Long walk around Sion Hill

From Praye, head to the Maurice Barrès monument via the Bois de Plaimont. Visit the village of Vaudémont.
Return via the plain, passing beneath the hill and the village of Chaouilley. Return to Praye via the path halfway up the hillside, passing beneath the statue of the Virgin Mary.

Details

9409851
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.56 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,178 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,152 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,768 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,007 ft
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Praye (54116)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 48.43397° / E 6.105106°
  • Accessible from the train station Gare de Praye-sous-Vaudémont.
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Start at Praye church; parking available.

(S/E) Facing the church, turn left onto the Grande Rue, then straight on along Rue de la Chapelle, join Rue de Sion and turn left.

(1) Cross the level crossing and, at the wayside cross, turn right onto Chemin des Grandes Vignes.

(2) Ignore the path on the right – this will be the route back – and carry on straight ahead until you reach the D50E.

(3) Make the first turn left then right to take the first path, go round the barrier and carry on straight ahead along the narrow track. Go past the fence and join a track.

(4) At the track, keep to the left. At the ‘Rochers de la Licorne’ sign, turn right, pass by the foot of the tree and continue for 50 m until you see the coat of arms.

(5) Return to the path, continuing straight on at the T-junction. Take two 90° turns uphill and join the Route de la Corniche.

(6) At the road, take the first path on the left towards Vaudémont via the ridge, pass the Maurice Barrès monument, then the orientation table, and carry on to rejoin the road and follow it round the bend.

(7) Take the first path on the left, the Chemin des Chambrettes, pass the water tower and turn right to rejoin the road at the wayside cross.

(8) At the road (D53), turn left, pass the wayside cross and continue along Rue Maurice Barrés. At the entrance to the village, pass the second wayside cross and, at the junction, turn left into Rue de l’Église.

(9) At the church, retrace your steps and take the first street on the left, at the well, Rue du Château, and rejoin the D53.

(10) On the D53, turn left, and, at the fountain, take the path leading down to the right (Chemin de Vézelize), rejoin the D53, cross it carefully and continue straight ahead on the small road.

(11) Take the first track on the right, go round the S-bend and join the D58. Turn right and, at the wayside cross, carry on straight ahead to pass in front of the church.

(12) After the church, turn right onto Route de Sion (D53) and continue straight on to reach the village of Saxon-Sion.

(13) At the entrance to the village, take the first track on the left, Chemin de la Vigneule. After the 90° bend, on the uphill section, take a grass track on the left, Chemin de Remettel.

(14) At the next junction, turn right onto the gravel track, Chemin de la Chapelotte.

(2) At the end of the track, turn left onto Chemin des Grandes Vignes, which you took on the way there. At the end of the track, continue straight on along Rue de Sion.

(1) Cross the level crossing and, at the end of the street, turn right, then left to reach the church (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,007 ft - Église Saint-Gérard (Praye)
  2. 1 : mi 0.23 - alt. 1,047 ft - Level crossing
  3. 2 : mi 0.76 - alt. 1,289 ft - Crossroads marking the end of the circular loop
  4. 3 : mi 0.99 - alt. 1,447 ft - D50E road
  5. 4 : mi 1.61 - alt. 1,457 ft - Plaimont Wood
  6. 5 : mi 1.98 - alt. 1,516 ft - The Licorne Rocks
  7. 6 : mi 2.64 - alt. 1,706 ft - Route de la Corniche
  8. 7 : mi 2.99 - alt. 1,742 ft - Chemin des Chambrettes
  9. 8 : mi 3.53 - alt. 1,693 ft - Chemin de la Côte (Calvary)
  10. 9 : mi 3.93 - alt. 1,611 ft - Église Saint-Gengoult (Vaudémont)
  11. 10 : mi 4.03 - alt. 1,578 ft - D53 road
  12. 11 : mi 4.94 - alt. 1,184 ft - Dommarie path
  13. 12 : mi 6.39 - alt. 1,056 ft - Road to Sion
  14. 13 : mi 7.44 - alt. 1,312 ft - Chemin de la Vigneule
  15. 14 : mi 8.53 - alt. 1,325 ft - Chemin de la Chapelotte
  16. S/E : mi 9.56 - alt. 1,007 ft - Église Saint-Gérard (Praye)

Worth a visit

A pleasant walk through the Bois de Plaimont.
The Maurice Barrès monument and its orientation board, offering views over the Saintois plain
Visit the historic village of Vaudémont; see the sign at the village entrance.
Visit the village of Chaouilley

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 4 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
Mme Framboiz
Mme Framboiz

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 15, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk, partly through the woods so it’s shaded, with a short, steep stretch that’s not too difficult, but unfortunately a long stretch of tarmac.

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User 28723088

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 18, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

the climb up to the top of the hill towards the Barres monument is a bit too steep!!

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Alison54
Alison54

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely route, with no difficulties. The view from up there is magnificent, with paragliders taking off. There are a few muddy sections, so you might want to avoid this route in heavy rain. A lovely route that I’d definitely do again!

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pascaljj
pascaljj

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 17, 2021
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
A lovely, quite varied walk with some interesting views. Thanks, Laurent.
A few comments:
- At the start, between 3 and 4 after passing the barrier, fallen branches and trees make it difficult to make headway along the muddy drovers' roads. It’s a bit tricky to find the path again after the fence, as you have to walk through the undergrowth without a clear trail.
- Next, the sections of road on the way out of Vaudémont and before Saxon aren’t very pleasant, even though there’s little traffic. Perhaps it’s better not to go to Chaouilley and instead head to Saxon from Vaudémont via, for example, ‘Les Entes’ (elevation 403), staying closer to the foot of the hill.
- Finally, at the end, I headed straight up due south, directly opposite the chapel, to follow the Way of the Cross, then returned via the Notre Dame de Piété chapel. My route track is available by email.
All in all, I spent four lovely hours revisiting this area.
Thank you.

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