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Departure from the car park located at the bottom of the ski jump.
To get there, when you are in Gérardmer on the shopping street (Rue Charles de Gaulle), head towards La Bresse. After Place du Tilleul on your left, you will come to a small roundabout: turn left onto Rue du29ème BCP. Continue along this small road (Rue de la Rochotte, then Chemin de la Creuse, Chemin des Bas-Rupts) towards the Auberge de la Drosera and the car park at the start.
(S/E) From the car park, head south and follow Chemin des Hauts-Rupts, which enters the forest (marked with red discs). Stay on this small tarmac road until you reach a crossroads at Les Hauts-Rupts.
(1) Continue right on the downhill road (17km forest road). Cross a small stream which is actually classified as a river by SANDRE (Le Bouchot).
(2) Immediately afterwards, take a small path on the left (still marked with red discs). Walk up the stony path for a short distance, but it is not dangerous.
(3) On a slight flat section, turn right onto the small path (red disc; do not follow the Hautes-Vannes trail). Continue climbing, following the red disc, until you reach a wide path which you should follow southwards. You will arrive at the Croix Claude chalet (shelter).
(4) Continue straight ahead and then turn right to reach a crossroads indicating the direction "Liaison vers La Bresse - Col de Grosse-pierre" (green rectangle).
(5) Be careful, leave the green rectangle markings and take the red triangle and red ring path on the right towards Col de Grosse Pierre. Follow a wide path downhill, pass through La Gesse and reach the pass.
(6) At Col de Grosse Pierre, take the footbridge over the D486, then turn right twice to pass under the footbridge. Follow the road towards La Bresse for about 350 metres (take care). Then turn left onto Chemin de la Rételère towards Auberge des Jonquilles. Ignore the first turn on the left and follow the road (red ring), ignoring the turns on either side.
(7) Shortly after passing two houses on the right-hand side, turn left onto the path that climbs towards Chaume de Grouvelin. When you reach the edge of the forest, turn right and follow theGR®533towards Le Grouvelin (green rectangle and red triangle), staying on the edge of the forest.
(8) After a slight climb, turn left towards Le Grouvelin (green rectangle and red triangle) and then immediately left again, following the same markings. Pass the Auberge de Grouvelin and continue north.
(9) At the intersection, continue straight on Chemin de la Casevaille (Yellow Triangle).
(10) At the cross-country ski trails, follow the Route forestière de la Casevaille (red disc) for 600 metres.
(11) At the T-junction, turn left onto Route des 17km. Pass under the chairlift line (977m).
(12) At the fork, continue straight on the 17km road. Pass below the Belvédère Émile André viewpoint (return trip possible via a small path, red triangle).
(13) At the hairpin bend, go straight ahead and leave the road. Follow the Chevalet Vert markings towards the Chapelle de la Creuse. Turn left, ignore the path coming from the right and return to the Croisement des Hauts Rupts.
(1) Turn right towards the car park and follow the route you took on the way there in reverse to return to the car park (S/E).
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