By: Hiking, viewpoints, and architectural history

The Entre By et Bartherans route first leads from By through fields north of the village; the hike to the Belvédère de Ronchaux is also a circular route in By. Both offer a concrete way to combine a hotel stay with hiking: the routes are almost the same length, but differ in their stated walking times and the landscapes described. For your planning, therefore, it is not just the kilometres that matter, but also the starting points and viewpoints.

Hiking in By: Routes and starting points

The Entre By et Bartherans route is an 11.5-kilometre circular route; the walking time is about three hours and 30 minutes. The hike to the Belvédère de Ronchaux is also a circular route, measuring 11.57 kilometres and taking approximately four hours. The distances differ by only around 70 metres, while the stated time for the Belvédère route is approximately half an hour longer. Since both times are estimates, they are suitable for rough planning, not for a minute-by-minute schedule. If you are planning a day of hiking in By, you can compare the time estimates directly and then take the respective landscape destinations into account.

The Entre By et Bartherans circular route starts and ends on Rue de la Place; a car park for this route is also indicated there. The hike to the Belvédère de Ronchaux starts at the central village car park. As parking arrangements for this hike may change, it is advisable to check the parking situation before setting out. The starting-point details help you orient yourself as you make your way to your chosen route.

Views and landscapes around By

On the Entre By et Bartherans route, the trail first leads from By through fields north of the village. From there, it offers an open view westwards over the Loue. The La Beuge meadow area is also located on the heights of By. A notable viewpoint there looks out over the lower Loue Valley and Mont Poupet. Thus, By offers both a view along the circular route and a named landscape feature on the heights.

The hike to the Belvédère de Ronchaux reaches a viewpoint overlooking Mont Poupet and the Loue Valley. Different views therefore take centre stage when planning: the Loue to the west of the fields on the Entre By et Bartherans route, the lower valley and Mont Poupet at La Beuge, and the view from the Belvédère de Ronchaux. These descriptions give you specific landscape destinations to consider alongside route length and walking time.

Architectural traces in By

A square tower is all that remains in By of a formerly fortified house. It is roofed with lauze, flat stone slabs. The details about the formerly fortified house and the surviving tower give the local history a tangible architectural connection; the tower’s shape and its stone-slab roof are its defining features.

The return leg of the hike to the Belvédère de Ronchaux also passes through By, by an old house with a small tower and a roof made of lauze, flat stone slabs. Those interested in architectural details will find another feature along the route in addition to the viewpoints. The tower of the formerly fortified house and the house with the small tower are described here as separate features.

Getting to By

From Quingey, By can be reached via the N83, D467, and D3 roads. When planning your journey, you can link this route with the starting point of your chosen hike: the Entre By et Bartherans route starts and ends on Rue de la Place, while the hike to the Belvédère de Ronchaux starts at the central village car park. This lets you compare the two circular routes using their individual starting-point details and walking times.

Discover more destinations: Pont-De-Roide, Fleurey, Mancenans, Saint-Antoine, Les Fins, Audincourt, Fournets-Luisans, Longevilles-Mont-D'or.

View the regional travel guide: Doubs.