OT VALLEE DE LA BRUCHE

A very pretty hike on the western side of the Bruche Valley. The Mutzig Rock, rising to 1,010 metres, offers remarkable views of the valley and the surrounding mountains, such as the Donon, the Schneeberg and the Champ du Feu. The Porte de Pierre is a natural monument of pink sandstone sculpted by erosion. It is an astonishing discovery, this block perched there as if it came from nowhere, plunging you into a half-dream.

Two sculpture symposia in 2007, in Lutzelhouse, and in 2010, in the Champenay quarry, gave rise to 17 monumental works under the titles In situ and La Roche Solaire. This trail will allow you to discover three of them.

Far from the city yet close by in the depths of the forest, the Giants’ Trails were born from an open-air artistic adventure initiated by Sylvain Chartier and the Les Géants du Nideck Association in Oberhaslach. Two sculpture symposia in 2007 in Lutzelhouse and in 2010 at the Champenay quarry saw the creation of seventeen monumental works under the titles "In situ" and "La Roche Solaire". This trail will allow you to discover three of them.

This route allows you to discover the iconic Nideck Waterfall and two streams: the Luttenbach and the Weinbaechel. All three flow into the Hasel stream, which gave its name to this valley. During this walk along the water, you will also pass close to the Hirschfels Rock and the ruins of the Nideck and Hohenstein castles.

There is a proverb that says that everything small is cute. And it's true. With its 38 inhabitants, Blancherupt is the smallest municipality in Alsace and has a charm all of its own. In the 1990s, an award-winning advertising campaign described the commune as "In Blancherupt, there is nothing... nothing but the essentials", an invitation to discover this little corner of paradise without further delay.

This superb walk in the heart of the Vosges mountains is, in itself, an open-air history book. From Foudray, the route climbs towards Solbach and the legendary Col de la Perheux, reaching the green landscapes around Belmont before descending towards Waldersbach and then Foudray. Its church, with its 13th-century Romanesque bell tower, is now a temple, beside which lies the tomb of Pastor Oberlin.

This balcony trail offers a pleasant walk to discover the trees and plants of the local flora overlooking the village of Natzwiller and offers beautiful views of the picturesque landscape of the Rothaine valley. A variant along the way gives you the option of a round trip to a important memorial site.

Champenay is known for its quartzite sandstone quarry. This is a red sandstone veined with white, known as ‘grès des Princes’ in reference to the former status of this territory, which was the Principality of Salm. At the highest point of the route, there are old France–Germany boundary markers dating from 1870–1918. Finally, the route passes through the refreshing Falle Valley and past the lake of the same name.

Bellefosse, known as ‘Béfoss’ in the local dialect, was part of the former seigneury of Ban de la Roche. This walk will take you up to the heights of Bellefosse to explore the ruins of La Roche Castle, known as ‘zum Stein’ or ‘Steinschloss’, then across the peaks, where you’ll discover the former seigneurial farmstead of Lachamp. Finally, you’ll have the chance to enjoy a meal at one of the two farmhouse inns: the Ban de la Roche or the Promont.

A lovely hike of moderate difficulty, alternating between pastures and shaded sections, following in the footsteps of the witchcraft legends of the Ban de la Roche. Inthe 17th century, around fifty alleged witches and warlocks were executed at the Col de la Perheux. Between witches and magical treasures, the place still exudes a unique energy and offers magnificent views of the Donon massif, the Climont and the Chirgoutte valley.

Champ du Feu is the highest point in the Bas-Rhin at 1,099 m. At the summit, the viewing tower was erected in 1898 by the Club Vosgien. It is the symbol of Champ du Feu. There are many theories about the origin of the name Champ du Feu. It may derive from Vehfeld or ‘cattle field’, a corruption of the name Champ des Fées or Champ du Faîte (the summit), or even the charcoal burners’ fires...

A short hike with steep climbs, taking you to the Serva Waterfall, directly from the Champ du Feu. The trail runs alongside this pretty waterfall, which originates in the high pastures of the Champ du Feu, at an altitude of 1,000 metres. It then joins the Rothaine, a stream crossing the valley of the same name, 350 metres below, through the forest, until it reaches the Bruche.

This walk along the western slopes of the Champs du Feu takes you through splendid scenery towards the village of Hohwald. During this route, you’ll discover the source of the Andlau, the Chaume des Veaux, the village of Hohwald and, of course, the waterfall of the same name. Particularly popular for its cool waters in summer, it takes on a magical quality in winter, when, in the bitter cold, it transforms into a majestic ice sculpture.

This walk winds through a haven of peace and tranquillity at the foot of one of the valley's legendary peaks: Climont (966 m). The Bruche river rises at an altitude of 660 m and then crosses a vast basin: the Hang clearing. This is where families of glassmakers settled in 1723. Le Hang continued to prosper thanks to the arrival of Mennonite farmers of Swiss origin. They found here a place conducive to their pastoral and community life.

This walk winds through a haven of peace and tranquillity towards one of the legendary peaks of the Bruche Valley. Surrounded by green, wooded landscapes, Le Climont is the region's water tower. Three rivers originate in its vicinity: the Bruche, Giessen and Fave. This spot is marked by a stele created by sculptor Raymond Keller from a block of sandstone donated by the Champenay quarry.

Set in the centre of a two-kilometre-long plateau, surrounded by mountains, the village of Saâles was built on the Via Salinaria at a convenient crossing point over the Vosges. The village has maintained its role as a market town throughout history. As early as 1743, it was granted the privilege of holding a fair and a market. In 1924, the rebuilt town hall housed the market halls on its ground floor.

Situated at the bottom of the valley, Saint-Blaise-la-Roche experienced significant population growth during the19th century with the establishment of weaving industries. The village is also situated on the first Strasbourg–Saâles–Saint-Dié-des-Vosges railway line, inaugurated in 1929 by Raymond Poincaré. Numerous engineering structures (including the Fouday viaduct further downstream) made it possible to create the first railway route through the Vosges.

Following the course of the Haut Bois stream, set off to explore the hills above the village of Ranrupt, where you’ll enjoy unobstructed views over the Climontaine valley. On your way, stop off at the Hauts-Bois farm inn to sample some local cuisine.

Explore the trails above the village of Ranrupt and discover the hamlet of Fonrupt, a haven of tranquillity. Along the way, treat your taste buds to authentic local produce while enjoying splendid views of the Climontaine and Chiregoutte valleys.