Chaume Balveurche

A hike through the forest towards Chaume Balveurche.
Along the way, you can admire the view of the Longemer valley from the Roche Boulard shelter. A short round trip to Belle Roche offers a panoramic view of Lake Retournemer. The Irénée Duvoid crossroads is a nice spot to rest and relax. Finally, you can admire the Belbriette stream in its green setting, which is particularly pretty in autumn.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 16.50 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 506 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 497 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,092 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 737 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the Lac de Longemer car park.

(S/E) Leave the car park and head towards the forest until you reach the D67 road that runs alongside the lake.

(1) Cross it and immediately climb the small steps, looking for the blue disc markings on the left. Follow these markings up a fairly steep climb, cross the D417 and continue following the blue discs; the path turns right and joins a new small road.

(2) Cross this road as well and continue until you reach a forest road.

(3) Turn right onto it, keeping an eye out for the blue disc markings. When you reach the Roche Boulard shelter, take the time to admire the view of the lake.

(4) Cross the road and climb the small path on the left. Continue straight ahead until you reach a fence.

(5) Go around it on the left (signpost) then descend on the right to the Col de la Brande.

(6) Follow the forest road to the right until you reach a sign indicating the Belle Roche viewpoint on the right.

(7) Make a round trip to this site, which offers a beautiful view of Lac de Retournemer.
Take the forest road on the right, still following the blue disc markings. Pass Col des Harengs Marinés and then Col de Malakoff before reaching Chaume de Balveurche.

(8) Pass Col de Malakoff before reaching the Balveurche hilltop.

(9) Continue along the path on the left, below the restaurant. The markings change to a green triangle until you reach the forest road junction.

(10) Turn right uphill, where the markings change to blue triangles. Continue along this new road. Pass an old dry fountain with a picnic table and continue straight downhill until you reach the junction with a new forest road coming from the right.

(11) Continue straight ahead, following the new red ring markings, until you reach an intersection. Take the path that climbs furthest to the left, marked with a red cross. You will reach the Irénée Duvoid crossroads, where you can stop for a picnic.

(12) Look for the tarmac road heading south-west, leave this road on your right and take a small unmarked path that initially runs alongside it and then descends quickly straight ahead in a south-westerly direction.
Cross the road three times, which will allow you to avoid this section of tarmac. Continue down this path, keeping straight ahead until you reach a large open space.

(13) Head left towards a large grassy area, then turn right towards the small stream in the middle of the vegetation (it may be completely hidden), and locate the bottom of its bed. Turn right behind a bush and find a small stone footbridge. Cross the stream and join a forest road,

(14) Turn right and continue straight ahead, taking a moment to admire the pretty picnic area below and the small lake formed by the Belbriette stream. In autumn, the golden reflections in the water are truly beautiful. Continue until you reach another footbridge.

(15) Take it on the right and take a last look at this beautiful, idyllic spot. At the end of the footbridge, climb the slope straight ahead until you reach a forest road, the Broches. Take it on the left, marked with a green triangle. Join a tarmac road, take the blue cross sign on the left and go down until you find a small path on the left.

(16) Take it on the left; be careful, it is not marked, but it allows you to leave the tarmac and takes you back to Longemer through the broom. After reaching the road, continue straight ahead and then straight on.

(17) Pass above a small campsite and descend to the left via a small staircase. Reach the D417, cross it carefully, and descend opposite into a meadow that leads back to the car park on the left (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 737 m - Longemer Lake car park
  2. 1 : km 0.18 - alt. 751 m - RD67
  3. 2 : km 0.63 - alt. 795 m - Cross the road
  4. 3 : km 1.18 - alt. 907 m - Forest road - View of the &gt - Lac de Longemer
  5. 4 : km 1.55 - alt. 926 m - Roche Boulard shelter
  6. 5 : km 2.53 - alt. 1,020 m - Wire fence
  7. 6 : km 3.15 - alt. 1,035 m - Follow the forest road to the right - Col de la Brande (1036m)
  8. 7 : km 3.88 - alt. 1,081 m - Access to the Belle Roche viewpoint on the &gt - Lac de Retournemer
  9. 8 : km 4.78 - alt. 1,074 m - Col de Malakoff (1071m)
  10. 9 : km 6.26 - alt. 1,069 m - Chaume Balveurche
  11. 10 : km 8.32 - alt. 1,020 m - Forest crossroads, on the right. Close to the - Petite Meurthe (rivière)
  12. 11 : km 10.91 - alt. 924 m - Crossroads, opposite
  13. 12 : km 12.6 - alt. 922 m - Irenee Duvoid crossroads
  14. 13 : km 13.05 - alt. 848 m - Grassy area
  15. 14 : km 13.42 - alt. 818 m - Forest road, towards the - Étang de Belbriette
  16. 15 : km 13.81 - alt. 806 m - Footbridge
  17. 16 : km 15.45 - alt. 797 m - Path on the left
  18. 17 : km 15.92 - alt. 752 m - Campsite
  19. S/E : km 16.5 - alt. 737 m - Longemer Lake car park

Notes

There are three picnic areas along this hike.
There are no drinking water sources along the way.
Good equipment recommended: although not difficult, the paths are stony and tricky.
The route includes a relatively long climb, which may seem difficult at the start of the hike. Do not be intimidated; your efforts will be rewarded and quickly forgotten.
The hike is very shaded except for the Chaume de Balveurche, which is completely exposed.
(9) Chaume de Balveurche: accommodation and catering available.

Worth a visit

Xonrupt-Longemer and its lake are directly accessible from the car park.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 14 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
RANDOCVJYT55
RANDOCVJYT55

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 26, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful views and a stop at the Balveurche inn to warm up. A little snow had fallen during the night.
The friends I had invited on this hike were delighted. Next year, I will include it in my walking club's programme.

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irma70
irma70

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

a very beautiful parish-specific to Brittany hike, mainly through forest, with lovely views of the two lakes. A must-do, even for families. Thank you to the designer.

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LilithNelli
LilithNelli
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike!

We didn't go all the way to the end because we turned off towards Roche de Diable after Belle Roche, but the description of the hike to get there is very clear.

The first 4 kilometres uphill are certainly tough but well worth the effort, as the views over the valley are magnificent!

In terms of traffic, we only came across two people.

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CHARPENTIER MARC
CHARPENTIER MARC

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 21, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

All clear, lovely walk

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JRA
JRA

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 25, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb hike in autumn with beautiful colours in the foliage... The guidebook and map extract are very reliable even when there are no markings, and most of the route is on beautiful forest roads...there's a good climb at the start and a tough stretch along the fence above Lake Longemer, but nothing insurmountable... The peat bog in the Belbriette stream valley, with its otherworldly Canadian pampas feel, is magical... It was really the perfect time of year for this superb autumn hike...

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alpi67
alpi67

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 16, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Well done for this carefully prepared guide. The route is magnificent (especially at Balveurche and the very wild Elbriettes area).
We highly recommend it, it's impossible to get lost!
Many thanks
Benoît and Irène

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Gketck
Gketck

Hike cancelled due to bad weather.
we will definitely do it later in the spring

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Yves Thebault
Yves Thebault

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 26, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A gentle hike without any major difficulties through the pine trees
Thanks to the hiker who posted it online.

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sgerard
sgerard

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 30, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

easy hike on good paths

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abig
abig

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 10, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

lack of panorama

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yannmarie77
yannmarie77

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 25, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We had a few problems at the beginning finding the start of the hike, but we found the right path from number 1. Otherwise, it was a very nice walk through the woods with beautiful scenery.

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gazok54
gazok54 ★

Thank you, ZECH
Would you be able to send me the guidebook in question by private message?

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ZECH
ZECH

Overall rating : 2 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 11, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing

WHY COPY THE "LES CHAUMES DE BALVEURCHE" HIKE? IT LACKS ORIGINALITY...
A LITTLE PERSONALISATION PLEASE...

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da67
da67

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 16, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

Beautiful hike, but it's a shame you can't enjoy the view of the Vosges mountains as the route is mainly through forest.

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Joseph S.
Joseph S.

Starting from Valtin, the hike is superb

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