Tour guides France > Burgundy Franche-Comté

5 ideas for guided tours in Bourgogne Franche Comté

• The Hérisson (Hedgehog) waterfalls

  

  At the edge of the Haut-Jura, two streams flow from the Ilay and Bonlieu lakes to form a rushing torrent: the Hérisson. Seven waterfalls follow one another in a wild setting. For a refreshing escape, take the 7.4-kilometer round-trip trail that runs along this protected site.

  All along the walk, the water sings. You stop at the Saut de l’Eventail (65 m), impressive, then at the Grand Saut (60 m), steeper and abrupt. In 2017, a landslide closed the site. Good news: you can once again enjoy this magical trail, between dense forest and the murmur of water.

• Chalon-sur-Saône

  

  Chalon opens gently, right on the edge of the Saône. At first, a peaceful impression, then quickly, an old-world charm that slips between the façades. Around the market square, half-timbered houses huddle close, as if guarding a secret. Not far away, the Saint-Vincent Cathedral stands still, watching in silence.

  The pedestrian-only center invites you to slow down. Modest shop windows, cafés spilling slightly into the streets, walls marked by centuries. No map needed here. You move along at your own pace.

  The Nicéphore Niépce Museum is worth a stop, of course. The city was the birthplace of photography’s inventor. Inside, nearly 6,000 cameras tell the story of a new way of seeing the world. And if you feel like a quieter moment, St. Laurent Island is only a short walk away. A bench, a quay, and that light slipping softly across the water.

• La voie verte (the Green Way)

  

  Between Givry and Cluny, the Voie Verte (Green Way) unrolls its quiet ribbon. Far from noise, far from engines. This was the very first greenway in France, laid out along a former railway line, transformed without losing its soul.

  For 120 kilometers, the landscapes follow one another seamlessly. Narrow vineyards, forgotten villages, gentle hills rolling on into infinity. You ride without haste. The wind alone sets the pace.

  Along the way, certain stops stand out. The Château de Berzé-le-Châtel, rising like a sentinel. The Abbey of Cluny, still heavy with echoes. And farther on, the Roche de Solutré, a familiar silhouette steeped in memory. Three or four days are enough, they say. But with a guide, everything changes. Your eye sharpens, detours take on meaning, and what seemed simple becomes precious.

• Baume-les-Messieurs

  

  In the Jura, tucked deep in a narrow valley known here as a “reculée,” Baume-les-Messieurs is striking from the very first glance. The setting commands silence. Sheer cliffs, a river vanishing underground, and beyond, a waterfall bursting from the caves.

  Here, everything seems to follow the thread of water. You descend, you go deeper. The caves reveal their fragile architecture: hanging stalactites, mineral columns, the murmurs of an underground world. It feels cool, almost sacred.

  Just a few steps away, the imperial abbey has stood watch since the 9th century. Its austere outline contrasts with the surrounding natural abundance. A pause, perhaps. Or a suspended moment.

• La Charité-sur-Loire

  

  A medieval town nestled on the banks of the Loire, La Charité-sur-Loire impresses with its Cluniac priory, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Built in 1059, the building towers over an old center of cobbled streets and walls steeped in history.

  But that’s not all. This town is also a haven for lovers of the written word. Booksellers, calligraphers, and bookbinders cross paths here year-round. Festivals, antique book fairs, the Night of the Book—the atmosphere is both literary and vibrant. And as you leave town, a stop in the Bertranges Forest, home to majestic oak trees, is a perfect way to extend the walk in peace.