Prenovel: Peat Bogs, Trails and Saint-Augustin

Saint-Augustin, the Bief du Nanchez peat bog trails and Le Duchet offer different ways to experience Prenovel. The trails pass through landscapes shaped by nature, while the parish church offers a distinct connection to building history and architecture. There is also the Nanchez Nordic ski area, which operates seasonally. For planning, it is worth considering trail distances, time required and starting points together.

Peat Bogs and Trails

The Bief du Nanchez peat bogs are designated a Regional Nature Reserve. The area includes meadows, peat bogs and other wetlands, overlooked by a wooded slope. The Sentier des Tourbières du Bief du Nanchez starts at the church in Prenovel and passes through the Combe de Nanchez. The landscape there is shaped by wooded ridges of fir and spruce, pastures, wet meadows and peat bogs.

Two peat bog trails are useful for comparing how long a walk takes. The Sentier des Tourbières du Bief du Nanchez is an easy 6.3 km loop that takes two hours. The discovery trail in the Bief du Nanchez Peat Bog Regional Nature Reserve is 3.5 km long and takes about 1.5 hours; it starts near the church. The discovery trail is therefore shorter, and its estimated duration is about half an hour less than that of the two-hour loop. Check local trail conditions before your visit; conditions on the loop may vary by season.

Prenovel shares the forest-surrounded Combe d’Anchey with neighbouring Les Piards. It should not be confused with the Combe de Nanchez, which the Sentier des Tourbières passes through. This distinction is useful for orientation: the Combe d’Anchey is the landscape shared with Les Piards, while the Combe de Nanchez forms part of the peat bog trail.

Other Routes and Starting Points

The “Lacs et tourbières du Grandvaux” route starts at the Village vacances Le Duchet in Prenovel. Its circular route passes the de la Vierge and du Moulin viewpoints, both located at higher points along the route. This distinguishes its starting point from those of the peat bog trails: those start at or near the church, while the Grandvaux route starts at Le Duchet.

Le Duchet also offers a specific reference point for Nordic skiing. At the Nanchez Nordic ski area, this starting point offers the widest choice of different trails and difficulty levels. If cross-country skiing is a focus of your stay, you can take this into account when planning your trip. Arrangements at the starting point may change with seasonal operations, so check local conditions before planning.

Saint-Augustin and Its Architectural History

The parish church of Saint-Augustin is a neoclassical building with three naves and a semi-octagonal sanctuary. The three-nave design describes the layout of the church interior; the semi-octagonal sanctuary adds another distinct feature to its architectural plan.

The present parish church dates from 1829. It was preceded by a church built in 1509 and dedicated to Saint Theodul. The two dates therefore refer to different periods of construction: 1509 refers to the predecessor church, and 1829 to the present building. Together with its neoclassical style, this helps place Saint-Augustin in context both historically and architecturally.

Discover more destinations: Maisod, Pont-de-Poitte, Poligny, Pratz, Lamoura, La Chassagne, Tancua, Barretaine.

For the regional travel overview: Jura.