Discover Bonnay

If you’re looking for a hotel in Bonnay, you can plan your stay around different interests: the village’s history spans the Église Saint-Lazare, fountains and château, while nature and outdoor activities take centre stage at the Réserve biologique intégrale de la Dame Blanche, on hiking trails to the fort and along the gravel route “L’Ognon fait la force”. For those interested in culture, the dated buildings bring the past to life. If you’d rather spend time outdoors, you can choose between a hiking destination and a gravel ride with a stated distance and duration.

Church, château and fountains

The Église Saint-Lazare de Bonnay has been documented since 967. The Château de Bonnay dates from the 18th century and was built on the site of an older fortified house. Together, they represent two distinct historical periods: the church has been documented since the early Middle Ages, while the château stands on the site of an earlier structure.

The château has an English-style landscape garden dating from the 19th century. The château, including the farm, enclosing wall, gates and garden, was listed as a Monument historique on 20 April 1994. This means you can view the château not only as a building in its own right, but also in the context of the estate’s other features and the garden, laid out at a later date.

The fountains add further concrete details to the story of the village. The present-day fountain on the main square dates from 1841 and was covered in 1912. The fountain at the lower edge of the village still has two rectangular cast-iron basins. One reveals a sequence of construction followed by later roofing; the other is distinguished by the shape and material of its basins. Alongside the church and château, these differences offer further clues to Bonnay’s architectural history.

The nature reserve and the Ognon

A total of 33.45 hectares of the Réserve biologique intégrale de la Dame Blanche lie within Bonnay. Peregrine falcons and ravens nest on the cliff faces below Fort de la Dame Blanche. The reserve also includes calcareous dry grasslands, as well as cliffs and scree with limestone walls and caves. For nature enthusiasts, the reserve’s nesting sites on the cliff faces and its different habitat types are both key features.

The Ognon offers another way to experience the landscape: near Bonnay, it borders the municipality mainly around the hamlet of Fly. The river also forms a natural boundary between the départements of Doubs and Haute-Saône. The link with Fly describes the river along the municipal boundary, while its role as a departmental boundary extends beyond Bonnay.

On foot or by gravel bike

Hiking trails to Fort de la Dame Blanche start in Bonnay. The fort provides a specific destination to guide your walk. The gravel route “L’Ognon fait la force” also passes through Bonnay and offers a different way to plan an outing: this easy gravel loop is 40.4 kilometres long, with a stated duration of 3 hours and 30 minutes and an ascent of 574 metres. It can be ridden as a loop starting from either the Franche-Comté TGV railway station or the Ecole-Valentin railway station. Check the latest route details and transport connections before planning your trip.

Comparing the two helps you choose the right plan for the day: the fort is a specific destination for the hike, while the distance, stated duration and ascent give you an idea of the time and level of effort involved in the gravel ride. The Grand Besançon Tourist Office also offers a seasonal guided walk in Bonnay to explore the village. If you’d like to take this walk, check dates and availability in advance.

You can tailor your stay to your interests: architectural history and fountains offer a different experience from the reserve, a hike to the fort or a longer gravel ride.

Discover more destinations

Montferrand-Le-Château, Métabief, Laval-Le-Prieuré, Amancey, Malpas, La Cluse-et-Mijoux, Orchamps-Vennes, Ornans

For the main travel overview: Doubs.