Route panoramique autour du Valtin

Coming from Gérardmer via the D23, turn right immediately after passing the sign marking the entrance to the town of Le Valtin. Park in the car park before the town hall and the church.

(S/E) From the car park, go round the^first house on the left and then walk past the town hall. Cross the cemetery and go down the steps to reach the road.

Vosges trail markings: Red Triangle

(1) Ignore the path on the right – this will be your return route – and follow the roadside on the left-hand side as you walk through the village. Admire the houses in the typical Vosges style. Continue to the last house in the village.

(2) A sign from the Club Vosgien directs you to take the path on the left to avoid the road. Follow it, then continue left and begin the climb.

(3) Continue left up the slope along a stony, narrow path with hairpin bends as you walk alongside the precipice. Take advantage of a gap in the trees to admire the village and the whole glacial valley from above. After passing the Roches du Valtin on your right, the path widens and descends back into the valley to a road. Follow this for 50 m.

(4) Take a sharp left-hand bend onto a wide stony path (signposted ‘le Haut du Village’). The path continues downhill to a road leading to a house. Walk a few metres down this road.

Vosges trail marking: Blue Disc

(5) Turn right onto the grassy path. Go through the first gate (make sure to close it properly). This path, used by herds of cows, leads to a rest area from where you can admire the whole valley. Go through a^second gate (take care to close it) and reach the road. Cross the road carefully and head left until you reach a signpost from the Club Vosgien.

Vosges trail markings: Green Ring

(6) Turn right, go through the gate and follow the path uphill. It offers lovely views of the village and the valley. It ends at a wide track (a ski run in winter). Continue downhill until you reach the road at the ski lift station. Follow this road to the left as far as the container depot and cross it.

(7) Follow the path opposite. It descends alongside the Meurthe, which at this point is more of a torrent than a river. Continue along this path until you reach the road that crosses the Valtin.

(1) Turn left. Cross the village in the opposite direction until you reach the “Arts et Couleurs” house. Turn left to go up the steps, cross the cemetery, walk past the town hall and head for the car park (S/E).

This route is taken from the brochure: “13 walks and hikes in Gérardmer – the Valley of the Lakes”.

From (5) to (7), take the time to read:
- on the one hand, short extracts from works by great authors that are more or less closely related to the landscape,
- and, secondly, information boards explaining the formation and details of the glacial valley.