The name of the commune comes from "Magny", meaning rural house, and "Vernois", a place planted with vernes (alders). Originally, Magny-Vernois was just a farm belonging to the Abbey of Lure.
Since then, the health trail, the sentier de la Reigne (5 km), has taken you past the mill and into the undergrowth to admire the river. On this shady path, the sumptuous colour of the water, the peace and quiet and the luxuriant flora and fauna provide a magnificent change of scenery.