Les Alliés can be explored from two perspectives: through the history of the commune and through the landscape of the Saugeais, which the village belongs to. When planning, it is worth distinguishing between the two: some trails pass through Les Alliés, while others describe the wider region. The historical and cultural landmarks also each tell a different part of the story of the village.

A place name with a history

On 14 October 1915, the name Les Alliés was confirmed for the commune by decree. A much earlier reference dates back to 1127: in a land donation by Landry, the Sire de Joux, to the religious community of Montbenoît, Les Alliés was listed as one of the eleven villages of the Saugeais. The two dates represent different historical contexts—the confirmation of the name and its earlier mention in the Saugeais.

The Sainte-Foy parish church is also a concrete link to local history: it houses the Marie-Marthe-Françoise bell. Two statues of adoring angels are also among the surviving works of art. They depict kneeling biblical figures in a devotional setting. The bell and statues thus offer different cultural points of interest, without telling the same story.

The landscape of the Saugeais

The Saugeais is characterized as a mid-mountain landscape of fir trees and juniper. The regional picture also includes old, sturdy and hospitable Comtois farmhouses, numerous walking trails and a few panoramic summits. These features relate to the Saugeais as a wider landscape; they are not necessarily individual features of the commune of Les Alliés. Visitors interested in the village can thus distinguish its local historical connections from the broader landscape perspective.

The Rochers du Cerf, on the Côte du Cerf route, is a viewpoint in its own right. From there, the view extends across the Jura ridges and peaks in the Pays Horloger and Haut-Doubs, and as far as the Alps. Naturally, the extent of the view depends on conditions. The viewpoint adds a specific landscape feature to the walking trails and summits described above.

Hiking trails with different profiles

The Vy aux Moines route passes through Les Alliés between the Abbaye de Montbenoît and the Abbaye de Môtiers in Switzerland. Its French section is designated as a combined hiking and mountain biking route. It therefore links two abbeys along a route that passes through the commune; its designated use also differs from the profile of the Grande Traversée du Jura à pied.

This Grande Traversée is a difficult GR hiking route that also passes through Les Alliés and is designed to take 20 days. Its total length is 237.1 kilometres. Its difficulty, distance and intended duration give a clear sense of the scale of this multi-day hiking route. These details distinguish it from the other routes mentioned, without implying that their distances or durations are the same.

The Route Crêtes franco-suisses – No. 35 follows a different sequence: it briefly passes through Switzerland and then follows the Ruisseau des Étraches to the French village of Les Alliés. While the Vy aux Moines passes through Les Alliés and links two abbeys, the Crêtes route is defined by its crossing of the border and then following the stream. Route details and activity information may change, so check them before setting out on a specific trip.

Les Alliés can thus be understood through both its name and local history and its very different hiking connections: from a route linking two abbeys to a difficult GR route designed to take 20 days and a cross-border itinerary. The Saugeais landscape provides the regional setting, while the church, bell and statues offer their own cultural points of interest.

Discover more destinations: Baume-Les-Dames, Miserey-Salines, Voujeaucourt, Saint-Antoine, Les Fins, Bonnay, Chalezeule, Les Fourgs.

For the overview of the wider region: Doubs.