Les Bouchoux: Hiking, Views and Heritage

Les Bouchoux can be explored through two clearly distinct themes: a moderate circular hike and several topics related to cultural heritage and history. If you’re looking for a hotel in Les Bouchoux, these highlights provide a concrete framework for your stay: you can combine time outdoors with village history, architecture and views. It is particularly helpful to treat the hike as a separate activity and consider the various architectural and landscape features individually. This lets you prioritise the route and historical themes according to your interests.

Hiking the La Croix des Couloirs Trail

The La Croix des Couloirs hiking route is moderate, 7.9 kilometres long, follows a circular trail and takes about three hours. It starts and ends near the bar and grocery shop in Les Bouchoux. The duration is an approximate planning estimate; the distance and difficulty describe other, independent aspects of the hike. Before setting out, check the latest official route information, as trail conditions can change.

Views of the village, mountains and valley

The viewpoints differ in what they look out over. From the La Croix des Couloirs viewpoint, you can see the Monts Jura to the east and the village of Les Bouchoux to the west. The Belvédère de la Madone looks out over Les Bouchoux and the Tacon Valley, through which the river of the same name flows. At La Croix des Couloirs, the compass directions are part of the description of the view; at the Belvédère, the village, valley and river are in view. These offer two distinct landscape perspectives that you can consider separately when planning your stay.

The church and the history of the Prieuré de Cuttura

The current church in Les Bouchoux was built in 1718. Its entrance portal dates from the 16th or 17th century, and there are inscriptions above the entrance. The construction date and the portal’s dating are different points in time; the inscriptions add another detail about the church.

The Prieuré de Cuttura was founded in 1190 by the lords of Chatillon-en-Michaille and transferred to the Abbey of Saint-Claude in 1231. Today, the site includes a tower, converted into an oratory in 1942, as well as the remains of the former priory house. Its founding, change of ownership and surviving parts form a sequence of events. The tower’s conversion adds a later chapter to this history; the remains of the priory house point to another part of the former complex.

Landscape and cultural activities

The site of the Moulin d’Aval waterfall, also known as Moulin Dalloz, has been listed in the landscape inventory since 1961. The two names refer to the same waterfall site and may be useful if you come across different names. The village square in Les Bouchoux can host cultural events that require little amplification. Alongside architecture and landscape, cultural events are therefore another distinct aspect to consider during your stay.

Discover more destinations: Champagnole, Chambéria, La Chassagne, Mournans-Charbonny, Montigny-lès-Arsures, Montbarrey, Chaux-des-Crotenay, Château-Chalon

For the broader travel overview: Jura.