Discover Villers-sur-Port

Villers-sur-Port brings together several aspects of architectural and artistic history: the Church of Saint Urbain, two tower houses with stone spiral staircases, and the Deroyaume art foundry. They offer different points of interest—religious architecture, historic domestic architecture and metalworking. For planning your trip, this means a choice of clearly distinct cultural themes rather than a single image of the place.

The Church of Saint Urbain and its furnishings

The Church of Saint Urbain in Villers-sur-Port was rebuilt in the 18th century. The baptismal font, made of worked stone, dates from the 16th century; a bell dates from 1631. This gives a chronological sequence: first the 16th-century baptismal font, then the bell from 1631, and finally the rebuilding of the church in the 18th century.

The bell survived the destruction during the Ten Years' War. It depicts Christ, the Virgin Mary and Saint Nicholas. The historical event and the figurative depiction offer two perspectives on the same object: the history concerns the bell during a time of war, while the three figures identify its religious imagery. Those who explore cultural history through individual furnishings can consider the historical context and the depiction separately here.

Tower houses and metalworking

Villers-sur-Port has two tower houses with stone spiral staircases. Their architecture is considered typical of the lavish style of the 16th and 17th centuries. Unlike Saint Urbain, whose rebuilding dates to the 18th century, the architectural character of the tower houses is defined by their style. The stone spiral staircases add a specific architectural feature to this stylistic context. For travelers interested in historic houses, this offers a different perspective from the furnishings of the church.

Another cultural highlight is the Deroyaume art foundry in Villers-sur-Port. It specializes in sand casting, lost-wax casting, chasing, patination and restoration. Sand casting and lost-wax casting are two casting methods: in the first, a sand mold gives the casting its shape; in the second, a wax model is melted out before the molten metal fills the mold. Chasing refers to the fine working of a surface, while patination is its deliberate alteration. Restoration concerns existing objects and thus differs from making a new casting. Metalworking therefore stands alongside the historic buildings as a distinct aspect of the town.

Mountain biking route and woodland

The mountain biking route “Sentier de la tuilerie à Villers-sur-Port par Bougnon” leads into the woods between Bougnon and Provenchère. The route description also mentions a visit to Villers-sur-Port and its art foundry. In your planning, this sporting focus differs from exploring the bell and baptismal font: the mountain biking tour combines exercise with a woodland setting, while the historic furnishings provide an architectural and artistic history focus. Check the latest route details before setting out on a specific ride.

Discover more destinations: Lavoncourt, Saint-Sauveur, La Roche-Morey, Fretigney-Et-Velloreille, Servance, Chaux-lès-Port, La Résie-Saint-Martin, Savoyeux

For the broader travel overview: Haute-Saône.