Forêt de Chaux

The third-largest forest in France by area and the second-largest in terms of hardwoods, the Chaux Forest covers 22,000 hectares. Wooded for between 6,000 and 8,000 years, it is home to a rich variety of flora and fauna. As early as the year 1000, woodcutters and charcoal burners established a thriving forest community here, leaving a legacy shaped by traditional trades and legends.

Several fountains are dotted throughout the forest, renowned for the quality of their water. The forest’s heritage is also distinguished by eight Doric-style columns erected by the architect Champonnois. Serving as signposts, with the direction and names of the villages engraved on their capitals, they evoke the architecture of the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans and the forest’s historical role in salt production.

Local history remains linked to iconic local products, such as the pottery from Étrepigney and Plumont, renowned for its quality, or the ‘clavelin’. Created in the 18th century thanks to the expertise of the glassmakers of La Vieille-Loye, this uniquely shaped 62 cl bottle is traditionally used to store ‘vin jaune’, a wine whose volume and distinctive character were recognised by the EEC in 1980.

The area boasts numerous heritage and natural attractions, notably the ‘Baraques du 14’ site in La Vieille-Loye and the ‘chênes à Vierges’ (virgin oaks).