Source de la Loue, Karst spring in Ouhans, France.
The Source de la Loue is a karst spring that emerges from a limestone cave at the base of a rock wall about 150 meters tall. The water flows out powerfully and clearly from the mountain, creating an impressive natural display.
The spring formed over thousands of years through water erosion in limestone. A notable event in 1901 caused the water to turn green, traced to an accident at an absinthe factory upstream in the region.
The spring was a favorite subject for painter Gustave Courbet, who came regularly from his home in nearby Ornans to capture it on canvas. His works show the dramatic cliff and the water flowing from the limestone.
A well-marked footpath leads to the spring in about 10 minutes, where visitors can see the river in its natural state. The area offers several hiking trails of different difficulty levels and distances to suit various abilities.
The water comes from a hidden underground connection to the Doubs River, about 60 hours of flow away, supplying thousands of liters daily. This underground journey through the limestone rock is a remarkable hydrological feature that reveals the region's geology.
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