Around La Petite-Pierre

In the magnificent setting of the Northern Vosges, this is a short, easy walk that makes for a very enjoyable day out.

Details

n°1683419

Creation:
25 Dec 2018

Last update:
01 Sep 2025

Last review:
22 Sep 2025

Activity: Walking
Distance: 12.07 km
Average duration: 4h 25
Difficulty: Moderate
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 335 m
Descent: - 328 m
Highest point: 372 m
Lowest point: 217 m

Country: France
Area: Vosges du Nord
District: La Petite-Pierre (67290)
Start/End: N 48.856675° / E 7.318183°
IGN map(s): Ref. 3714ET
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Description of the walk

The hike starts from the car park on Rue du Château de la Petite-Pierre.

(S/E) Cross the town towards the castle and, when you reach it, go down the stairs to the left of the castle entrance to join a small path.

(1) Follow the path on the left, which descends to Rue du Lavoir.

(2) Turn left, then right to pass in front of the pumping station and follow the path to Rocher Blanc, ignoring all the paths on the left and right.

(3) Continue climbing for a few metres until you reach the intersection.
Take the path on the right, which is slightly uphill, until you reach the fork.

(4) Take the path on your right and climb up to the Kiosque.
Leave the kiosk via the vehicle access road on the right to reach the Weyerkopf Forest Road.
Turn left and descend until you reach the junction with Chemin Forestier du Panzerweg.

(5) Follow Chemin Forestier du Panzerweg, ignoring the paths on the right and the tracks on the left. You will reach a crossroads in a hairpin bend.

(6) Turn right onto the path, descending at an angle of approximately 160°.
Follow this path, ignoring the forks to the left and right.
Continue to Rue du Lavoir.

(7) Turn right and follow it to the D178 road.
Turn left onto it, then quickly turn right onto Route d'Imsthal until you reach the campsite entrance.

(8) Leave the Imsthal road by taking the small path on the right, opposite the campsite entrance, which runs alongside it until you rejoin it.
Cross the Imsthal road and continue along the path that goes around an old riding school.

(9) Take the path on the left towards Hardt.
Follow the white square in red square signs.
When you reach Hardt, on the right, you will see a fenced-off area.
Turn right onto the path at the corner of the fence (white square in red markers) and follow it around until you see the white square in red markers again.
This is the second climb of the day on a very pleasant path.
Follow the path up to the D178 road.
Turn left and descend, following this road until you reach it.

(10) Cross the D178 and continue along the path to reach the^GR®53crossroads.

(11) Turn right. You will soon reach Rocher du Corbeau.

(12) Follow the^GR® 53 northwards until you reach the car park. (S/E)

Waypoints

S/E : km 0 - alt. 351 m - Car park: Rue du Château de la Petite-Pierre
1 : km 0.29 - alt. 319 m - View at the foot of the castle
2 : km 0.69 - alt. 252 m - Old wash house
3 : km 1.27 - alt. 331 m - Rocher Blanc View of La Petite Pierre
4 : km 1.72 - alt. 361 m - Crossroads spring
5 : km 2.87 - alt. 349 m - Panzerweg Forest Trail
6 : km 3.74 - alt. 296 m - Hairpin bend
7 : km 5.16 - alt. 237 m - Junction with Rue du Lavoir
8 : km 7.46 - alt. 224 m - Camping
9 : km 8.51 - alt. 233 m - Crossroads after the merry-go-round
10 : km 9.92 - alt. 258 m - Crossing the D178
11 : km 10.32 - alt. 263 m - GR53 crossroads
12 : km 10.64 - alt. 338 m - Viewpoint - Rocher du Corbeau
S/E : km 12.07 - alt. 351 m - Car park: Rue du Château de la Petite-Pierre

Notes

Hiking poles and good walking shoes are essential.
Also bring a rucksack with a water pouch (or bottle) and plan a short snack break halfway through.

Worth a visit

From Rocher Blanc, you will have a superb view of the village and castle of La Petite-Pierre.
On the way back, to climb Rocher du Corbeau, you will pass through trenches covered with thick moss where photography enthusiasts will delight in the charm of the undergrowth.

Reviews and comments

3.3 / 5

Based on 14 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.1 / 5

Ease of following the route
3.1 / 5

Route interest
3.7 / 5

Giffe

22 Sep 2025 at 16:16 7200

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The numbers and figures indicating the waypoints should be inserted between the directions for getting there. E.g. to get from point 1 to point 2 , take the path ?, pass near ? ?, etc.

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Giffe

22 Sep 2025 at 16:07 7200

The figures and numbers indicating the crossing points should be inserted between the explanations, in order to follow them correctly

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mach

08 Apr 2024 at 09:40 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

very beautiful hike

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Olifilfrance

04 Sep 2023 at 19:43 7200

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

Hello, few viewpoints along the route; positive point: sheltered from the sun, and some nice ponds.

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Pat6368

15 Mar 2023 at 20:56 3600

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Interesting route. We were missing a bit of sunshine...
Beautiful view of the village from Rocher Blanc.
The route is a bit random near the refuge. Lots of tracks.
The return to La Petite-Pierre (on the departmental road) is not very safe.
Vehicles drive at high speed.
Best regards
Patrick

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meme

16 May 2022 at 09:17 7200

Overall rating : 2 / 5

Date of your route : May 16, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I'm simply copying and pasting RandoGilou's comment from 19 August 2020. It sums it up perfectly!!!! The description is terrible. I don't understand how anyone could make such mistakes. "We didn't use maps, but the route description on pages 1 and 2 of the downloaded PDF file.
On every hike, there's always something that doesn't add up... and in this case, the description was wrong from the start. It said to take a path on the left after the castle stairs... But there's a fork in the road that isn't marked at all. We kept to the left as indicated, and everything went wrong! What's more, it said we would come out on the road to the watering hole... but in fact this road is on the opposite side of the village, because we took it on the way back. Of course, we had to improvise the whole hike..."

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patptout

19 Oct 2021 at 18:13 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 19, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We had thoroughly enjoyed the magnificent forests of La Petite Pierre.

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gogoff

29 Mar 2021 at 08:37 7200

Overall rating : 1.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 29, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

Uninteresting route and the feeling of having run in circles just to rack up kilometres.

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Marco 67

22 Feb 2021 at 10:51 3600

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant route around La Petite Pierre, offering a good mix of trails, paths and forest roads. No difficulty, beautiful views. It is essential to juggle between the description and the GPS track... otherwise you'll struggle. The track and the description don't always match up... which is a shame.

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Laurence et Alain

27 Oct 2020 at 10:57 3600

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 18, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful walk, but best followed using the app as the description is not detailed enough.
The view from the Corbeau rock is magnificent; a picnic is recommended.

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RandoGilou

19 Aug 2020 at 21:43 7200

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We did not use maps but rather the route description on pages 1 and 2 of the downloaded PDF file.
On every hike, there's always something that doesn't add up... and in this case, the description was wrong from the start. It said to take a path on the left after the castle steps... but there's a fork in the road that isn't marked at all. We kept to the left as indicated, and everything went wrong! In addition, it said we would come out on the road to the watering hole... but in fact this road is on the opposite side of the village... because we took it on the way back... Of course, we had to improvise the whole hike...
This situation often recurs on every hike; there is always some precise information missing at one point or another...
Please be more precise from now on... everywhere!
Thank you in advance.

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leleu etienne

20 Jul 2020 at 10:11 7200

Overall rating : 1.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 19, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

The trail was very poorly marked throughout. We encountered three other groups who were just as lost as we were.

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Chr57530

29 Jun 2020 at 09:11 7200 • Edited: 01 Jul 2020 at 14:52 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 29, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The starting point is not easy to find, but once you're there, it's a beautiful hike with superb views.
There are some steep climbs, so walking poles are recommended!

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Briwal67

01 Jun 2020 at 18:02 7200 • Edited: 01 Jul 2020 at 14:52 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 27, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

signs not always clear and in some places vegetation hid the signs

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GENIEK

15 Oct 2019 at 19:26 7200 • Edited: 01 Jul 2020 at 14:52 7200

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 13, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Hike marked out on trails signposted by the Club Vosgiens and unmarked, meaning there is a risk of confusion or error unless you constantly monitor your GPS.
The condition of the trails reflects the unpredictable weather conditions of recent months (broken branches, landslides and runoff).

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Author

Camus D
9 Walks

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