East-East-South route of the Épinal Fortress

For this linear walk, arrange for a vehicle to be waiting at the finish on Rue des Mazerey in Arches, where there is a car park near a children’s playground.
To get to the start, take Rue Séré de Rivière linking La Vierge to Razimont in the municipality of Épinal. Park at the crossroads 150m from the dual carriageway at elevation 428.

(S) Take the path on your right leading to Fort de La Mouche.

(1) Retrace your steps back to the car park.

(S) Turn right onto a stony path. When you reach the crossroads, turn left and walk 150m.

(2) On your right, you will find a path leading down into the valley: follow it to the bottom.

(3) At the crossroads, turn left and go under the four-lane road bridge. After the bridge, turn right and follow the path running alongside the four-lane road. At elevation 371, continue to your right until you reach a water catchment/reservoir.
(4) Turn right, following the "Blue Disc" markings down to the road to Uzéfaing
near the four-lane bridge.
Cross the road and head straight up the opposite side, following the concrete drainage channel. When you reach the ridge level with the four-lane road, turn left onto a path: follow it until you come to a stony track marked with the red and white GR®® signs^.

(5) At this junction, turn right and follow the^GR®® to Archette, Rue du Capitaine Ory.

(6) At the junction, cross straight ahead and take Rue du Ruisseau des Arches. At the next junction, turn right towards the church on Rue de la Cure and continue along Rue des Résistants. Head for the bridge over the Moselle.

(7) Turn right, cross the Moselle, the four-lane road and the railway line. Continue along Rue de la Gare to reach the junction with Route de Remiremont.

(8) Cross it and immediately turn left onto the uphill street below the church.
Turn left to walk alongside the church and take the first right, Rue de la Mairie. At the junction, go straight on along Chemin du Donjon. The road ends and continues as a path leading alongside the supply canal for the Bouzey reservoir. Follow this to the siphon that allows water to pass through the valley.

(9) Head down towards the road, cross it and go straight on past the paper mill. Head back up to reach the other end of the siphon (read the information on the sign explaining the purpose of the feed canal).

(10) Turn right and follow the Route du Fort to the left.

(11) At the junction, turn left and continue to the entrance of Fort d’Arches, private property.

(12) Retrace your steps to return to the previous junction.

(11) Continue straight ahead, leaving the path you took earlier on your right. Walk for 150m.
Turn right and follow the path which leads you to a tarmac road where you will turn left. Cross Aneumenil, keeping the street on your left, and turn right. At the junction, continue straight ahead. At the 393m mark, turn left and head straight on to the 387m mark.

(13) Head off to the right. Stay on this wide path in a straight line, then after the right-hand bend, you’ll reach some water tanks. Walk down Rue du Château and at the first junction turn left towards the stream. Join the Lamenil road.

(14) Cross it and continue along the small winding path climbing to the right of an information sign about the trails. You’ll reach the supply channel, at the outlet of the second siphon. Follow the channel to a bridge about 1.5 km away.

(15) Turn right, heading down a stony path towards some houses and the car park (E).

The Forts of La Mouche and Arches.
Two siphons in the supply canal allowing the crossing of valleys.

For more information, visit the website
Thank you to the volunteers who are restoring the fort’s buildings.