Revermont villages

Treffort and its fountains

Perched on the first range of the Jura mountains, Treffort flourished around its castle in the Middle Ages. A border town that was besieged several times, Treffort returned to peace when the county became part of France in 1678. Devastated and now in ruins, Treffort castle was restored to its former glory by Tony Ferret (departmental architect) in the early 20th century.

A thousand years old, vineyards have long been the lifeblood of the town, even if today Comté has replaced the “p’tit vin” des Cavets (nickname of the inhabitants of the Revermont region).

The imposing covered market, the beating heart of the village, was rebuilt in the 19th century following a fire, although it actually dates back to the 14th, as does the church of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption, which dominates the village with its elaborate Gothic portal. As you wander through the flower-filled lanes, keep your eyes peeled for the village’s 7 fountains (the sink spouts protruding from the facades) and the bridge house.

Between the Bresse plain and the Revermont, take a hike, notably from the magnificent La Plate wash-house, or take a refreshing break around Lake Monteynard-Avignonet.

Hiking around Treffort

In Treffort, the “Fontaine des Trois Jets” (Three Spouts Fountain) represented an extraordinary advance: it meant that residents no longer had to fetch water from outside the village. But legend has it that in good harvest years, wine flowed freely from the fountain.

Meillonnas, earthenware village

Just a few kilometers from Treffort, Meillonnas, an ancient fortified village, enchants visitors with its medieval character and renowned earthenware tradition. It was voted most beautiful village in the region in 2021.

The church of Saint-Oyen was largely rebuilt, but the frescoes in the Notre-Dame chapel, founded in 1382, are a preserved medieval gem in the Italian style of Giotto. Outside, the bell tower is topped by an imperial-style dome.

Meillonnas boasts a number of fine old houses, some of them half-timbered, such as the former presbytery opposite the church. There’s even a “rue des colombages”. Close to the château, the Balland park hides a small waterfall, a romantic haven of peace, and a few works of art in its green spaces.

GOOD TO KNOW

Beautiful Meillonnas earthenware

The quality of Meillonnas and Treffort’s clay has been renowned since the dawn of time: this is a land where brick-making and pottery skills have been developed since the 15th century. From the Middle Ages to the end of the modern era, “Tupiniers”, producers of earthenware pots, and “Carronniers”, manufacturers of tiles and bricks, set up shop and supplied farms, families and businesses with everyday objects or bricks in the typical ochre color for buildings.

In 1759, Gaspard Constant de Marron, Baron of Meillonnas, set up an earthenware factory in the château, giving new impetus to production. By the end of the 16th century, the reputation of Meillonnas earthenware had been established by a number of renowned faience makers, and it was displayed on the finest tables and in apothecaries from Geneva to Lyon. This success continued into the 19th century.

The Musée des Beaux Arts at the Monastère Royal de Brou holds a fine collection of Meillonnas earthenware.