La Jumenterie as seen from Lac d’Alfeld

Starting point: Lake Alfeld.

(S/E) The route begins by crossing the footbridge leading to one end of the lake. From there, follow the path marked ‘Red Saltire’ past the waterfall and the Schahling Hutte shelter in turn.

(1) Continue until you reach a fork in the path.

(2) Turn right and follow the new signposting.

(3) At the fork with new signposting, turn left.

(4) Then, shortly afterwards, turn right following the new signposting. A short while later, at a junction, turn left following the same signposting. The path takes you first to the Tête du Moinechamp and then to the Morteville hut.

(5) From there, turn right onto the signposted path, then left at the Fork in the road about 200 metres further on.

(6) At the junction with a signposted forest track, turn left and follow this track, which takes a sharp right-hand bend and leads to a Fork in the road.

(7) From there, turn left to reach a spot from which you can see the road linking Le Ballon to Saint-Maurice-sur-Moselle. Turning left, you’ll soon arrive at La Jumenterie.

(8) Follow the D465 for about 1 km, then take the path running alongside the road on the left-hand side and cross the Savoureuse.

(9) You’ll arrive at the Auberge du Ballon d’Alsace. Continue along the road.
Head straight ahead, passing the Les Sapins holiday centre (tarmac road). Over the next few hundred metres, use the departmental road as a guide; it remains visible on your right. Follow the tarmac road along a path that leads to the restaurant La Chaumière, situated on the right. The path continues following the signposting mentioned earlier; you’ll pass the Foyer Communautaire on your left.

(10) A little further on, the signposting changes. A few hectometres further on, the path eventually reaches the road.

(11) Let the signposted path continue straight ahead, then turn left onto an unmarked track.

(12) At the next fork, follow the signposted path to the right. Continuing straight on, you’ll come to the D466 road, which you cross to take a signposted path on the opposite side.

(13) After a few bends, this path leads to the road at a bridge over which the Alfeld Stream flows.

(14) Turn right to finish the walk along a short stretch of road and arrive back at the starting point (S/E).

We enjoyed our picnic at the Morteville hut.

Two shelters along the route: the Schahling Hutte and the Morteville hut. Light refreshments and drinks available at the Col du Ballon.
We had to decide whether to carry the snowshoes on our rucksacks or leave them behind. Given the conditions at the time, with soft snow, we gave our feet a rest by taking a section along the road (see La Jumenterie).
IGN map no. 3520 ET.

At the start of the walk, take a detour of a few metres to see the waterfall that flows into Lake Alfeld. At various points along the walk, there are views of the summit of the Ballon (the ledge, the statue of the Virgin Mary). At the Auberge du Ballon, you can see the summit of the Planche des Belles Filles (south-west) and enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the Sewen valley with its two lakes, Lake Alfeld and Lake Sewen.