The Charm and Splendour of the 1000 pond's.

In the heart of this land, shaped by the glacier's of the Quaternary period, a remarkable natural site has evolved that invites you in, to take a stroll and discover it's wonder's.
This real jewel with it's difference's, it's contradiction's, it's multiple facet's and with a captivating charm which is just waiting to conquer you.
The glacier's which left their fingerprint's carved into the landscape.
The hand of man, in association with the abundance of flora and fauna, over the course of time, have composed a real hymn of nature.
From the sweetness of her river's and streams, dear to the heart's of fishermen, to the wild charm of it's lakes and pond's, a veritable delight to the eye of any photographer, the invitation to stroll and relax in these wonderful surroundings awaits.
This land of legend, preserves and maintains numerous testimonies to be discovered off the beaten tracks and roads within this landscape : with megalithic stones, carved and sculpted crosses and calvaires.
Brilliant reflections in Summer and Spring, together with the contrasting colours in Autumn and Winter come together to create this wonderful spectacle of Mother Nature.
The lakes and ponds in their many different colours and form's like precious stones scattered on the landscape.
Brooks and rivers cross this land, and beautiful and remarkable waterfalls, like those at Tampa, close to Corravilliers and Brigandoux.
Around these rivers, lakes and ponds, people began to make settlements, establishing Laundries, Mills, Turbines, Sawmills and Forges etc, using the water as a source of life.
In all this territory, man adapted to his environment, finding all his accomodation and building materials there, including materials for fountains and grindstones for the mills.
The farm with it's charri, a characteristic, functional arched opening, in pink stone at the entrance to the farmhouses in this region, and the stone roof tiles or laves.
Also more precious and rare today are the chalot's, constructed of wood, and roofed using the laves.
You can also find gardens surrounded by large standing stones, locally called "po" and of course the proud Comtois Bell Towers which are a characteristic feature on many of the churches and chapel's constructed of the pink stone from this area, or the decorative carved organs and interior decor.
Finally, Faucogney, the former ancient "castral" village, with it's well kept and preserved 17th and 18th century houses and buildings, a place to be discovered little by little on this historic route,or on one of the guided tours.
A little distance away on the mountian of St Martin is a rare French cemetry, which definetly merits a detour from the normal tourist route.
During the summer, this place, with it's abundance of history is brought to life with concerts, events and music festival to revive some of the memories and traditions of a bygone era.
The 1000 pond's cannot be conquered in a single visit, all the miracles of Mother Nature are there, omnipresent, sometimes hidden, and even invisible.
The charm of this splendid area hits your senses and slowly draws you in.
But how to discover it,? or tame it,? It is necessary to come back a number of times, and in all the season's
You need to be able to leave all means of modern transport behind and venture out on foot, to sink into the undergrowth, with all the wild berries, mushrooms and other delights, the fields and prairies with their abundance of different wild flowers, the forest's with there alternating conifers and broad leaved tree's but especially to discover a random path or clearing and take in it's most precious charm.
Heroes such as Alexandre DUMAS would say of these elements " all for one, and one for all" because of the wild beauty and sweetness in all it's forms, the twinkling reflections in dark water's. Everything is only a complement and delight to the identity of the 1000 pond's.