Beyond Froncles the rhythmic ebb and flow of the gentle valleys was replaced by steeper climbs and long, winding descents. The pattern was broken only by the town of Bourmont, siting imposingly on a steep sided conical hill. The precipitous, narrow streets were deserted, a gentle breeze easing the afternoon heat a little. A sharply pointed church spire jutted out from amongst the houses on the very top of the hill, where otherwise a castle might have stood.
