Fourbanne offers several specific points of interest for a trip: cycling routes along the Doubs, the Moulin de Fourbanne with its historic milling technology, and the Saut de Gamache viewpoint. Cyclists will find named routes through the village; the mill, cave and viewpoint offer further connections to technology, landscape and history. When planning your stay, you can first decide whether to focus on the cycling route or on discovering these aspects of the village and its landscape.
Cycling Routes along the Doubs and its Heritage of Locks
Near Fourbanne, the Nantes–Budapest cycle route runs along the Doubs. It is used by walkers, anglers and, increasingly, cycle tourists. The official Luxiol Gravel Route No. 67 also passes through Fourbanne. It runs from Place Jouffroy d’Abbans along the EuroVelo route beside the Doubs, with its characteristic heritage of locks, to the lock at Fourbanne.
Another named cycling route, the “Peaceful Ride along the Doubs” (“Balade paisible le long du Doubs”), passes through Fourbanne. Route information may change, so check the details before setting out. The route descriptions help put things in context: the lock at Fourbanne is a specific waypoint on Luxiol Route No. 67, while the “Balade paisible” is another cycling route identified as passing through Fourbanne.
Viewpoint and Road Access
Fourbanne can be reached via the D683 and then the D261 between SĂ©chin and Baume-les-Dames. At the eastern edge of the village, the Saut de Gamache viewpoint lies on the D683 in the direction of Baume-les-Dames. From there, you can take in the Doubs Valley, Baume-les-Dames nestled among the hills, and the village of Esnans below.
The viewpoint’s name also has a specific historical connection: Saut de Gamache recalls the fall of the Marquis and Marquise Ronot de Gamache’s carriage in 1779. The Marquis was from Spain. The view thus encompasses both the named places in the valley and a local story that dates back to the 18th century.
Mill Technology and Cave
The Moulin de Fourbanne preserves historic milling technology. This includes a Goulut-Borne roller mill, a grain cleaner by Charlas-Brocas of Lyon, a grading machine and leather elevator cups. The Douge turbine and the transmission components are separate from this equipment: they are still operational. For those interested in the history of technology, the focus is therefore on both historic milling equipment and drive components that are still operational.
About ten metres from the mill is a natural cave. The source of an underground river in the communes of Verne and Luxiol emerges from it. The Grotte de Fourbanne is a named site in its own right: it is home to several protected bat colonies and is regularly visited by amateur cavers.
When choosing accommodation, you can start with the purpose of your trip: the routes along the Doubs offer a cycling focus, while milling technology, the viewpoint and the story of Saut de Gamache offer other points of interest. This makes it easy to choose Fourbanne based on what matters to you during your stay.
Discover more destinations: Montbéliard, Larnod, Cubry, Les Grangettes, Fournet-Blancheroche, Rochejean, Oye-et-Pallet, Brey-Et-Maison-Du-Bois
For the broader travel overview: Doubs.
