Montmorot offers several distinct points of interest for a stay: Saint-Grégoire Church, the history of the former saltworks and the hill above the La Vallière valley. Other attractions include a named cultural walk, seasonal pick-your-own fruit at Les Forestibles and the Cyclomontagnarde du Jura, which has been awarded the FFVélo label. This lets you give cultural, historical, scenic and active interests different priorities, rather than planning the same activities for everyone.
Saint-Grégoire: changes to the church building
Saint-Grégoire Church holds a central place in Montmorot, both architecturally and in the collective memory. It underwent extensive alterations in the 1840s, when side aisles were added to the original single-nave church. A single-nave church has a main space without side aisles, so the alterations changed the layout of the building. Today, the complex comprises a tower with a portal on the façade, a three-nave church, a choir and a sacristy. These features define several clearly identifiable areas of the church, while its history of alterations shows how its form has changed.
The saltworks and the history of salt production
The Montmorot saltworks operated from 1744 to 1966. The original facilities had six pans in which salt water was heated to produce salt. This places the history of the saltworks in a specific timeframe and explains a particular step in the process. The name Pont des six ponts is also connected with this subject: it refers to the site of a gallery used to concentrate brine. The operating period, pans and gallery point to different aspects of former salt production, adding concrete details to the chronology.
Cultural walk and landscape
The “Balade du Patrimoine de MONTMOROT” is a named cultural walk and a distinct way to explore Montmorot. There is also a scenic attraction: the hill rises almost 100 metres above the La Vallière valley. This elevation adds a topographical perspective to the architectural and industrial history. If you want to take the landscape into account alongside historical themes when choosing your stay, this is a useful point of reference.
Seasonal pick-your-own fruit and visits
At Les Forestibles, seasonal fruit is available for visitors to pick themselves. The season is an integral part of planning: the right time to visit depends on the fruit in season. Visits to the farm are also available by appointment. These are two different ways to get to know the farm: pick-your-own focuses on seasonal fruit, while a visit offers an insight into the farm itself. If you plan to visit, be sure to arrange an appointment.
Cycling and planning ahead
The Cyclomontagnarde du Jura adds a major mountain road-cycling event to the cultural attractions. It has been awarded the FFVélo label and starts at Juraparc in Montmorot–Lons-le-Saunier. The award and starting point make the event interesting for travellers who want to make cycling a focus of their trip. As dates vary by edition, check the details for the relevant edition before planning.
If you are looking for a hotel in Montmorot, first decide which experiences you want to shape your stay and which ones require coordination with specific dates. Seasonal pick-your-own fruit, visits by appointment and a cycling event held on set dates involve different planning considerations. You can then tailor your search to your travel dates without turning the individual activities into a fixed itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Écleux, La Balme-D'épy, Morez, Graye-Et-Charnay, Offlanges, Saint-Lothain, La Chaumusse, Saint-Maurice-Crillat
Back to the regional travel guide: Jura.
