Tholy Way Crosses Trail

Once you arrive in Le Tholy centre, there are several car parks available, including one with electric charging stations. The starting point is at the church.

Signposting: Green Ring andRed Cross throughout the route.

(S/E) With the church and town hall on your right, follow the Route du Petit Paradis until the first crossroads.Turn left onto Route du Petit Tholy and walk along the cemetery. After the bend, leave the gymnasium on your left. At the first farm, follow the dirt track through the forest. At the end of the track, admire two renovated farms with a pretty pond. Follow the road to the forest.

(1) Pass Petit Tholy (elevation 671), then the picnic tables, and you will reach a crossroads.

(2) Turn left and follow the wide track that curves to the left (west). At the first crossroads, turn left onto a path. Continue straight ahead on the tarmac road until you reach Froide Fontaine.

(3) Follow the road to the edge of the forest, where you will have a beautiful view of the valley of lakes and the Hohneck. Continue straight ahead to the crossroads before the Pierre Charlemagne housing estate.

(4) At this crossroads, you can turn right to see the Pierre du Chaud Costet. If not, continue along this road to discover the chapel. You will arrive at the Route du Chaud Costet.

(5)Cross the road and continue straight ahead for about 50 metres. Continue left on Chemin du Moulin de Noir Rupt, which is a one-way street, until you reach the D11. Turn right and follow the pavement for 100 metres.

(6) Cross the road carefully and walk along the pond on your right. Before the campsite, turn left towards Les Pinasses, then stay on this road which leads to a dirt track in the forest. Leave the woods at the bend in the Route de Blongoutte.

(7) Continue straight ahead for about 350 m until you reach a Y-junction. Turn sharply left and go down Rue des Roches Chevaliers until you reach the end. "Admire the village on the south side and the cheese dairy until you reach the crossroads at the bottom of the hill."

(8) When you see the playground and stadium, turn right. After 80 m, cross the road and take Chemin Célestin Méline on the left, keeping to the right, until you reach the second crossroads (there is a large stone cross)

(9) Turn left onto Rue Louis Godot, then left again onto Rue de la Chalande, which climbs steeply and takes you back to the starting point. (S/E)

You can find a description and history of the crosses at www.tourisme-tholy.fr, under the heading "sports & leisure", hike no. 10.

This route includes several ponds, a picnic table, benches, a chapel, a garden with plants for making essential oils, a workshop producing organic products, biscuits, herbal teas, etc., a potter and a campsite.

View of the valley of lakes, the Mauselaine ski slopes in Gérardmer, and the Hohneck, the second highest peak in the massif, rising to 1,363 metres.