Loop 17: Suran Valley

From Saint-Julien, this short family trail allows you to follow the Suran stream, a true symbol of the Petite Montagne, through a region full of surprises...
The Suran is born in Loisia, a tiny village about ten kilometres north of Saint-Julien. It is a lively and cheerful stream which meanders between valleys and forests before joining the Ain, 73km downstream. The local fishermen are not mistaken, the watercourse is very popular as soon as the fine weather comes... Moreover, Saint-Julien, one of the two main towns in the region with Arinthod, was built on a promontory overlooking the stream. The route passes through the town, whose church has the oldest stained glass windows in Franche-Comté, and runs along the Coissonnet forest to Montagna-le-Templier, a site known for the Saint-Alban chapel and its miraculous spring.
The passage to Montfleur, on the border with the Ain department, allows you to discover the Pont des Vents mill eco-museum, listed as a Historic Monument, and its corn flour, a local speciality. The route then goes back up through Bourcia to the Balme d'Epy where you can relax by the stream and visit the cave, a very ancient place of worship, or even the Saints-Victor-et-Ursus chapel. The arrival at Saint-Julien is made by a series of bends.