Red-Gazon Circular Route – Rimbach – Belacker

Access: From the centre of Saint-Maurice-sur-Moselle, take the small road (D90) that runs alongside the Ruisseau des Charbonniers; after the hamlet of Les Charbonniers, the road begins to climb up to Chaume du Rouge Gazon: car park and hotel.

Blue Rectangle markings (^GR® 531)
(S/E) Take the path just before the hotel on the left (east), which leads into the forest. Follow this to the Col des Perches.

(1) At the pass, head down the fairly steep path opposite to Lac des Perches. Cross the dam to the south of the lake.

Red Triangle markings
(2) After the dam, take the path furthest to the left, which descends slightly at first (avoid the path that climbs up the hillside). Head towards the Ferme de Basse Bers.

Yellow circle markings.
(3) After the farm, continue straight on towards Rimbach; a very gentle, steady descent leading to a good path; follow this to the village.

Red-white-red markings, not very visible
(4) In the village centre, at the Auberge des Touristes (restaurant); turn left onto Rue du Pâtre. The route enters the Secbach valley via a good farm track. Stay on the left bank of the stream, which you follow for about 2km from the village centre; after passing a house on the left, you reach a crossroads.

No signposting
(5) Ignore the path that continues straight ahead and take a sharp right onto a good forest track that climbs steadily. After about 1.5 km, at the bend at the bottom of the Kerbach valley, you’ll reach a junction with a track. Take this track to the right for a few metres, then leave it at the end of the bend. Climb a little way up through the cleared area to reach the top of the pass and join a path that crosses from east to south-west.

Red circle markings
(6) Turn left (eastwards) into the forest to go round the ridge and head into a valley. After a series of troughs and ridges, you’ll reach a junction.

Yellow Circle markings
(7) Turn right to admire a viewpoint a few metres away, then return and climb the path through a beautiful, open forest dotted with stunning sheer rock outcrops. Pass a turn-off on the left and reach a developed viewpoint.

(8) Fuchfelsen: a lovely viewing point at the top of a rocky outcrop with a 360° panorama; continue the climb until the route joins a forest track.

(9) Cross over and rejoin the path, climbing slightly to the left, and follow the^GR® 532.

Signposting:^GR®532(Yellow Rectangle), then^GR®5(Red Rectangle)
(10) Take the correct path (^GR®532) on the left, heading north, which joins the^GR®5a little further on. Follow the western flank of the Vogelstein northwards and cross the open ridge (elevation 1061m). Continue along the path that follows the ridge on its right-hand side (north-east) to the Belacker Farm Inn.

(11) After the farm, leave the path that descends slightly to the right and continue to the next left-hand bend at the pass. Follow the^GR®5to the right, which runs along the southern flank of the Stiftkopf (offering some fine, unobstructed views) before heading back into the forest to the Rimbach Pass.

(12) At the pass, take the forest track opposite, and leave it quickly to follow the path (^GR®5) which climbs steeply to the left; be careful, as the start is not very visible in the embankment.
Follow the^GR®5, which runs more or less along the ridge line through the forest for about 5 km, to reach the Col des Perches

Blue Rectangle markings
(1) At the pass, you rejoin the original route, which you follow back up to Rouge Gazon

Variants:
(3) Variation: Rimbach via the Reisenwald farm inn. Turn left along the stream (slightly longer) to the farm, then continue down the track to the village.

(6) Short alternative: instead of leaving the farm track at the bend, continue north-west (it becomes marked with Blue Triangles). After about 1 km, leave the track at a hairpin bend and continue on the Blue Triangle trail which climbs steadily towards the ridge and the Belacker Farm Inn ((11))