Grande Côte circular

de fr

This signposted walk, starting from the village of Lachapelle-sous-Chaux, takes you into the heart of the remarkable Étangs des Ayeux. It is situated 8 km north of Belfort.

Details

n°1031588
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.08 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 630 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 633 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,991 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,335 ft
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Description of the walk

Park in the car park on Place de la Mairie in front of the church, 4 Rue du Rhôme, Lachapelle-sous-Chaux.

Green Ring signposting

(S/E) Turn right and follow Rue du Rhôme, crossing the bridge over the Rhôme

(1) Turn right onto Rue du Génechey. Walk between the ponds and continue until you reach a junction where several paths meet. Take the path on the right and continue uphill until you reach a forest track.

(2) Turn left and then turn right 100 metres further on. Continue uphill until you reach the junction with the GR®533 (Green Rectangle).

(3) Turn left. Reach the highest point of the walk (608 m), marked by a boundary stone.

(4) Carry on straight ahead and reach another junction where several paths meet.

(5) Leave the GR®533 on your right and continue downhill to the first houses. Follow the Green Rings markings carefully. Pass through the hamlet of Les Boulets and continue to the left until you reach the junction with Rue de la Libération.

(6) Follow this road, skirting the pond, until you reach the first junction near the bridge.

(1) Turn right onto Rue du Rhôme to return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,362 ft - Car park at the Place de la Mairie in front of the church
  2. 1 : mi 0.31 - alt. 1,342 ft - Bridge over the Rhôme
  3. 2 : mi 1.9 - alt. 1,617 ft - Junction with the Green Disc
  4. 3 : mi 2.89 - alt. 1,788 ft - Junction with the GR533 Green Rectangle
  5. 4 : mi 3.23 - alt. 1,991 ft - Highest point: 608 m
  6. 5 : mi 3.5 - alt. 1,801 ft - Leave the GR533
  7. 6 : mi 5.13 - alt. 1,385 ft - Rue de la Libération
  8. S/E : mi 6.08 - alt. 1,362 ft - Car park at the Place de la Mairie in front of the church

Notes

The route is marked with Green Rings.
Visorando was provided with this information by Mr Chevalley, a volunteer member of Balisage90, based on leaflets published by the Belfort Department of Territorial Planning.

Worth a visit

The Ayeux Ponds
The commune of Lachapelle-sous-Chaux has a large number of ponds. The four ponds at the Les Étangs des Ayeux site belong to the Belfort-Bavilliers Angling Association and are used for recreational fishing. The 23-hectare site, which is open to the public for walking, is monitored to ensure that recreational fishing activities are balanced with the conservation of the environment. Historically, it is thought that economic and religious reasons prompted certain landowners to create these ponds. On the one hand, fish production provided a source of supplementary income. On the other hand, the faithful were obliged to observe a ‘meagre’ diet during Lent.

Bernard Gantner
Born in Belfort in 1928, he has been drawing since he was a child. A painter and illustrator, he is well known for his landscapes and draws much of his inspiration from the region. In 1961, success came his way when he was awarded the ‘Prix de la Critique’. In 1962, he moved to a property in Lachapelle-sous-Chaux. Over the years, he developed his property to include a private museum, an arboretum and a wildlife park (a private site closed to the public). Bernard Gantner then embarked on an international career: he held fifty solo exhibitions in Japan, sixty in the United States, and exhibited in all the major cities of France. In 1998, he was awarded the Legion of Honour. Bernard Gantner is an accomplished artist of international renown.

Chaux Airfield
Introductory flights are available.

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.

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Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 14 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.2 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.1 / 5
Michela2018
Michela2018

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant and easy hike. Well shaded. I enjoyed it.

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PASCAL Gérard
PASCAL Gérard
• Edited:

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The weather wasn't very good, and what's more, it's the time of year when they bring the wood out of the forest, and we got lost.
A very average walk.

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edithdebortoli
edithdebortoli

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 27, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Beautiful route, very well marked

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gilberlou
gilberlou

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
An easy, well-shaded route with no difficulties, allowing you to discover another side of the beautiful village of LACHAPELLE SS CHAUX.

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jeannerenee
jeannerenee

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 10, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike mainly in the forest, unfortunately it rained for two-thirds of the walk...

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nènène
nènène

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 10, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk, well signposted, with beautiful and pleasant woodland.

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sylbers
sylbers

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 29, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Same comment as the one made by an internet user in 2019: at point no. 2 at the "quarry, clearing", you have to turn left (green RING and not green disc), the marker is not immediately visible. Otherwise, you will arrive in the village of Auxelles-Bas and have to return to La Chapelle-sous-Chaux by road (heavy traffic) or turn back.

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ZA
ZA

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

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Ryan90
Ryan90
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 26, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful route with lovely woodland, no difficulty, completed in a group of 12 people in 2½ hours (not including stops).
The return trip along a quiet road offers beautiful views of the ponds, which are still frozen at this time of year.
Well done for the very comprehensive green disc signage.

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josiane.trebault
josiane.trebault

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A beautiful route, well marked and easy.
It took us 2½ hours.
It was a shame that part of the return journey was on the road, but it wasn't very busy.

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hmoyal
hmoyal

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 31, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
A lovely hike, with a nice climb before the big hill. Beautiful woodland and ponds.
Keep an eye on the markings.

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dometpom
dometpom

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 27, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hello,

A very beautiful walk in the Vosges foothills. We had a few problems at points 1 and 2: at point 1, you have to take the leftmost path, but there are no markings or they are missing between three paths; we took the wrong one at first and had to turn back. At point 2, there is no quarry, but a small clearing, and you must not turn right, but left! There too, we had to turn back!
Otherwise, after that, no problems, very beautiful woods and magnificent landscapes with ponds.

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papy70
papy70

Overall rating : 4 / 5

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

Pleasant hike through beautiful, well-maintained forests on the first part of the route.
Quite a steep climb as you approach the big hill.

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Haffner
Haffner

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 15, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

New route, do not follow the one indicated on familirando.

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