Circular starting from the Étang du Coucou

This walk leads to the Chatte Pendue viewpoint and the summit of the Hautes Loges, which offer a breathtaking 360° view of the neighbouring peaks: Donon, Rocher de Mutzig, the Champ du Feu massif and the Col du Hantz.
The only challenging part is the climb up to La Chatte Pendue. So, take it easy to start with.

Details

24785589
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.25 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 2,093 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 2,077 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 3,058 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,677 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the Étang du Coucou car park.

(S/E) With your back to the car park, take the Red Disc trail heading south. After a climb that is at times quite steep, cross a forest track and reach the summit of La Chatte Pendue

(1) Here, join the path marked with a combination of Yellow Rectangle, Green Disc and Blue Cross signs – this is theGR®®532. Continue, alternating between descents and ascents, to reach the Monument des Passeurs.

(2) Continue along the Green Disc trail to reach the Y-junction at Haute Loge. Turn left onto the path marked with a Red Triangle. You’ll emerge at the Haute Loge hut.

(3) Take the path heading due north, which descends slightly, to reach the Ruins of the Ancienne Marcairie very quickly. Here, leave the Red Triangle-marked path and turn right onto the path marked with a Red Cross and a Green Disc. Walk along the hillside through the Hautes Chaumes. You will reach the site of the cup-marked stone.

(4) Continue on to reach a multi-way junction.

(5) Turn right at almost a 90° angle onto the Blue Ring path and you will very quickly reach the summit of the Tête des Blanches Roches. Turn left and, after a short descent, you will reach the Tête de Bipierre.

(6) Continue down the slope to reach the Chapelle de Bipierre, a crossroads of paths.

(7) Take the Yellow Triangle path opposite. Cross the Bipierre Forest Road and, further on, the Ruisseau de la Truite Forest Road. Immediately afterwards, cross the bridge over the Ruisseau de la Truite.

(8) Cross the stream via the footbridge, then find the Route Forestière de l’Aiguille and turn left onto it. Continue along the Yellow Triangle path.

(9) Cross the Framont stream and emerge at the Maison Forestière du Coucou

(10) Turn right onto the road to reach the Étang du Coucou car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,821 ft - Car park at the - Étang du Coucou
  2. 1 : mi 1.35 - alt. 2,953 ft - La Chatte Pendue
  3. 2 : mi 2.46 - alt. 2,838 ft - Monument to the Passeurs
  4. 3 : mi 3.18 - alt. 3,048 ft - La Haute Loge
  5. 4 : mi 4.95 - alt. 2,917 ft - Cup-marked stone
  6. 5 : mi 5.51 - alt. 2,874 ft - Multi-way junction Near the source of the - Rabodeau (rivière)
  7. 6 : mi 6.04 - alt. 2,966 ft - Tête de Bipierre
  8. 7 : mi 6.38 - alt. 2,802 ft - Chapelle de Bipierre
  9. 8 : mi 7.59 - alt. 1,841 ft - Bridge over the Framont stream - Truite (ruisseau) - Affluent du Framont
  10. 9 : mi 8.35 - alt. 1,677 ft - Framont (ruisseau) - Affluent de la Bruche
  11. 10 : mi 8.56 - alt. 1,864 ft - Coucou Forest House
  12. S/E : mi 9.25 - alt. 1,821 ft - Étang du Coucou car park - Grand Silet (ruisseau) - Affluent du Framont

Worth a visit

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 12 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
jeanphidrums
jeanphidrums

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Varied landscapes, some stunning views.
As described in the walk guide.

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Djef57
Djef57

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 07, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

No complaints, a lovely hike.
Well worth doing, or doing again,

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mlk67
mlk67

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 09, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike, magnificent panorama at La Haute Loge.
Well marked, easy to follow and no particular difficulties except for two slightly slippery wooden ladder sections.
The climb up to La Chatte Pendue is long but very pleasant.

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Vinihood
Vinihood

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Route taken on 8/9/2025.
The route is very clear overall, except for two sections
where the markings are a little hard to see, which made me retrace my steps uphill. The route is very pleasant and the two main highlights are the hanging cat and the high lodges, which offer a splendid view.

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User 25007990

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The explanations after the monument to the smugglers were not very clear. I missed a path and there was no way to cross. I had to go back and walk an extra 5 km!

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ouistiti1201
ouistiti1201

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 08, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike with stunning views from La Chatte Pendue and La Haute Loge.
There were quite a few people at the summit of La Chatte Pendue that day, but we were almost always alone on the trails.
The elevation gain indicated does not quite correspond to what we had at the end of the hike; we had more like 640 metres.

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Vic&Nath
Vic&Nath

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike along a pleasant route.
Small paths through the forest or open countryside.
Beautiful views of the Donon and Alsace.
No difficulties with regard to signposting.

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Pdeiss
Pdeiss

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 30, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Beautiful diversity of landscapes and points of interest.

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tontonviki
tontonviki

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A relatively difficult route, but all the more beautiful for its wild natural surroundings.
We got a little lost at the top of the high lodges
But overall, a very positive experience

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Philippe Schwab
Philippe Schwab

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Today's hike took us 4 hours and 40 minutes. A wild route with almost exclusively narrow paths: brilliant!

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Petit sac
Petit sac

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 07, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike!
The landscapes are varied, passing through beautiful forests and offering breathtaking views of the valley.
There is a bit of an uphill climb at the start when heading towards La Chatte Pendue, but it's well worth the effort.

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mach
mach

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 22, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

very beautiful hike.

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