Col de la Schlucht – Le Grand Ballon: the Sentier des Crêtes

A very beautiful hike, taking in some remarkable sights: the Martinswand rocks, the summit of the Hohneck, the summit of the Kastelberg and the Grand Ballon (with the ‘Boule’ at the summit).

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 26.67 km
  • ◔
    Duration according to the author: 8 hrs 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Very difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: No
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 987 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 779 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,362 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,139 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐
  • ⚐ District: Le Valtin (88230)
  • ⚑
    Start: N 48.063806° / E 7.022726°
  • ⚑
    End: N 47.903837° / E 7.103278°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3618OT, 3618OTR, 3619OT, 3619OTR, 3718OT, 3718OTR, 3719OT, 3719OTR
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

The start of the route is at the Col de la Schlucht car park.

(S/E) Head towards the chairlift/summer toboggan run and turn left of these facilities. As you do so, take the steps and enter the clearing. A little further on, you will find theGR®5markings, a Red Rectangle. Follow these markings and you will arrive at the Martinswand Rocks.

(1) Continue in the same direction (south-west) to reach the Col de Falimont.

(2) Take the path on the left (south-east), which leads to the summit of the Honneck at the orientation table.

(3) From there, head right (south-west) along the path marked with Yellow Rectangles (yellow-white-yellow), then Red Rectangles (red-white-red).

(4) You’ll reach the source of the Moselotte on your right.

(5) When you reach the fork (elevation 1286), turn left then right to take an uphill path, running parallel to the path you left, which will take you to the top of the Kastelberg ski lift.

(6) The path branches off to the right and leads to a crossroads.

(7) At this point, continue straight on following the red-white-red Red Rectangle markings. Pass in front of the Ferme Auberge du Ferschmuss and then in front of a mountain hut.

(8). Continue in the same direction (south-south-west) to reach the Rainkopf.

(9) From the Rainkopf, leave the path you’ve been following and turn right, then quickly left, passing via the Rothenbachkopf.

(10) Continue south-west then south on the original path. You arrive at the Batteriekopf.

(11) And then to the Herrenberg Pass.

(12) Continue south-east, following theGR®, marked with a Red Rectangle. Follow this path without turning off, passing the Hahnenbrunnen Refuge.

(13) You then reach the Col d'Hahnenbrunnen, crossing the road.

(14) A little further on, cross the road once, then a second time, heading south-west. Continue along the right-hand side of the road to reach Markstein.

(15) Here, you’ll be on the road for a few dozen metres before heading towards the Grand Ballon (road sign). Pass the Auberge du Markstein on your right, cross the road and take the path on your left, marked with the same sign (Red Rectangle). This path goes via the Col du Hundsrucken.

(16) It then reaches the Col du Moorfeld, running very close to the road.

(17) You should then follow the Yellow Rectangle markings, which take you a few hundred metres further into the forest. Pass close to the Riedisheim Ski Club hut, then, at the next fork, turn right to rejoin the road a short while later at the Col du Haag.

(18) Cross the road and follow it on the right-hand side, following the red-white-red Red Rectangle markings. Finally, pass under the summer toboggan run and look up to see the Hôtel du Grand Ballon chalet. Walk past the hotel, descend a few metres to reach the car park, the end of the hike (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S : km 0 - alt. 1,139 m - Car park - Col de la Schlucht
  2. 1 : km 1.89 - alt. 1,243 m - Martinswand Rocks
  3. 2 : km 2.92 - alt. 1,294 m - Col de Falimont (1295m)
  4. 3 : km 3.49 - alt. 1,362 m - Orientation table - Le Hohneck
  5. 4 : km 4.5 - alt. 1,289 m - Fontaine de la Duchesse, source of the > - Moselotte (rivière)
  6. 5 : km 4.73 - alt. 1,285 m - Junction at 1,286 m
  7. 6 : km 5.8 - alt. 1,351 m - Kastelberg
  8. 7 : km 6.32 - alt. 1,283 m - Crossroads
  9. 8 : km 7.08 - alt. 1,204 m - Refuge Louis Hergès
  10. 9 : km 7.84 - alt. 1,304 m - Rainkopf
  11. 10 : km 9.02 - alt. 1,312 m - Rothenbachkopf
  12. 11 : km 9.82 - alt. 1,309 m - Batteriekopf
  13. 12 : km 11.48 - alt. 1,190 m - Col du Herrenberg (1191m)
  14. 13 : km 15.88 - alt. 1,185 m - Refuge du Hannenbrunnen
  15. 14 : km 15.98 - alt. 1,194 m - Breitfirst
  16. 15 : km 19.72 - alt. 1,189 m - Markstein (le)
  17. 16 : km 21.85 - alt. 1,176 m - Col du Hundsrucken (1177m)
  18. 17 : km 23.41 - alt. 1,194 m - Col du Moorfeld
  19. 18 : km 25.64 - alt. 1,235 m - Farm inn - Ferme auberge du Haag
  20. E : km 26.67 - alt. 1,341 m - Grand Ballon

Notes

Round trip: leave one car at the start and another at the finish.

This hike was undertaken in May, the ideal time of year to take advantage of the low number of visitors on the Route des Crêtes and consequently the lack of traffic, which is noticeable on the Crêtes trail overlooking the road.

For refreshments, in addition to the start and finish points, there are inns or farm inns (Hohneck, Ferschmuss, Hahnenbrunnen, Markstein, Col du Haag).

This route passes through a protected area, which may be subject to special regulations:

Worth a visit

The highlights of this trail from the Col de la Schlucht towards the Grand Ballon: the Martinswand rocks, the summit of Hohneck, the summit of Kastelberg, the Rainkopf, the Rothenbachkopf, the Batteriekopf, the Herrenberg Pass, the Schweisel, the Hahnenbrunnen Pass, the Markstein, the Hundsrucken, the Haag Pass, and the Grand Ballon Hotel-Restaurant.
Views of the following lakes: Longemer, Schiessrothried, Blanchemer, Kruth, Lauch.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 5 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.2 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
Dédé ADAM
Dédé ADAM

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The circuit actually started at the foot of the Hohneck and ended at the Haag Pass (due to the ridge shuttle timetable).
A magnificent hike with permanent views on both sides of the ridge (except in the forest, of course) and breathtaking scenery in what I consider to be the most beautiful part of the Vosges.
There is a small detour marked by a red rectangle that goes around the Haag, but this lengthens the route a little.
The entire route is very long (24 km according to Iphigénie) and took me 6 hours and 35 minutes in total, with a total elevation gain of 850 m, not including the final climb to the Grand Ballon and the first part of the Schlucht at Hohneck.
There are some very pleasant shaded sections and it is a constant feast for the eyes.

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Raphaël 67
Raphaël 67

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hiking with my daughter starting from the Schlucht, lots of people on the Honeck and Kastelberg trails after the hike, then peace and quiet.
A few good climbs afterwards, Rotbachkopf, Hannenbrunnen pass...
But the scenery and tranquillity made up for the effort.
Overnight stay at the Hannenbrunnen refuge, which was clean and offered a very warm and friendly welcome in a magnificent setting. It was quiet after 7 p.m., except for the roar of motorbikes heading off to rest.
We set off again to reach the Grand Ballon. There were no particular difficulties apart from a long climb 5 km before the Grand Ballon, followed by the magnificent climb to the Grand Ballon🥵🥵, with beautiful sunshine throughout the climb.
A beautiful hike to do with a stop to enjoy an inn, a refuge and the pleasure of sharing a good time.

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pangolinfuté
pangolinfuté

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Hike completed over two days at the end of May, in the opposite direction to that suggested (starting at Grand Ballon and finishing at Col de la Schlucht).
Contrary to what several comments mention, the route described does not pass through the rock trail but stays on the ridges, making it fairly accessible. However, the alternative route via the rock trail is entirely possible between the Col de la Schlucht and the Rainkopf (stages Departure at 9). This is what we chose to do; it makes for a very varied hike with sections on ridges and grassy slopes with low to moderate elevation gain; one section descends the slopes on the rock trail, which is steep and much more difficult.
We left our car at the foot of the Grand Ballon (Willer-sur-Thur) and returned by train from Colmar at the end of the hike (with a stop to climb the Grand Ballon and descend to Colmar).
We camped at Rainkopf and Tanet on the second night; it was quite cool for the season, so bring a very good sleeping bag.

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Ptiflo
Ptiflo
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 22, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

I found this hike and really liked the route I downloaded it onto my eTrex 30x GPS and followed the trail closely, but sometimes took the wrong path when trying to follow the signs. Perhaps the route has changed a little. The start of the hike is really nice, but I wasn't very lucky with the view as the sky was very cloudy. I left at 8:15 a.m. and arrived at the Haag Pass at 5:30 p.m. after taking a few short breaks. I took a long break at Markstein to go summer sledding ^^ I climbed to the summit of Grand Ballon on Sunday because I found accommodation nearby with a local resident who finished work at 6 p.m. So I wouldn't have had time to go up and come back down, as she would have left without me.

The end of the route goes through a bit more forest, which must be nice in sunny weather ^^ The hike deserves its very difficult rating. I didn't meet many people doing the hike from the Col de la Schlucht to the Grand Ballon. However, as I didn't use the map, I can't really rate it. The view of the different lakes is magnificent. Despite the clouds, I was still able to enjoy it .

Towards the end, I didn't realise that I had to follow the road for several metres before rejoining the path, so I followed the GR5 signs towards the Grand Ballon. I'm very grateful for the GPX track. I had a great weekend and would recommend this hike to anyone.

Feel free to ask me any questions for more information about my day on Saturday 18/08.

Florent.

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silviacalbi
silviacalbi

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 21, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Very beautiful route! We had maps with us, but some of the signs had changed, so we ended up going a little further, but overall we really enjoyed it, especially the first part.

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