The source of the Loue is one of the most dramatic natural features in the Franche-Comté. The river emerges from a vast limestone cirque in a series of pools and cascades — the scale of the rockface around it and the volume of water pouring out from apparently solid rock is genuinely striking. The path from the car park at the hamlet of Ouhans takes about twenty minutes and is well marked.
The source is particularly impressive in spring when snowmelt swells the flow, but even in summer, when the pools turn a vivid turquoise-green, it is beautiful. The walk down the valley from the source to Ornans — about 12 kilometres — is one of the classic Franche-Comté hikes, following the river through the gorge.