Champagney: History, reservoir and woodland walk

Champagney between remembrance and nature

Champagney can be explored from different perspectives: through an engagement with the history of enslavement, and through its waterside and woodland landscapes. If you’re looking for a hotel in Champagney, this selection can help you decide what to focus on during your stay: cultural and historical sites or time outdoors. Each destination has its own character—from the Maison de la Négritude et des Droits de l’Homme to a woodland walk on the Sentier La Rochotte.

Remembrance and historical details

The Maison de la Négritude et des Droits de l’Homme refers to Article 29 of Champagney’s Cahier des Doléances. In it, residents called for the abolition of the enslavement of Black people as early as 1789. The Maison was founded in 1971 and addresses slavery in the past and present. Here, a specific historical reference meets a subject that remains relevant today.

Another cultural and historical highlight is the Église Saint-Laurent. It houses a carved, polychrome wooden pulpit dating from the 18th century. The carving and colorful finish are distinctive features of the piece. The church’s Comtois bell tower houses 35 restored bells. The pulpit and bells draw attention to different forms of historical design and craftsmanship.

The reservoir and its dimensions

The dam of the Retenue du bassin de Champagney et canal inachevé is 785 meters long in total. At its highest point, it rises more than 36 meters above the valley floor. These measurements describe two different aspects of the structure: its length and its height above the valley. The Champagney reservoir can also be described in terms of several measurements. At maximum water level, its surface area is about 106 hectares, and its perimeter is 7 kilometers. The surface-area figure specifically refers to the maximum water level.

Swimming and canoeing at Les Ballastières

In the municipality of Champagney, Les Ballastières has a beach equipped for swimming. Canoes can be rented there during the peak season. Swimming and going for a canoe ride are different ways to spend time by the water; canoe rentals are seasonal. If you’d like to include one in your plans, check availability before your trip. Seasonal supervision may vary.

A woodland walk on the Sentier La Rochotte

There are two possible starting points for the Sentier La Rochotte: Place Charles de Gaulle in the center of Champagney and Chemin du Champey. Local signage may change. The trail is a woodland walk with lovely viewpoints over Champagney, the large basin and the Rahin Valley. Along the Sentier, you can observe diverse geology and abundant flora, including cow-wheat, foxglove, broom, Canules and columbine.

If you’re looking for a walk with views and opportunities to observe nature, La Rochotte offers several specific highlights: its woodland setting, views of the valley and the plants mentioned above. At the reservoir, the focus is on the dam’s dimensions and the surface area of the water; at Les Ballastières, the beach and seasonal canoe rentals shape the waterside activities. This makes it easy to plan your stay around the themes that interest you most.

Discover more destinations: Amblans-Et-Velotte, Montboillon, Haut-Du-Them-Château-Lambert, Faymont, Nantilly, Vesoul, Fretigney-Et-Velloreille, Villersexel.

For the regional travel overview: Haute-Saône.