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Starting point: Saxon Sion, route de Vaudémont.
Markings: Blue Ring
(S/E) The hike starts near the old horse riding grounds and the first 300 metres of the trail are common to all three routes. You will therefore encounter three types of markings with rings: green, blue and red. To start the hike, head towards the back of the old horse riding grounds on the Bois de Plaimont side.
Follow the undulating path through the undergrowth. On the right-hand side of the path, you will see a tree marked with the name "Les Rochers de la Licorne" (The Unicorn Rocks). Shortly afterwards, ignore a path that branches off to the left and continue straight ahead. The path will soon become much steeper before reaching the D53 road: this is the steepest part of the hike.
(1) At the road, continue left, following the ridge line along the path that leads to the orientation table at the foot of the Barrès Monument. A vast fertile plain stretches out below us. This is the highest point in Lorraine outside the Vosges, at an altitude of 541 m. The National Geographic Institute marker indicating this point is located between the orientation table and the Barrès Monument, 10 m from the table, set flush with the ground. The place is called Signal de Vaudémont.
(2) The Barrès Monument site is an ideal place to study the migration of certain bird species. You are in a sensitive natural area. Take the path that descends towards the bend in the road towards Vaudémont.
(3) At the bend in the road, take the path on the left that descends towards the Grottes des Chambrettes. The path to Vaudémont offers beautiful views of Sion and Mont d'Anon, another isolated hillock detached from the Moselle coast. Follow the path until it branches off to the right to join the D53, which you follow to the left until you reach the entrance to the village of Vaudémont, where a centuries-old lime tree marks the entrance next to an old calvary.
(4) The hiking trail (marked with blue rings) leads you to the left towards the Porte Le Maître, the moat, the ramparts and the Tour Brunehaut. After seeing the remains of the Tour Brunehaut, retrace your steps to walk alongside the church and rejoin the D53, which you will follow downhill to the left for a good hundred metres.
(5) Turn right onto Chemin de Saussotte. On Chemin de la Saussotte, you will see an old guéoir, a stone structure located near a water inlet, with a small reservoir, originally intended for cleaning horses' hooves. There are beautiful views on your left with the Virgin of Notre-Dame de Sion.
(6) Turn left for a refreshing break a little further on at the old renovated wash house. Be sure to take the hiking trail just above and not the one that descends in front of the wash house.
(7) A little further down, the hiking trail branches off to the right towards the wooded area. Enjoy the coolness of the Saussotte spring (caution: water holes, danger). The trail then enters the woods and leads to the Croix des Pestiférés on your right.
(8) Just after the Croix des Pestiférés, two routes separate. Take the one on the right towards the Saut de la Pucelle, where we join the Circuit des Légendes. The "Saut de la Pucelle" route, a steep cliff facing the village of Vaudémont, is home to the hill's most popular legend. This is a very steep part of the plateau, where the ditch running parallel to the path marks the boundary between the municipalities of Sion and Vaudémont. The path then leads us to the Sainte-Marguerite plateau.
(9) Turn right to cross the D53 and continue opposite, on the left, along the road, via a path leading to the Sainte-Marguerite Cross, which can be seen at the side of the road. All that remains is to cross the large lawn to reach the starting point a little further on (S/E).
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