Red-Gazon, Sun King and Devil’s Kitchen circular loop

Access: From Saint-Maurice-sur-Moselle, take the D90 towards Chaume du Rouge Gazon, the starting point of our hike.

(S/E) From the hotel, cross the car park and head up the access road (D90).

(1) After a short distance, you will find a path on the right. Take this path, leaving a trail on your right (the trail you will take on the way back). Follow the path as it climbs gently through the pastures (marked with a ‘Blue Rectangle’^GR®531sign). Further on, ignore two paths, one to the right and one to the left, and continue along the path. Further on, leave the path via a track branching off to the right (marked with a ‘Blue Rectangle’^GR®531sign). At the three-way junction, turn left and at the next junction, continue straight ahead. At the next three-way junction, turn left to quickly reach the track. Take the track to the right (still following the same markings) to reach a pond on the ridge.

(2) Go round the pond and take the path that descends to the left (blue-white-blue markings) and runs alongside two other ponds. After the third pond, ignore the path branching off to the left and continue straight on, parallel to the stream flowing down from the ponds. You will come out onto a path. Take this to the left to quickly reach another, wider path.

(3) Turn left, following the yellow circle markings.

(4) At the stream, head slightly uphill to the left to visit the Three Musketeers site. Then return and continue along the track. Shortly afterwards, at the three-way junction, turn left and continue along this track. Further on, cross a stream via a bridge. Shortly afterwards, you will find a path on the right leading off towards the east.

(5) Leave the track and take this path marked with yellow and red circles. Continue along this path to Chalet Burner. Turn left onto the track and follow it for 100m.

(6) At the footbridge, cross the Grande Goutte stream and turn left onto the track that follows the stream, keeping to the same markings.

(7) Just before crossing a small stream, leave the path and head up to the right via the Sybille trail (marked with a ‘Red Triangle’) onto the path furthest to the right, also marked by a bench slightly above the path under a fir tree. Two-thirds of the way up, at a three-way junction, leave the Red Triangle markings and take the path on the left (yellow circle markings). You’ll come out onto a wide path (note a refuge at the bottom of the valley a few steps to the left, La Conche).

(8) You are now facing the Roi Soleil. Continue to the right along the wide path.

(9) After passing a gully, ignore a path branching off to the right and continue along the track. Immediately afterwards, leave the track (and the yellow circle markings) to climb left onto a path (Red Triangle markings). Continue straight on this path until you come out onto a track.

(10) Take this track to the left, following the Yellow Circle markings.

(11) Further on, ignore a path on the right and continue along the track to the Chalet des Crêtes. Walk past the chalet. A little further on, you will find three closely spaced path junctions on the right.

(12) Take the third path. Immediately afterwards, at the three-way junction, turn left to climb up to the ridge. Continue straight on to the Tête de la Bouloie.

(13) Here you’ll find a 360° panorama. Further on, ignore a path branching off to the left and take the path that descends into the forest towards the west. You’ll come out onto another path.

(14) Turn left to join a track (follow the Yellow Circle markings). Turn right onto this track. Further on, you’ll find a path leading off to the right and back.

(15) Leave the track to follow this path (Blue Cross markings) towards the waterfalls and the Roche de l'Ours. After the waterfalls, continue along the same path, heading north and turning right at the junctions, always following the same markings. You will reach a crossroads above a reservoir.

(16) Ignore the wide path that goes straight ahead and turn right onto a trail (marked with blue-white-blue). Shortly afterwards, ignore a trail that branches off to the right. Immediately after, you’ll come out onto a path which you follow to the right. Continue along this path. Further on, at a bend, ignore a path leading off to the right and back, and immediately after that, also ignore a path leading off to the left to continue along this path. At a fork, turn right to reach the Chalet des Evaux very quickly.

(17) Turn right at the chalet and continue along the track for about 500m to the crossroads. Then leave the signposted route and the track (blue-white-blue markings) to take the path climbing up to the right (green Circle).

(18) Pass over the Roches du Sabbat. Continue along this path to the ridge.

(11) At the crest, you’ll come out onto the path (marked with Yellow Circles) that you followed on the way there. Take it to the left. Pass the junction you passed on the way there.

(10) Continue straight on along this path, ignoring all the tracks on either side. Arrive at Chaume des Neufs Bois. Continue straight on along a narrower track. Further on, ignore a track that branches off to the right and back. Immediately after, you reach a pass.

(2) Turn left onto the path that goes round a wetland (marked with a Blue Rectangle and a Red Triangle).

(19) Upon re-entering the forest, at a three-way junction, take the steep path marked with a Red Triangle to the right. At the next junction, turn right then take a path to the left to discover the Sapin Saint-Antoine.

(20) Continue down the same path. You’ll come out onto a track. Turn left. Further on, ignore a path branching off to the right. Shortly afterwards, you’ll find another path branching off to the right.

(21) Take the fairly steep path (marked with a Blue Circle) which climbs to the right. Shortly afterwards, let a path go straight ahead and take the path to the right. You will come out onto another path. Head straight ahead, slightly to the left. Continue to the Cuisine du Diable.

(22) Continue along this path, which climbs through a beautiful forest to the ridge, and then descends, following the same path. At the bottom, at a fork, turn right to arrive immediately at the junction taken on the way there.

(1) Return via the left, along the same route as on the way out, to the hotel car park (S/E).

A circular loop consisting of three sub-loops, making it easy to shorten the route along the way.

(10) Short alternative: turn right at the Yellow Circle signpost and head straight to (2) to return directly via the route taken at the start of the circular route.

(4) The site of the Three Musketeers, which, as their name suggests, are in fact a cluster of four beautiful fir trees.

(8) We are facing the Sun King, a fir tree said to have been born during the reign of Louis XIV: 487 cm in circumference and 47 m tall.

(20) A small clearing for a bucolic, woodland break: the Saint-Antoine fir, benches, a wayside shrine and a fountain.

(22) La Cuisine du Diable: a very dark cave on the right, but a useful shelter in the event of a violent storm (tested!).