In Prenovel, trails through peat bog landscapes meet a distinctive church building. For planning your outings, two peat bog trails provide specific distance and time information; Saint-Augustin Church adds architecture and local history to the natural setting. You can tailor your stay according to whether you prefer a shorter bog route, a longer circular trail, or a look at the area’s historic heritage.
Peat bogs, wet meadows and woodland
The Bief du Nanchez Peat Bog Regional Nature Reserve is designated as a regional nature reserve. Its landscape includes meadows, peat bogs and other wetlands, as well as a wooded slope overlooking the area. The different landscape features give the bog area its varied character, without requiring you to plan several separate outings.
The area around Prenovel is also shaped by woodland: together with neighbouring Les Piards, the village shares the Combe d’Anchey, which is surrounded by forests. This is distinct from the Combe de Nanchez, through which the Sentier des Tourbières du Bief du Nanchez runs. It starts at the church in Prénovel; along the route, wooded ridges of fir and spruce, pastures, wet meadows and peat bogs shape the landscape.
Two bog trails with different durations
The Sentier des Tourbières du Bief du Nanchez is an easy 6.3-kilometre circular trail. The stated duration is two hours. The route combines a clear time estimate with a walk through the Combe de Nanchez. As conditions on the trail can change seasonally, take local trail conditions into account when planning.
The discovery trail in the Regional Nature Reserve is shorter: it is 3.5 kilometres long and takes about an hour and a half. It starts near the church in Prénovel. By comparison, both its stated distance and approximate duration are shorter than those of the circular trail. Check local conditions before your visit; the discovery trail’s duration is an approximate guide.
Another route, “Lacs et tourbières du Grandvaux”, starts at the Village vacances Le Duchet in Prenovel. Along its circular route, the de la Vierge and du Moulin viewpoints are located at higher elevations. This route offers a different kind of information from the two trails for which distance and duration are provided: here, the starting point and viewpoints are what is described.
Saint-Augustin: construction history and architecture
The parish church of Saint-Augustin in Prénovel dates from 1829. It was preceded by an older church, built in 1509 and dedicated to Saint Theodul. The two dates refer to different building phases: 1509 marks the predecessor church, while 1829 marks the present church.
Architecturally, Saint-Augustin is a Neoclassical building with three naves and a semi-octagonal sanctuary. The three naves define the church building; the semi-octagonal sanctuary forms a distinctive part of its floor plan. For those interested in culture, it combines a specific architectural description with the church’s earlier history.
Nordic skiing from the Le Duchet trailhead
For Nordic skiing, the Le Duchet trailhead in Prénovel, at the Nanchez ski area, offers the widest choice of different trails and difficulty levels. This complements the bog trails with a seasonal activity that has a specifically stated range of routes and challenges. If you plan to take advantage of this option, check the seasonal arrangements at the trailhead.
When choosing your stay, the main considerations are the differences between the trails, the bog and woodland landscapes, and the church heritage. The time estimates help distinguish the two peat bog trails; the information about Le Duchet also offers a Nordic skiing option. This makes it possible to tailor your visit to Prenovel to your interests and the time available.
Discover more destinations: La Favière, Le Deschaux, Saint-Laurent-En-Grandvaux, Foucherans, Menotey, Offlanges, Chille, Dole.
For the broader travel overview: Jura.
