Trails in Haute-Saône

Don't look for your passport, you are indeed in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, but the change of scenery is complete on the Plateau of a Thousand Ponds. It's a true aquatic labyrinth sculpted by glaciers 12,000 years ago, nicknamed "Little Finland" for its breathtaking Scandinavian landscapes 🇫🇮. It's the perfect playground for a trail in Haute-Saône rich in renewals and wild panoramas. Did you know that the department is covered by nearly 48% forests? Suffice it to say you won't lack shade or oxygen to perform 🌳. Here, we run among ferns, bypass shimmering bodies of water, and get surprised by the local biodiversity, from herons to elusive deer 🦌. It's a true nature run offered to you, far from the pavement and urban pollution 💨.

It's impossible to talk about this territory without mentioning Vesoul, its prefecture made famous by Jacques Brel's mythical song in 1968. "You wanted to see Vesoul", and now you will, but by running this time 🎶! The heritage here doesn't stop at French songs, as you can come across architectural masterpieces like the chapel Notre-Dame du Haut in Ronchamp. Designed by the famous Le Corbusier, it's listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and offers a concrete curve as impressive as the elevation awaiting you on some routes ⛪. If you pass by Luxeuil-les-Bains, remember it's a historic spa town where Romans came to soothe their muscle aches after exertion 🧖. It's this mix of history and geological ruggedness that makes each race in Haute-Saône unique in its kind 🧱.

Let's talk fuel, because after the effort, comfort is sacred here. You can't leave without tasting Cancoillotte, this typical melted cheese with garlic or yellow wine, which has the advantage of being one of the leanest in France, perfect for your athlete's diet 🧀. On the sports side, the region raised a champion who often trades his bike for trail shoes in winter: Thibaut Pinot. The child of Mélisey, legend of the Tour de France, regularly treads the Vosges Saônoises trails to train hard, proving that this land molds champions with a strong character 🚴. By running here, you step in the footsteps of local legends who know the value of effort and humility in the face of a slope 📈. It's this "terroir" and combative atmosphere you'll find at the starting line 🏁.

You can test yourself on the famous Trail of the 2 Rivers, a magnificent race winding between water and forest for constant visual pleasure 🌊. Finally, the Trail of the Vosges Saônoises is the main event for those wanting to reach the department's peaks and challenge the toughness of the terrain 🏔️.