With fewer than 200 residents Baume-les-Messieurs might seem small but it has grandeur on an impressive scale. Listed as one of France’s most beautiful villages, it is surrounded by soaring cliffs that create a natural shelter.
Archaeological remains show that the site has been inhabited since the Neolithic era and the natural beauty of the place alone justifies this.
The setting is at the bottom of a valley that geologists call a reculée, usually created by glaciers melting and causing limestone rocks to collapse.
6th century abbey
Once here, do not miss the Abbaye Impériale. Founded in the 6th century it was expanded by Burgundy nobleman Bernon, who later founded the Abbaye de Cluny.
This Benedictine abbey was once one of Europe’s most important and prestigious Christian sites and although its status has declined through the centuries it still attracts 90,000 visitors a year.
To get the most from the site opt for the guided visits as these offer the best access and background information, including details about the 16th century Flemish altarpiece.
At 71 metres long this is the largest church in Jura and the abbey remains impressive even if the founding Benedictine monks have long departed.
The village was originally named Baume-les-Moines in honour of the monks, but in 1759 the abbey was secularised, the monks became canons, and the village was renamed Baume-les-Messieurs.
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Following the French Revolution, the abbey buildings were declared national property and sold to the villagers, who decided to use the abbey as their main parish church.
Although the abbey buildings are in need of investment and renovation, the architecture, scale and history of the place cannot fail to make a deep impression.
Picturesque waterfalls
Even without its sacred heritage, Baume is still worth a visit thanks to its natural beauty and breathtaking waterfalls.
The Cascade des Tufs is named for tufa, a porous limestone that forms the structure of this waterfall, while the water itself comes from the Dard, an underground river emerging after flowing through subterranean caves.
This particular waterfall is especially picturesque thanks to the surrounding vegetation and rich green moss.
If you visit at the height of summer you may find it a little crowded and even a little underwhelming as the cascades can dry up when there is a severe drought, leaving only the limestone rocks to admire.
Not far from the waterfall, you can visit another one of this village’s hidden wonders.
The Grottes de Baume are vast caves, 120 metres underground and reaching out across 70 metres.
This is not a place of stalactites and stalagmites; you come to admire the vast scale of the galleries that reach up to 80 metres high and include an underground river and lake.
You can only enter as part of a guided visit, note these can book up quickly in high season.
Make sure you have comfortable shoes as there are plenty of steps and stairs. It takes around an hour to explore the ancient, secret world illuminated in colour, reflecting off the subterranean lake.
All this lies hidden under the charming village landscapes of quaint houses and lush woodland.
You can walk from the village itself along the pathway to the waterfall, some 2.5 km that will take around 40 minutes.
