Route des Grands Bois in Deyvillers

A shaded hike in the Épinal communal forest, home to remarkable trees and sites.

Details

34765083
Creation:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 20.18 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 217 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 212 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 446 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 345 m

Description of the walk

From Épinal, take the D420 towards Deyvillers, then the D11 towards Docelles. Pass the entrance to Fort des Adelphes, then the waste collection centre, and turn left at the first road. Drive to the car park.

Blue disc markings throughout the route

(S/E) Before the barrier, take the marked forest path starting on the left and continue straight ahead for about 1.5 km. After crossing the stream, continue left for 600 m until you reach the edge of the forest.

(1) Take the path on the right. Leave the track on the left and turn onto the road coming from the right (Allée des Promenades), then take the path that follows part of the fitness trail to the left at the first fork. Continue straight ahead at the first intersection until you reach the second.

(2) Turn right to leave the fitness trail, walk 300 metres, then take the forest path on the left. Cross a track.

(3) Take the path continuing straight ahead. After crossing the stream, continue straight ahead for 250 metres until you reach the crossroads.

(4) Turn left twice to reach a forest road. Keep right after the barrier, then left to reach a quiet road. Follow this road to the right until you reach a Y-junction.

(5) After 200 metres on the road, take the forest path on the right and follow it for 750 metres before rejoining the road. Follow it to the right for 150 metres, crossing the Ruisseau des Bolottes, to end at a fork.

(6) Take the forest path starting on the left and continue straight ahead for 1 km until you pass a pond on the left (Étang du Neuf Moulin). Continue to the crossroads after the pond.

(7) Continue straight ahead on the path for 1.5 to 2 kilometres until you reach the track and its car park.

(8) Cross the track and follow the path and car park at La Folie Finot before taking the forest path (Tranchée de Charmois) opposite. Continue straight ahead on the path for 1.5 kilometres, passing an X-shaped crossroads, until you reach the first Y-shaped crossroads.

(9) Turn right to reach Roche Goutteuse. Pass a trail junction to reach the site.

(10) Turn left at the first fork, cross the stream and continue straight ahead on the path to Roche Charlot, following a pretty little rocky valley. At the end of the path, you will reach a track.

(11) Turn left, then right 500 m further on to reach Croix des Bossottes.

(12) Coming from the gravel path, take the path on the left and join the trail turning right, then left across the stream. Continue straight ahead for 1.5 km, cutting across a track. You will arrive at a road (Route Forestière de la Croix Grand Colas).

(13) Turn left and continue straight ahead at the crossroads 300 m further on. After about 1 km, you will come to a Y-junction near a stream.

(14) Continue along this path, turning left towards a picnic area. Continue to the road (Tranchée de Deyvilliers) and its picnic area.

(15) Cross the road to take a forest path opposite, which leads to Haut Finot. Cut across a forest road opposite to rejoin the path. Join a gravel path on the right. You will come to a crossroads.

(16) Turn right until you reach the next fork.

(17) About 1 km further on, turn left twice to reach the road (Chemin du Grand Plain).

(18) Cross it and take the path opposite to reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 413 m - Car park near the waste collection centre: 48.179967, 6.503968
  2. 1 : km 2.1 - alt. 381 m - Edge of the forest
  3. 2 : km 3.2 - alt. 378 m - Fitness trail
  4. 3 : km 3.81 - alt. 365 m - Track
  5. 4 : km 4.35 - alt. 366 m - Fork in the road
  6. 5 : km 5.27 - alt. 346 m - Y-junction with trail
  7. 6 : km 6.21 - alt. 351 m - Trail junction
  8. 7 : km 7.81 - alt. 367 m - Etang le Neuf Moulin
  9. 8 : km 9.53 - alt. 446 m - Folie Finot car park
  10. 9 : km 11.01 - alt. 411 m - Fork to the right
  11. 10 : km 11.46 - alt. 384 m - La Roche Goutteuse
  12. 11 : km 12.27 - alt. 411 m - Trail fork
  13. 12 : km 13.04 - alt. 424 m - La Croix des Bossottes
  14. 13 : km 14.5 - alt. 442 m - Route Forestière de la Croix Grand Colas
  15. 14 : km 15.73 - alt. 407 m - Stream
  16. 15 : km 16.05 - alt. 415 m - Picnic area
  17. 16 : km 17.97 - alt. 415 m - Fork to the right
  18. 17 : km 18.7 - alt. 408 m - Crossroads
  19. 18 : km 19.29 - alt. 418 m - Chemin du Grand Plain
  20. S/E : km 20.18 - alt. 413 m - Car park near the waste collection centre: 48.179967, 6.503968

Notes

Thanks to the Club Vosgien for creating this hike and for the work done by its teams throughout the year to mark and maintain these paths. The route is also available on thetourist office website.

Worth a visit

(10) La Roche Goutteuse

(10) La Roche Charlot

(12) La Croix des Bossottes

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 8 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4 / 5
Claire75
Claire75

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike in the frosty forest at the end of December, with white vegetation and rays of sunshine filtering through the trees.
A pleasant and easy route.
The ground was frozen, which made it easy to walk everywhere... in wet weather, I think some paths would be very muddy, but it seems possible to get around them.
The description doesn't add much, and may even cause some confusion.
However, the excellent signposting by the Club Vosgien (many thanks) makes it easy to follow the route without any problems and without the need for GPS.

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ecm2
ecm2

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

An interesting hike to do during heatwaves, as it is always shaded and has little elevation gain.
A little monotonous, but perfect for a maintenance walk. Water for dogs. We didn't see the Roche Goutteuse, perhaps hidden by vegetation, but the large Douglas firs are impressive.
We wanted to take a break at the pond, but it is fenced off, so we used tree stumps instead.
The forest is nice overall
thank you

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mpf88
mpf88

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This route is very pleasant in hot weather as it is mostly shaded. The forest is magnificent.
The only slight downside is the last kilometre, which runs under a high-voltage power line and has been affected by forestry work that has cleared large swathes of the forest.

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User 11329111

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike in the heatwave!

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Pinky07
Pinky07

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Ideal hike in hot weather, very shady.
A lovely route on different types of trails, with some interesting sites on the way back (Roche Charlot, Grands Douglas).
Completed in 4 hours and 15 minutes, without dawdling too much.

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Marie88
Marie88

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Nice route to do, well marked.😉

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Denis/Nadine
Denis/Nadine

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant and peaceful route, not many views, but tranquillity in the heart of the forest, very accessible and excellent signage.

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Mick88
Mick88

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike in the Epinal communal forest. I did most of it in the rain. The route is very well marked and, in my opinion, should not be classified as difficult, given its low elevation gain and lack of challenges.
I followed the route on my GPS.
THANK YOU FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL ROUTE.

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