The Chênot Hazotte circular loop

Starting from La Maladrerie (the old harbour at the junction of the Route de Pompey and the CD90), this route is marked in orange (3 lines).

(S/E) Leave the railway line on your left and take the Chemin de la Vau de Dieulouard (now Rue du Tir) opposite.

(1) At the junction with the footpath, leave the main route of the circular village loop (marked ‘Bordeaux’ – two stripes) and head steeply uphill to the right along the path (not very visible) known as the ‘Source du Renard’, towards the plateau of the Chênot Hazotte State Forest.

(2) At the junction with the track suitable for vehicles, turn left onto it and leave the path for the medium-length Chênot Hazotte circular loop (marked with two orange stripes) to your right. Continue following the orange markings (three stripes) along this track, which soon descends and leads out onto farmland.

(3) At the three-way junction, turn right and take the path known as the ‘Chemin de la Procession’, also used by the GR®5 (marked with red and white signs), which climbs very gradually towards the top of the plateau.

(4) At the edge of the Bois dit des Hospices de Nancy, leave the path and take the track on the right at the edge of the forest. You’ll begin the descent towards the bottom of the valley through a lovely wooded setting with a Vosges-like atmosphere. At the two junctions, keep to the right to reach a third junction.

(5) Ignore the signposting for the medium-length Chênot Hazotte circular loop (orange, two lines) on your right and continue straight on, following the three-line markings. The path leads to the hamlet known as La Fontaine de Hazotte, on the outskirts of the town.

(6) As you emerge from the woods, take the road on the right along the pavement, still following the orange three-line markings; after a short stretch through built-up areas, take Route de Pompey on the right at the roundabout, then cross it at the bus stop.

(7) Turn left (sign: ‘No entry except for residents’) onto a lovely path along the banks of the Moselle. At the bridge, turn right to reach La Maladrerie from the south (S/E).

How the markings work: 3 horizontal lines indicate the long route (6.6 km, as described here); 2 lines indicate the medium route (5.2 km); 1 line indicates the short route (5 km).

Driven hunt days: Tuesday / Thursday / Saturday from mid-September to the end of February (check with the Town Hall).

- Visit Liverdun