Lac de Lispach circuit from Lac de Longemer

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Short hike connecting Lac de Longemer and Lac de Lispach through the forest.

Details

n°1730181
Creation:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 4.87 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 991 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 978 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 3,278 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 2,418 ft
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Photos

Longemer Lake
Very beautiful lake
Longemer Lake
Quiet

Description of the walk

Park in the car park on the lake road at the intersection with the beach road in Xonrupt-Longemer, near the campsite.

(S/E) Cross the road using the cycle path and follow it (lake road) south-east to the Envers de Longemer campsite.

(1) Leave the track on the right (cross), which will be the return route, then turn right and follow the path that climbs into the forest towards the south, marked with a red triangle. (The path is quite steep).

(2) At Roche des Vieux Chevaux, you will have a view of Lac de Longemer. The most difficult part of the hike is now behind you. Continue along the trail towards the south-west.

(3) At the crossroads, follow the yellow disc signs south, then take the hairpin bend on the right towards the old mine (which is signposted).

(4) At the old copper mine, retrace your steps and take the path on the right that descends to Lac de Lispach.

(5) Go around Lac de Lispach on the right (yellow circle) until you reach the dam.

(6) At the dam, turn back and go straight ahead in a north-westerly direction to rejoin the Chemin Ehlinger (forest path). Follow this path in a north-easterly direction until you reach the small pass of the Mine crossroads.

(7) Go downhill and take the path marked with a green cross heading northeast until you reach the campsite. At some point, you will see a sign for "Grotte des fées" on your right. You can go there; it is about a hundred metres away. It is not marked on the IGN map. Then retrace your steps and continue along the path marked with a green cross.

(1) At the crossroads by the campsite, turn left and follow the cycle path to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 2,418 ft - Parking near the campsite - Lac de Longemer
  2. 1 : mi 0.77 - alt. 2,457 ft - Crossroads of the loop at WP 1
  3. 2 : mi 1.41 - alt. 3,235 ft - La Roche des Vieux Chevaux (viewpoint)
  4. 3 : mi 1.75 - alt. 3,261 ft - Crossroads
  5. 4 : mi 1.96 - alt. 3,163 ft - Old copper mine
  6. 5 : mi 2.1 - alt. 2,979 ft - Arrival at Lac de Lispach - Lac de Lispach
  7. 6 : mi 2.81 - alt. 2,979 ft - Lac de Lispach dam - Chajoux (rivière)
  8. 7 : mi 3.29 - alt. 3,054 ft - Crossroads at small pass de la Mine - Green cross
  9. S/E : mi 4.87 - alt. 2,421 ft - Parking near the campsite - Vologne (rivière)

Notes

No water source.
No shelter.
A few benches.

I have indicated that this is a difficult hike because there is a steep climb in the first section between (1) and (2) (the only major difficulty).

Worth a visit

Longemer Lake beach in summer and pedal boats.
Ski slope at Lac de Lispach.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 24 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
SeveMorg
SeveMorg

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 11, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk, with an initial climb that gets your heart rate up for a good half an hour

At point 7, we decided to take a different route: a narrow, relatively well-maintained path deep in the forest, which was a bit technical but allowed us to descend less steeply.

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bernard_dorli
bernard_dorli

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful route. It's good to start at the indicated location because it allows you to warm up a bit before the climb from point 1. You can also walk along the lake for about 500 metres.

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Michel Belfortain
Michel Belfortain

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A very beautiful hike, the view of Lake Longemer is superb, and Lake Lispach is even more beautiful.
Although the first part is described as a bit steep, we found it fairly easy in the end. However, the descent at the end is really unpleasant, very steep, stony and even dangerous, especially when you start to feel tired.

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alainlins
alainlins

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful coastline and a steep descent 🥶

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Megel
Megel

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

Hello, wonderful hike, the route changed on the way up and is very well marked. Superb view of Lake Longemer.
Once you reach Lake Lispach, the circuit around the lake is busy but beautiful.
On the way back, the descent at Croix Verte is steep. It's difficult to walk down because of the countless stones that limit your footholds. I strongly recommend good walking shoes and walking sticks.
At the start and end of the walk, you can take a path below the road, which avoids walking alongside it, especially as there is heavy and noisy traffic.
A very beautiful hike.

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NATH69
NATH69
• Edited:

A very beautiful hike. The climb at the beginning is particularly tough, but then you are rewarded with breathtaking views of Lake Longemer and Lake Lispach. The descent is very technical, especially with ice
The first kilometre is uninteresting along the roadside. I recommend following the lake route instead, which is more enjoyable

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Cecilia3840
Cecilia3840

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike, but not the easiest route. There is a significant elevation gain on the way up, but the descent is particularly challenging on a technical trail. I did it with my 4-year-old daughter, so we took our time! We stopped for lunch at the foot of Lake Lispach, where the scenery was magnificent.

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Caroline22
Caroline22

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

This trail is quite challenging for children under ten and people over 60 who don't exercise regularly. The climb up the rocks is quite difficult at the start, and the descent at the end is just as steep, with a rocky path to boot. But the view of the lake after the climb is magnificent. The natural surroundings are beautiful. Worth doing again, but only if you're in good physical shape.

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Jewa
Jewa

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

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

The start of the route is difficult with a very steep climb. Once you reach the viewpoint, there are no more difficulties and the route is easy going.
The downside of this hike is that you have to retrace your steps after arriving at the Lispach lake dam and look for the forest path, which is not signposted. By deduction and using the map, you eventually find it.
If I do this again, I will probably go around the lake.
Finally, the first part of the descent is also steep and technical but quickly becomes easier.

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Maximusjo
Maximusjo

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike.
The first part includes a steep climb.
Towards the end, there is a fairly technical descent with rocks, which is not suitable for sandals

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Estelle et Thierry
Estelle et Thierry

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 22, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The small forest path to take on the way back from Lispach Lake is not signposted. If you cannot find it, return to the starting point at the lake, go uphill and turn left. You will arrive at the top of the forest path you needed to take.

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Taz 14
Taz 14

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very stony and slippery section

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djo 42
djo 42

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 14, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

After a challenging climb through the forest at the start of the walk, the reward is well worth the effort. The view of Lake Longemer is superb. The descent through the forest to the second lake is relaxing. The descent on the way back is quite challenging for the knees. A beautiful walk

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slva.sara
slva.sara

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 08, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A challenging hike with a fairly technical start and a very steep climb that is feasible for fairly fit hikers, but should be avoided in wet weather as it can be slippery. There is a beautiful view of the lake after the climb, which leads to the second lake. We really enjoyed this hike, which took us 2 hours and 40 minutes with a few breaks.

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inconnu qui randonne
inconnu qui randonne

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 01, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Good evening,
This is a challenging hike that requires some walking experience.
The start along the lake is easy. However, as soon as you start climbing towards the old horses' rock, it gets tough.
But keep going, because once you reach the top, the view of Lake Longemer is magnificent.
The descent to Lake Lispach is easy. The old mine doesn't add much to the hike; it's just the entrance to a cave. A hole in a rock.
However, I preferred to walk around the lake and enjoy the reflections of the trees in the water and the information panels about the peat bog and wildlife.
When you reach the dam, you have to turn back, but after a hundred metres or so you will find the path that leads to the Ehlinger trail.
The return trip is difficult from the descent (point 7, small pass, green cross marker) because the trail is very rough, with many fallen trees and a difficult scree slope.
I didn't attempt to go through the fairy cave because of the many fallen trees across the trail,
i would advise against trying it (but everyone is free to make their own choices).
After that, the trail gets much better. There is a gigantic fir tree to see just before you reach the road near the Jonquilles campsite. It is a giant fir tree, 51.40 metres high and 4.89 metres in circumference. (There is a small information sign.) Don't miss it. It looks like a sequoia.
The return trip along the cycle path is easy.

In short, this is a challenging hike with a view at the top that is well worth the effort, a beautiful lake to follow and a challenging descent on the way back.
A lovely afternoon walking in the Vosges forest.

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