A fountain, a livestock watering trough and a covered washhouse form an ensemble on Place de l’Abreuvoir, each with a clearly distinct function. Together with the castle, church and wayside cross, they highlight the area’s architectural and local history. For travelers interested in historic architecture, Chevigny offers several specific points of interest: a fountain house built of dressed stone, a wayside cross with two different carved sides, and a castle complex with construction phases dating from the 15th and 16th centuries. A hiking route description to the Chêne de la Manche and the cooperative’s shop add landscape and regional produce to the focus on cultural history.

Castle, church and wayside cross

The ruins of Chevigny Castle are listed as historic monuments, with the exception of the rebuilt building; the châtelet is classified as a historic monument. The castle’s main construction phases date from the 15th and 16th centuries. The castle is privately owned. Check locally whether access is possible before your visit.

The entire church is protected: the whole building was listed as a historic monument on August 7, 1987. The stone wayside cross in Chevigny dates to 1534 and is also classified as a historic monument; it was designated for protection on August 17, 1945. It stands at the intersection of the road from Rainans to Chevigny and the municipal road from Chevigny to Auxonne. Christ is depicted on the east side, and the Virgin and Child on the west side. Some sculpted elements are damaged.

The fountain ensemble on Place de l’Abreuvoir

The ensemble of fountain, livestock watering trough and washhouse dates from 1832. The covered washhouse is connected to the fountain house, the puissoir, by a long basin; the basin served as a livestock watering trough. This makes it possible to understand the architectural connection between the washhouse and the basin’s former use. The fountain house is square and made of dressed stone. Its tiered stone roof is crowned by a cross carved from a single monolithic block of stone. While the shape and roof define the fountain house, the long basin shows how closely the different parts of the ensemble are connected.

Hiking and regional products

A hiking route description from 2019 gives the route length as 12 km and the walking time as about three hours; the trail has little elevation change. It follows a forest track to the Chêne de la Manche, 500 m away. The distance and approximate duration provide different ways to plan the outing. Check trail conditions locally, as the description dates from 2019.

The Chêne de la Manche was recognized as a remarkable tree in December 2009. A 2019 description gives its age as about 250 years and its height as 38 m.

The Chevigny cooperative’s shop sells Comté, Morbier, Tomme, Raclette, butter, cream, raw milk and fromage blanc, as well as other local and regional products. Its offerings complement the architectural and landscape highlights with products from the region. Some products may vary depending on availability.

Discover more destinations: Cuvier (Jura), Villard-Saint-Sauveur, Nozeroy, Lamoura, Bellefontaine, Moirans-En-Montagne, Blois-Sur-Seille, Graye-Et-Charnay.

For the broader travel overview: Jura.