Walk of the two passes

A very interesting hike between the start and the Col du Luthier. The climb is quite difficult, but this is the Vosges! Personally, I'm not getting any younger, and it took me two hours to reach the Sailley chalet. As the weather was looking threatening, I decided to shorten the route from the Col du Stalon by taking the yellow-marked trail that passes by the Four hut. I would not recommend this as the path is covered with stones that roll under your feet for 1 km. Constant vigilance is required and I found it relatively dangerous and best avoided.

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A lovely mountain circuit. Personally, from the Col du Stalon, I headed towards Ballon d'Alsace to go around it and then back down to the start via the red disc and part of the blue circle to join the Chemin Godignon and then the Chemin du Plain du Canon, which added 5 km to the distance and increased the elevation gain to 903 m, all in one morning (5 hours).

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The climb is quite challenging (steep), but rather pleasant.
The descent is less interesting.
Please note that the final section of the route to the chalet has been changed from what we were used to.
The chalet is very practical and offers a superb view.

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We had a wonderful hike in beautiful sunshine, on a shaded trail with a two-hour climb to reach the Col du Luthier. There were beautiful views of Fresse and St Maurice. The Col du Luthier is a lovely spot for a picnic. The descent to the Col du Stallon was pleasant. From there to St Maurice, the trail was a bit more monotonous until we reached the bridge where we started. But it's definitely worth doing.

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A very beautiful hike! Quite challenging for the first two hours as it is almost entirely uphill, but once you reach the summit, the descent is pleasant and gentler. Beautiful views! Highly recommended!

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A very beautiful hike! The weather was average, but I imagine that if the sun is out, the landscapes and views must be superb!
The climb up the Ballon de Servance is quite long and physically demanding, but very interesting.
The numerous streams and small rivers are very relaxing and pleasant!

I'll do it again next time I'm back in the Vosges! THANK YOU

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The start is a bit tough, but once you get to the top, you're rewarded. The chalet is recommended and is worth the trip.

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Superb weather at the end of March. There was still a lot of snow on the trail, snowshoes would have been useful, especially in the second half of the trail. As a result, the end of the hike was a bit difficult.
The route, which starts with a steep climb, is accessible. The description is sufficient with the map provided (and some basic orienteering skills); I did it without an IGN map.

There's a remarkable view from the top of the Ballon de Servance.

Thanks for this lovely route.

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Hello,

A beautiful route that starts with a steep climb.

The entire hike is very wooded, even in winter.

I did the hike with the GPX track and had no problems.
The walk is suitable for dogs.

Thanks for this hike.

PS: for those who are not familiar with the area, the starting point is in Saint Maurice Sur Moselle. Take the road alongside the stadium and park near the Presles pond.

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Thank you for your reply.
Indeed, logging operations can significantly alter the appearance of an area.
Future hikers have been notified, so they can let us know about any changes they encounter on the ground.

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Hello

Unfortunately, I don't have any suggestions for improving the description because we got lost three times. It's very frustrating, and when I'm hiking in the area again, I'll keep trying to figure out where the problem is.
There has been a lot of forestry work in this area, and I also have the impression that the paths have been altered to preserve the tranquillity of the forest house and a cottage in the vicinity.
Before point 13, the route and description are perfect.

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Thank you, 17decembre, for your feedback.
If I understand correctly, it's more the description than the layout that's causing the problem.
Do you have any suggestions for improving the description?

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A beautiful hike with well-shaded trails. The only downside was that the explanations were confusing and insufficient from point 13 onwards, and we had to turn back twice before finally taking a different route back (via the Cadet farm).

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Hike done in reverse, starting at point 13; beautiful walk, fairly shaded; the descent to the Presles pond (ascent in the "normal" direction, points 5 and 6) was quite steep, but otherwise the difficulty is moderate. A good walk, even without sunshine.

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Hike partly done in the rain. In fog on the Ballon, so didn't get to enjoy the view, except for a little bit at the viewpoint on the way up. Once at the top of the climb, stay on the path along the side of the hill. It was so muddy that we took a shortcut through the grass a little higher up, at the edge of the military zone, and ended up missing the descent to the Col du Luthier.
Night fell between the two passes, so we decided to descend directly via the Four shelter and the valley floor, which shortened the walk (3 hours 45 minutes including 30 minutes of breaks).

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