Circular route in the hills above Sainte-Croix-aux-Mines

Large car park on Place du Maréchal Koenig, in front of Villa Burrus. (Parking is also available at the town hall or the church).

(S/E) From the car park, walk back down the street, keeping the church in sight. Take Rue Maurice Burrus on the left, then the next street on the right, passing in front of the church.

(1) After the church, at the end of the bend, take the small road on the right, uphill, following the Blue Saltire signpost, towards Creux Chêne.
Continue up the path. Pass a large house with terraced gardens, at a place called Goutte Martin.

(2) You’ll reach a hairpin bend; turn right and head uphill (still following the Blue Saltire signposting towards Creux Chêne). Further up, at a bend with a bench, continue to the left. At the hamlet of Grandmont, carry straight on along the signposted path (towards La Chambrette).

(3) When you reach a crossroads with a bench on a ridge, turn left, following the Blue Cross markings towards Creux Chêne.
Continue along the ridge to the hamlet of Creux Chêne, which has a lovely shelter.

(4) From the Creux Chêne shelter, take the path with a horse-riding stop, following the Red Ring and Blue Ring markings towards the Chapelle de la Goutte. (Ignore the path marked with a Blue Triangle, heading towards the Col de la Hingrie).

(5) At a bend, leave the path at a wooden railing and follow a path marked with a Red Ring towards the chapel via a shortcut. Climb up to the Chapelle de la Goutte (marked as La Goutte du Prince on the IGN map).

(6) From the chapel, return to the flat path, marked with a Blue Ring and Yellow Disc, towards Marigoutte and Danigoutte. At the next junction, continue along the path marked with a Yellow Disc.
(7) After about 150 metres, leave the forest track and take a path descending to the left. (Please note: the start of the path is difficult to see due to logging operations, and the markings are a little further down).
Further down, first turn left then right to pass through the hamlet of Marigoutte. Then stay on the path (markings are difficult to see).

(8) At the hamlet of Danigoutte, turn left again, heading towards Grand Rombach following the Yellow Disc markings.

(9) Further on, turn right (the markings are only visible further down), then, further down, keep left. When you reach some houses, stay on the path going downhill, alongside the houses. Continue to Grand Rombach, the path following a stream further down on the right-hand side.

(10) At Grand Rombach, take the path on the right at the first junction, marked with a Yellow Cross, towards Surpense. Further on, keep to the right and begin the climb.

(11) At the hamlet of Surpense, turn left, following the Red Ring markings, towards Sainte-Croix-Aux-Mines. At the next three-way junction, keep right. Further on, pass through the hamlet of Borne and continue straight ahead. Then the marked path turns right again, heading downhill, into an open area.

(12) You’ll reach a small road which you follow downhill to Sainte-Croix-aux-Mines.

(13) Return to Rue Maurice Burrus and follow it to the left, passing in front of Château Burrus, reaching the town hall, then turning right onto Rue de la Gare to return to the car park (S/E).

A lovely shelter at a place called Creux Chêne (4), which also has an outdoor table. (1½ hours’ walk from the start).

Picnic table at the point (5) and at the chapel (6) (2 hours from the start).

Summary of signposting used:
-from (1) to (3) Blue Saltire
-from (3) to (4) Blue Cross
-from (4) to (6) Red Ring
-from (6) to (10) Yellow Disc: Stay alert on this section, as the markings are often offset from the junctions...
-from (10) to (11) Yellow Cross
-from (11) to (13) Red Ring

Chapelle de la Goutte du Prince, with views over the valley.

On the heights of Grandmont and after Borne: Views of the Taennchel massif and the Grand Brezouard.

Next to the car park, visit the Villa Burrus Park.