Source du Doubs

Useful Information

Location:	Rue de la Source du Doubs, 25240 Mouthe. (46.705099, 6.209067)
Open:	No restrictions. [2023]
Fee:	free. [2023]
Classification:	Karst Spring
Dimension:	n/a
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
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History

Description

The Doubs river is 453 km long, its source is a small karst spring near Mouthe named Source du Doubs. Springing in the western Jura mountains the river flows in a big M to the east and finally flows into the river Saône in Verdun-sur-le-Doubs, some 20 km northeast of Chalon-sur-Saône. So while the river has a length of 453 km, the distance between source and mouth are only 72 km. This is a result of the geology and geography of the Jura. The limestone is folded and forms steep valley, running parallel from northeast to southwest. The river is following these valleys, but twice it crosses such a barrier, far in the east where they are much lower. First it turns around at Saint-Ursanne in Switzerland, flows back west, then it turns north at Noirefontaine, turns again east at Mandeure and finally turns west or southwest at Montbéliard. It will flow into this direction along the northern rim of the Jura to its mouth.

The Doubs river, which gives its name to the Doubs department, flows through the entire Jura almost twice from one end to the other and and back. It drains the entire karst area, it is the main river in this karst area. All other springs and rivulets eventually flow into the Doubs. There are many important karst features associated with it. There are the swallow holes near Pontarlier, where the river often vanishes completely during summer, and several other hydrological features.

The spring itself is unspectacular, but well worth a visit for its quiet beauty. It is a shallow spring, so there is no deep pot or cave entrance, but the colour of the water is still impressively blue.