Villers-le-Lac

15 July 2015:  Today's trail continued to follow the Doubs River upstream from La Rasse.  The river was mostly calm, its current imperceptible except where narrowing banks forced the river to flow more rapidly.  The trail wound its way through dense forest, bounded by rocky cliffs.  These are indeed the gorges of the Doubs.

I would have been happy to remain on the trail that follows the river.  However, after about two hours of walking, I came to a fork in the trail:  The GR trail markers (in agreement with the topoguide) directed me to a trail that climbed out of the gorge and onto the plateau.  There was a sign there warning of the danger of falling rocks along the trail that followed the river.  So I hiked up a steep trail (ca. 350 m. elevation gain) for about an hour.  

It was a different world, of course, on that plateau: broad, open country with far-ranging views.  It was a different trail, too!  I had to walk along a road for about half an hour, before plunging back into the forest for a long descent back to the river.  

A final, 5-km walk along the artificial lake above the Châtelot Dam brought me to the Saut du Doubs.  There the hiker has a choice: walk for another 7 km on a road to Villers-le-Lac, or ride a little tourist boat along the lake to Villers-le-Lac.  That was an easy choice!

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Views of the hike along the river in the morning:

If you look closely, you may see a picnic table.  I did not notice the table until after sitting on a rock for a break near where this photo was taken.  But it was a comfortable rock!

The trail begins to climb. 

The rolling countryside of the plateau presents a dramatic contrast with the nearby gorges of the Doubs River. 

The trail descends back to the Doubs. 

Two chamois crossed my path.  This was the first time that I had seen chamois outside the Alps. 

Châtelot Dam and the Saut du Doubs:

My boat from the Saut du Doubs to Villers-le-Lac:

Villers-le-Lac:

I spent the night at Le Clos Rondot, a municipal gîte d'étape in Villers-le-Lac.  The woman who runs it, Christelle, is very friendly and helpful.  She kindly picked me up at the dock where the boat landed and drove me to the gîte.