Greater Nancy – Haye State Forest

The walk starts at the car park of the Clairlieu sports ground, Avenue de Maron.

(S/E) Leave the car park, cross Avenue de Maron and turn left onto the cycle path.

(1) Take the first path on the right to visit a former 1914–18 blockhouse 20 metres from the cycle path, then return to the cycle path and continue downhill towards the village.

(2) Take the second street on the right, Rue de la Sance. Carry on straight ahead to take a tarmac path between the woods and the green space to reach the abbey ruins.

(3) After your visit, turn back to the previous junction.

(2) Continue to the right, along the cycle path

(4) At the junction with Rue Boulevard Valonniere, turn right; at the T-junction, continue right onto Chemin de la Route Henri, then turn left onto the ascending stony track. Stay on the track and pass through a barrier to keep cars out.

(5) After the barrier, take a wide woodland path on the right and follow the signposts.

(6) At a Y-junction, turn left onto Chemin Bois de Saint-Georges and carry straight on along this track, crossing the Route Forestière de Villers to reach an X-junction (elevation 320).

(7) Continue to the left and, at the next Y-junction, turn right and carry on straight ahead.

(8) At the T-junction, at no. 225, carry on straight ahead along the flat path and leave the signposted route. You’ll arrive at a hillock (elevation 307).

(9) Turn left and carry on straight ahead again. Pass the stone staircase, then the 14/18 blockhouse, and continue along the Chemin du Fond de Clairlieu. Join a stony track and follow it.

(10) At the end of the track (elevation 271), reach a small clearing and continue along the stony track leading uphill to the left. Join the small road.

(11) Turn left and follow the signposting for the Grand Nancy. Walk a few metres and take the first forest track on the right between nos. 295 and 287, then head straight on until you almost reach the bottom of the valley (elevation 287).

(12) Turn left onto the forest track, Chemin du Fond de la Crédence.

(13) Cross Route Jean Lebrun and carry on straight ahead along the Chemin de la Crédence.

(14) Cross a track, Route de Villers, and continue straight on along the stony track, Chemin de la Crédence.

(15) When you reach a cleared area on the right, take the first path on the left, enter the woods and continue straight on until you reach Route de Maron, at the Carrefour de la Haute Borne.

(16) Cross it carefully, and continue along the small road, Ligne Historique, passing through the barrier to keep cars out.

(17) At the junction with the Route Henri Barrée, turn left onto the stony track and leave the signposted route.

(18) At the end of the track, go through the barrier to prevent cars from entering and continue straight on along the small Chemin de la Route Henri. Walk alongside the motorway and return to the starting car park (S/E).

Visit the ruins of Clairlieu Cistercian Abbey.

Visit the two blockhouses from the 1914–1918 war.