is the highlight. Originally, it is believed that the site was
mainly used for protection against bears. Then the lords of Joux,
aware of its strategic location, decided to fortify it
to establish their authority over this highly coveted region. Hihihiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii. We invite you to visit it in the company of Bruno, an
accomplished athlete. This native of Dijon opened a
family hotel in Mijoux, in the heart of the family mountain range. Because this Jura native at heart welcomes
and advises his clients like friends. For a short,
quiet mountain bike ride. Start the holidays. What we can MAYBE do
is go to the cheek side. And then once all that is
underway, we will find other trails that are a little more,
a little more committed, a little more technical. While his guests enjoy the joys
of hiking, Bruno begins his ascent to the Château de Joux. Admirably well preserved,
the fortress impresses with its powerful ramparts which dominate and protect
a valley once considered the commercial
and military crossroads of Europe. We recommend you
visit it with Gilles Erhard, a true living encyclopedia of the place who
spent his entire childhood within these walls. Welcome to Château de Joux! It’s really beautiful here! Yes, it’s beautiful. To get here, you have crossed
the fifth enclosure from 1880. We are here at the level
of the fourth enclosure, from the Vauban era. And passing under this beautiful
gateway, we enter the medieval part of the castle. This Joux castle is a
stately home, originally a wooden castle built before the year
1000 on the highest point of the mountain, which was
gradually transformed into a military place. Since its construction in the Middle Ages
and until the 19th century, the castle underwent numerous
developments intended to fortify it. Joue means Jura in Latin, cheek,
designated the forests which cover our mountains. Joue has become a synonym
for the Jura mountains. Its dungeon which surrounds us is made up
of former lordly apartments, kitchens and offices. And there, a period building, Vauban,
which will also serve as a state prison. In the 19th century,
the fort’s dungeons became as famous as those of the Bastille. However, two Chouan leaders,
Generals D’Andigné and Suzannet, succeeded in the incredible
feat of escaping. How did they manage to leave
this well-guarded prison? After several unsuccessful attempts,
they will resume the wake of the boat at the window level. Then they will make a rope at the last moment
with the curtains of the cell and will go down along the facade
under the noses of the sentries who are on the second enclosure,
but also on the courtyard side of the dungeon. Very impressive. But their rope was too short. And in desperation,
they threw themselves into the void. Fortunately for them, they
nevertheless escaped unharmed. Despite this spectacular escape,
Joue would long remain one of the most secure state prisons. Toussaint Louverture,
hero of the fight against slavery, was also imprisoned there
on Napoleon’s orders. When you come here,
don’t hesitate to delve into the bowels of the fortress. Certainly the
most surprising part of the visit. The building actually houses one
of the deepest wells in Europe. Wow!
This is super impressive! It is a well dating from the
Vauban era, which was dug in 1690, dug by hand, with a pickaxe. The well was originally
147 meters deep. It flowed into an underground water table and provided water to
the 6 to 700 soldiers of the garrison. And we needed such a
large well to supply the castle with water. Yes, the problem
is that we are on top of a mountain and we have to cross the whole mountain
to reach the underground water tables.
Effectively. Gilles offers us a little experiment. A word of advice: listen carefully. Watch out Bruno, not a breath left. Very impressive.
Impressive, yes. How long does it take to
get to the bottom? About eight seconds to get to the bottom. Eight seconds before I heard
the rock crash to the bottom. We now understand better the
titanic project that this well represented. Gilles, have you ever
gone down the well? Yes, I was lucky enough to go
down there a few years ago. It was a childhood dream. But before me, others did it. Jean-Paul Belmondo For example, in 1992,
it was Claude Lelouch’s film, Les Misérables of the 20th Century. Or other scenes were
filmed in the castle. Oh yes, many sequences of the film
were shot here, in the prisons, in the dungeon, etc. The castle opened its doors to the public in
1954, but remained the property of the French army until 1968. Barely fifteen minutes from Fort de Joux,
a breath of fresh air and steam awaits us. It is in the village of New Hospitals
that Bruno now has an appointment with a colorful character. In 1993, he and a group of enthusiasts took on a crazy challenge to bring this old
steam locomotive back into service. His name?
Louis Poix. Hi Bruno.
Hi, Loulou. Well, we’ll quickly finish preparing
the machine, cleaning it, greasing it. Because before leaving,
you have to prepare the machine. This old lady needs to be
pampered all the time. I’m going to you.
Show how it should be done. I’ll give you the sponge
to polish the connecting rods. This is where there is the most work.
All right. You can go. You have to rub properly. And this happens every day.
Every day. All right. What do you use in particular
besides this magic sponge to make all these elements shine?
Elbow grease. Elbow grease?
All right. Well, he’s tough on me!
Amazing ! Travelers at their destination. From the Round Fountain By car,
please! Be careful when leaving. Come on Bruno, let’s go! Pffffffff! Here we go. The eight and a half kilometer route is
an original way to discover the high plains of the massif. We see that they are not
both doing the same thing. Everyone has their role, their position. Quentin on the right is the mechanic. He is the boss of the machine
and the driver who has the responsibility and the safety, the brake. And otherwise Guillaume who is on the left,
he is the driver. So he takes care
of steam production. He is the water levels
and the fire in the hearth. With more than 30 zero zero passengers
per year, this line is a real success with tourists,
often more interested in the Iron Lady than in the landscape. Loulou, what led you to create
this association and get this line running again with a steam train? I was born in Hôpitaux-neufs and I
knew the station in operation with the steam engines. The mechanics made us get into the
machine and I think that’s why. I was vaccinated for steam. What does
this train represent for you? It’s a success because we have a lot
of people and you just have to see all the young people we have with us. And that is truly recognition of
the feat we are achieving. What Loulou wants most
is to pass on her passion to younger generations. Today, his entire group of friends has
set themselves a new goal: to build fifteen kilometers of track to reach
Pontarlier within four years. After this bucolic walk,
Bruno would like to show you another surprising site in the Jura massif. The immense Fort des Rousses is located
less than an hour from the village of Hôpitaux-neufs.
This gigantic 21-hectare military fort is no longer in operation. But you will see that it has benefited
from a rather original reconversion thanks to the current owner,
Jean-Charles Arnaud. Hello Jean-Charles.
Bruno, Hello. Are you going to discover a special place?
Yes. Perched at an altitude of over 1,000 metres,
this fort is the second largest French military citadel. So here we are really
in the heart of Fort des Rousses. Yes, it is the Place d’Armes
with this fortress which was designed for 2,500 men,
2,000 horses and the possibility of holding a siege for a year. That’s really incredible! Second fortress of France. Beneath the buildings,
50 square meters of vaulted rooms and miles
of galleries await you. A maze that Jean-Charles knows
like the back of his hand since he was a commando instructor in this fort. And there, you will see the last
vestiges, a little unusual and with a few small souvenirs,
but I will let you discover them. Until now, you thought you were visiting
an ordinary military fort. Error ! The time has come to reveal
the new destination of this building. My family has been cheesemakers for
two generations, three generations. So when I found myself
on night shifts, walking through these immense vaulted rooms,
these stone galleries, I had a much more
peaceful view than the soldiers. And for me, stone vaults
are still intended more for refining comté cheese than
for storing munitions. Besides, what I’m suggesting
is that you go from soldier to cheesemaker. We’re going to get dressed and then we’re going to
actually discover the new life of Fort des Rousses.
Great, I’m following you! Come on, let’s go! The Fort’s underground passages have been
converted into a maturing cellar dedicated to comté cheese. The emblematic cheese of the Jura. This cellar is the largest in Europe. Nearly ten zero zero zero millstones are
stored there along its 240-meter-long corridors. Enough to make a great fondue. But how do you choose? Choosing a cheese from this
incredible quantity? Well, you know, basically
you have to listen to them, listen to them and only then taste them. And if we are able to
listen carefully enough to each cheese, it will really speak to us a lot. He will tell us a lot about what he
is and what he can still become. If you have a defect in a cheese,
you will hear it. Do you hear it? Of course, of course, but listen to yourself, you
are in the restaurant and hotel industry. Each to their own.
Exactly. A refiner is a refiner,
so he must have an ear. And then he must do
the really important thing, which is tasting. So the sound tool. From there, it will allow us to take
a small carrot of cheese. So, do I advise you? It’s that you crush
this dough well under your fingers. This cellar is a little cold. It’s eight and a half degrees
and you’re already enjoying the texture. Yes yes. There are aromas that are exceptional. Dried fruits,
roasted hazelnuts too. And now we’re going to taste it. Small
animal crystallization, a little grilled, roasted. And then, all this fruit. It’s perfect.
It suits me perfectly. Honestly, this one is great. Baby of Fort des Rousses.
Yes, Bravo! This county is ready to leave the fort. After two years of refining,
the wheel has reached maturity. Jean-Charles even gave him
the maximum score of four crosses. Yes. After this underground stroll,
Bruno recommends that you finish with a breath of fresh air in a
miraculously preserved natural setting. Welcome to this sumptuous setting
nicknamed Little Scotland. Many tourists don’t
even know these lakes exist. Yet, this little paradise is the
favorite spot of Michel Loup, a rather unusual photographer;
you have to see it to believe it. Turquoise lagoons in the
middle of the Jura massif, these transparent, crystal-clear waters. Michel loves to dive there
to take pictures. Submarines. It’s really beautiful. Indeed, it is a beautiful corner.
It’s superb! So, this is your playground? Yes, that’s where I take my
photos, do my aquatic hikes, and film underwater. It’s really a sanctuary for me. I’ve traveled quite a bit in Brazil,
Madagascar, etc. But I rarely found
freshwater lakes. In fresh water, we agree. Who offers such quality
of clarity and brightness? Okay, okay. These are natural lakes,
these four lakes that we see there. Yes, glaciers used to
cover the high range. Yes, there were glacial tongues
that went down on the foot of the cliff, there, at the foot of the cliff. These glacial tongues carved out
basins and when the glaciers melted, about 12,000 years ago, the
basins remained there. So these are remnants of glaciers
that we see, nothing more, nothing less. All right. Michel offers to introduce Bruno
to a little underwater photo shoot when he happens to bump
into Gilles Guérin, another regular at the place.
Hello Gilles. Hey, hello Michel. He often comes to tease the fish
armed with his fishing rod. Never being caught
by mistake with a hook. No, no, but I have fun with it.
From time to time, I pull on my chain and I think it’s a pike. No, no, I’ve never had a problem.
No, no. I haven’t taken it yet.
Not hooked on my hook. Never again.
It will come. Maybe I wouldn’t have fun with that. Because fishing here is a
very serious thing, so don’t have too much fun with the fishermen.
Oh, not always. Sometimes we have a good laugh, but oh well. So here is the material
I work with. So here we have a sixteen mm,
we have a super wide angle so well, if you want to weigh me, I’d like to test it.
Careful, eh? Yes, no, but. It’s heavy. Yes, it’s quite heavy,
but as soon as you go into the water, well, it balances out and it doesn’t weigh anything anymore.
That’s the advantage. I could test it
underwater later. Of course, no problem.
No problem. Michel wears a wetsuit because he stays
underwater for a long time for his photos. But if you feel like taking
a dip in this incredibly clear water, don’t worry,
it often reaches around 20 degrees in summer. With a little patience,
you might have the chance to observe these underwater splendors that Michel
never tires of photographing, incredible souvenirs that you
would probably never have imagined bringing back from the Jura.

Si la Franche-Comté offre des paysages verdoyants, elle abrite aussi des cités pittoresques comme Dole, ou des villages superbes, tel Baume-les-Messieurs.

Pour découvrir les merveilles des plus belles régions de France, c’est ici – Abonnez-vous 👉 http://bit.ly/3zjR2Vj 🙏

Réalisé par Magali NGUYEN.
© MORGANE PRODUCTION