Voyage in the Valley de Loue
The old Renault swayed on darkening mountain curves as Jean, my French friend and guide, skillfully descended the last road down into Ornans, a medium size town in the Besancon region of France and the gateway to the scenic Valley de Loue. The imagined landscapes remained a mystery until the next day.
I awoke in Jean’s 100-year-old “leaning” house in the historic Nahin district, located on the river beside the ancient Nahin Bridge (1607). Stepping out onto his small balcony, the mist on the Loue River had created a classic scene: luscious river curves in the soft morning light.
A morning visit to Courbet Museum, also perched on the edge of the river, provided a good background to his works, introducing his radical painting and philosophy. In an imaginative interactive display, various “characters” pictured in his painting The Artist’s Studio “talk” to the viewer serving as a theatrical introduction. My guide informed me that many of the landscape works he painted in the area are covered with a varnish which overtime has become darker than the imagined originals and luminous landscapes surrounding the town.
With blue sky and plenty of sunshine I was ready to get outside and see some real landscapes and capture my interpretation of the light with my camera instead of a brush.
Up on the plateau high above the town and valley is Courbet’s birthplace, La Ferme Courbet, a modernly restored farmhouse structure housing a gallery for guest artists and small concerts and a few overnight rooms for tourists. On this warm fall day we sat in the flower and vegetable garden enjoying drinks from the cafe while real cowbells played in the distance.
Abundant plateau cows supply the raw goods for local makers of cheese. The hard salty compte cheese is a specialty of the area; madam at one country shop enticed us with samples of various aged versions. Another delicacy is the Mont D’Or cheese, which is only made in the season with milk from cows grazing naturally in the rich meadows. Along the roads, coming face to face with these busy bovines, I thanked them for their part in the gourmet process.
Aiming for the late afternoon glow we descended back into the river valley, managing to catch some classic compositions at the Chateau de Cleron, with its pointed domes, and the massive old stone Viaduc de La Breme (also an old train trestle) both scenically positioned along the river as if waiting for artists. Next, a roadside spot where a marker tells us one of Courbet’s paintings was done. Two experienced photographers — one a local — couldn’t find the exact scene but we imagined Courbet’s presence on the riverbank.
The next day a light rain and mist had moved into the valley. Taking advantage of the midday even light we drove up to a viewpoint above Ornans. Seeing the panorama, the tiny St. George Chapel (built 1289, restored 1500) where someone had placed seasonal garden flowers on the altar, and lived-in old stone houses easily transported me to another era where there was once a fortress castle.
In the afternoon the weather cleared and it was finally time to drive along the river road deeper into the Valley de Loue. Heading upstream, one comes upon natural green curves gently massaged by the flowing water. Scenic villages seem to be located in spots where the mood and faces of the Loue changes.
Vuillafans is small and quiet, and like all the villages has a historic church (with a bell all the way from China). A stroll across the bridge gives you a framed view of another smaller bridge; quaint old houses offer a taste of how it would be to live here. If the day is right you can sample a tasty local specialty of fresh water trout at the small corner restaurant beside the river.
Further up the road is Lod, officially on the list as one of France’s “Most Beautiful Villages”. After photographing the rapids descending over rocks with the village as a backdrop, we left the car by the river and walked up the sloped narrow streets and paths looking at the picturesque old homes and gardens. The garden beside the church was a good example of French style pottage, a mix of vegetables and flowers in a homey style. Perhaps it was off-season or the “iffy” weekday weather, but we seemed to have the place to ourselves.
Having indulged my habit to stay photographing “too long” in one place, Jean gently mentioned there was still more to see up the road. A short time later we were driving up through the Gorges de Noailles, a scenic mountain pass, carved by the ages. The area’s signature rock faces dotted the mountain landscape giving the impression of both a smiling and stoic nature.
Shortly before dark we finally arrived at the “Source de La Loue”. A six hundred meter walk from the car park one comes to a hollowed out area where the River Loue makes it debut flowing out of a cave opening in the mountainside. The gray damp day heightened the mystique and the sacred timelessness of the spot; I envisioned the area’s ancient dwellers here paying homage to the gods of the valley.
The next day I spent quietly exploring the town of Ornans on foot. A short walk from the town center, across the river from the main road, are grassy fields accented with landmark trees, wooden fences, and a place to experience horseback riding. The wide valley allows a good view of the surrounding mountains and cliffs contrasting with the narrow winding river road.
Back in the old part of town are interesting shops and galleries, churches, and narrow back streets and paths. The river is the focal point with each bridge offering a different splendid post card view. Light floats on the surface mirroring the clouds floating above. The many houses hanging on the edge, become one with the magical River Loue.
The day ends relaxing with a beer at an outdoor cafe beside the river on the edge of town. The low angle sun softens the mood. Looking through the lens, with a paintbrush, or just the natural eye, Courbet’s art in my mind, I am inspired by both realism and impressionism in the light of the Valley de Loue.
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