In the centre of the thousand ponds

Route slightly modified, description revised and corrected.

This is a lovely, easy route that allows you to admire around sixty ponds. Information boards help you discover and understand how these ponds were formed and are used. Much of the route is on small paved roads.
This route is partly based on signposts in the field, so be sure to follow the description carefully.

Details

291027
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 16.30 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 280 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 276 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 713 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 587 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Start at Beulotte-Saint-Laurent, car park at the end of the village.

(S/E) From the car park, take the path through the forest towards the east. Follow the fish signs. Ignore the direction the fish's head is pointing.

(1) After about 800m of climbing, continue along the path to the left until you enter the forest again.
Pass the first pond and a path on your right and continue straight ahead until you reach a forest road. Follow the signs for Poisson.

(2) Then turn right and follow this road for about 2 km.

(3) When you leave the forest, at the three-way junction, turn left towards the hamlet of La Grande Rocholle, cross this pretty hamlet and continue along this stony path until you reach a shelter.
Leaving this shelter, look for the small path that descends to the left, still following the Poisson signs.
Halfway down, turn right and climb towards Grange Monthury (a beautiful private property), which you will go around on the left. Follow the "Poisson" signs.
Follow the road to the left until you come to a cross.

(4) Leave the road on your right and follow the one opposite. Leave the Poisson signposting.
After a few metres, leave the road on the right that climbs towards a private property and continue straight ahead, passing a cross and staying on this small road that turns right.

(5) At a three-way junction, turn right, then at the pond, turn left. Follow the yellow ring signpost.

(6) You will then reach a crossroads with a car park, a signpost and picnic tables. Go down the road on the left towards Servance until you reach a fork.

(7) Turn right towards Les Breuchots, follow the road to a three-way junction, climb the embankment, turn left and take the path that climbs into the forest. Follow this path until you reach a small road (passing between several ponds).

(8) Take this road on the right towards Les Frahy, signposted Anneau Bleu.

At a place called Le Frahy, turn left towards Les Rouillons (a holiday resort well integrated into its surroundings).

(9) Leave Pré Guinée opposite and go around Les Rouillons on the left.

(10) Take the road on the right that runs alongside a small pond on the right, and continue through the woods for about 500 metres.

(11) At the three-way junction, keep right and continue along this road until you reach a crossroads.

(12) At this crossroads, take the first grassy path on the right and stay on this path until you arrive between two ponds.

(13) Be careful, you will pass close to Les Rouillons again. Leave the road that turns right and take the road on the left that climbs slightly, passing above the Navautés (private property). Stay on the road and keep left at the crossroads.

(14) At the next crossroads, turn left towards Le Grilloux and note the old school on your left. Continue along this road for about 200 metres.

(15) At the sign for the discovery trail, take this path that goes down to the right and runs alongside a pond (mountain bike and photo trail signs).
Follow the signs. The trail turns left, then further on to the right, and enters a beautiful forest lane.
At the top of a small hill, you will come out into the open. Admire the landscape and continue to the road, which you take on the left. At the place called La Goutte du Frêne, follow the path opposite (horse riding signs).

(16) Follow this path to the left, heading towards La Beulotte. Here you will find the Poisson signpost. Follow the sign for "parcours le plus court" (shortest route) (be careful, the ground may be marshy).
Pass through Rochiroz, then Les Viaux Dessus. You will see a beautiful pond on your right. This is the last one on the route. Pass the dyke and, at the end, turn right and climb up into the forest via a wide, fairly steep path. This path may be damaged by forestry work.

(17) On the flat section, turn left and follow the fish signs, which will take you back to the car park.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 611 m - Parking. Near - Beuletin (cours d'eau)
  2. 1 : km 0.64 - alt. 678 m - Path on the left
  3. 2 : km 1.63 - alt. 707 m - Forest road
  4. 3 : km 3.47 - alt. 664 m - La Grande Rocholle
  5. 4 : km 5.91 - alt. 625 m - At the road, go straight ahead.
  6. 5 : km 6.39 - alt. 634 m - Road on the right
  7. 6 : km 6.84 - alt. 643 m - Crossroads with car park
  8. 7 : km 7.33 - alt. 618 m - Turn right towards Les Breuchots.
  9. 8 : km 8.07 - alt. 621 m - Take the road on the right towards Frahy.
  10. 9 : km 8.72 - alt. 605 m - Les Rouillons
  11. 10 : km 9.19 - alt. 601 m - On the right, along a small pond
  12. 11 : km 9.64 - alt. 592 m - Turn right at the three-way junction
  13. 12 : km 10.28 - alt. 595 m - Grassy path on the right
  14. 13 : km 11.02 - alt. 603 m - Turn left at the three-way junction
  15. 14 : km 11.95 - alt. 638 m - Turn left towards Grilloux.
  16. 15 : km 12.27 - alt. 623 m - Discovery trail sign
  17. 16 : km 13.84 - alt. 655 m - path on the left
  18. 17 : km 15.51 - alt. 687 m - left
  19. S/E : km 16.3 - alt. 612 m - Parking

Notes

In this area, most of the ponds are private. As a result, the paths leading to them are often unusable for hiking. Consequently, this hike uses long sections of paved roads.
No special equipment is required; good walking shoes are sufficient.

Route checked and modified on 27 September 2017.

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 83 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.1 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.2 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
User 16776389

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

a lovely walk through woods and meadows. Beautiful views of many ponds.

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DE TADDEO
DE TADDEO

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A superb hike starting from Beulotte-St-Laurent, nestled in a pretty little valley.
It takes us along one of the Mille Etangs trails in Haute-Saône, covering 17 km with an elevation gain of 280 m.
A lovely sunny route through open countryside and woodland, where we saw around sixty lakes.

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Vive88
Vive88

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful and pleasant hike. No particular difficulty.

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Zeb Myr
Zeb Myr

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A fairly long, easy walk. There are no particular points of interest worth mentioning, but it is pleasant overall.

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randonneur 70
randonneur 70

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

it's a beautiful place, whatever the season, you can reduce it as you like. i recommend .

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morganne52
morganne52

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

An easy hike that we know well.
Can be done in all seasons.
Magnificent scenery. We love it.
We're cutting it down by going straight from 9 to 13, as I find the little extra loop of little interest.

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Christelle88
Christelle88

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Not many signs on site, path not cleaned in places, and the signs not very clear.
Otherwise nice walk

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epeg
epeg

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The route is easy to follow and well signposted.

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Marie 57
Marie 57
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 15, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very nice route, 16-17 km, with no difficulties. The weather was dry. Well-signposted route, not very busy. Best done in autumn for the colours! Lots of birds on the ponds. If you follow the printed Visorando route, no problem.

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Nono 88
Nono 88
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Super hike with beautiful lakes and magnificent scenery. Best done in spring and especially autumn.

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SophBen
SophBen

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk, peaceful surroundings, beautiful scenery... well worth doing!
The route is not easy to follow between points 8 and 11, so it's best to look at the map to get your bearings!

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fanfan
fanfan

Hello

We follow the proposed tours very regularly and take note of all comments.
Yours makes us fear that, 10 days apart, the description has almost destroyed itself (see note of 18 September).

The route was mapped out by GPS during our reconnaissance of the circuit.

It is not our job to describe the routes laid out by the Club Vosgien, whose work we respect, so our routes do not systematically follow their markings.

We'll be back in the field to check your comments.

Thank you and enjoy your hikes.

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Marie Françoise Marcassin
Marie Françoise Marcassin

Overall rating : 2.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Once again, the description does not correspond to the terrain.

We found the markings very well done by the Club Vosgien, hats off to them, but frankly the Visorando texts should be checked, you can't rely on them.

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jcrun974
jcrun974

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Pleasant outing around the ponds, very bucolic.

the route between point 6 parking du grilloux 10;11;12;13 and point 9 not clearly identified on site, it is better to borrow the circuit of beuletin in the opposite direction for equivalent distance and marked.

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Jotour
Jotour

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

An exceptional setting that makes you forget you're on tarmac roads.

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