The Chahalot resurgence

Starting from Allain, descend into a small valley in the heart of the forest, isolated from the noise of everyday life, where you can see wild boar piglets. Continue along the valley to a magnificent large oak tree and the Chahalot resurgence, which during high water periods bubbles with clear water from the Aroffe before flowing into the Bouvade. Return via a path lined with periwinkles and pass by a mirabelle plum orchard where you can see deer feasting.

Details

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Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.85 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 82 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 82 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 303 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 235 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Allain (54170)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 48.551949° / E 5.91368°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3315ET
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the car park near the pumping station on the bypass road leading off to the left at the village exit towards Ochey.

(S/E) Head north on Chemin Gérard Bouchier. This path follows the Vau de la Tournepierre. Continue to the crossroads before the Ancienne Fontaine du Fau Grimbard.

(1) Turn right for 50 metres, then turn left along the edge of the forest and enter the valley called Vallée des Foins. You will reach the road connecting Ochey to Crézilles at the Vaux des Ainés crossroads.

(2) Turn left onto the road, then quickly turn right, continuing along the path at the bottom of the valley towards the Chahalot stream. Arrive at the crossroads by the stream and admire the magnificent old oak tree.

(3) Cross the bottom of the valley and take the path on the right that leads to the Chahalot resurgence.

(4) From the resurgence, return to the previous crossroads.

(3) Turn right and you will come to the junction with a wider track in the Bois de Crézilles.

(5) Turn left onto this straight track, which crosses the tarmac road and then turns right at a right angle to join another track.

(6) Take this new track on the left, which also turns at a right angle. You will soon come to a crossroads.

(7) Take the path on the left, quickly veering right to cross the Bois de la Cognelle, then turn right again to reach the edge of the woods.

(8) Turn left and walk along the edge of the woods, passing the Ancienne Fontaine du Fau Grimbard fountain, then return to the original crossroads.

(1) Opposite, take the same route you took on the way there to return to the car park near the pumping station (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 302 m - Car park near the pumping station.
  2. 1 : km 1.49 - alt. 267 m - Crossroads of the circular loop
  3. 2 : km 4.06 - alt. 249 m - Vaux des Ainés
  4. 3 : km 4.95 - alt. 238 m - Carrefour vieux chêne
  5. 4 : km 5.25 - alt. 235 m - Resurgence of the Chahalot
  6. 5 : km 5.78 - alt. 262 m - carpet of periwinkles
  7. 6 : km 6.95 - alt. 280 m - Crossroads track
  8. 7 : km 7.44 - alt. 283 m - Crossroads track
  9. 8 : km 8.43 - alt. 277 m - Crossroads at the edge of the woods
  10. S/E : km 10.85 - alt. 303 m - Car park near the pumping station.

Notes

Remember to bring gaiters during rainy periods as there are areas where you will need to wade through tall grass.

Worth a visit

Sights to see: the hay valley, the big oak tree (3).
(4) Chahalot resurgence (dry today): this resurgence is only active during periods of high water and is a geological curiosity. It is fed by an underground river coming from the Aroffe, a stream that flows into the Meuse via the Uruffe valley towards Vaucouleurs. When it is active, it flows towards Moutrot and then into the Bouvade, which flows into the Moselle near Pierre-la-Treiche.

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 9 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.1 / 5
Christecol
Christecol

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant afternoon stroll through a badly damaged forest with medium-sized trees. I was lucky enough to find the Chahalot spring, with a high flow rate and at least 80 cm high.

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ac92
ac92
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 07, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful walk in a beautiful forest. The section between 1 and 4 is superb, very exotic. We would have liked to see water gushing from the Chahalot spring, but it has been too dry for too long... To be repeated after 2-3 days of rain: the photos we saw of the resurgence (shown to us by a local hiker and photographer, thank you!) are very tempting.
A walk that we highly recommend.

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marfai sabine
marfai sabine

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 07, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

dry resurgence damage

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jacques jaray
jacques jaray

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 15, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The resurgence is truly spectacular.

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LE TOULOIS 54
LE TOULOIS 54

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Hike completed in a group of 12 people. Easy route with very little incline. We enjoyed the part of the route that runs along the edge of a pretty valley. On this autumn day, the forest foliage was magnificent. We were lucky enough to see a huge wild boar crossing the path, even though it scared us a little with its grunting. Sorry for disturbing you! The return trip is at the top of the valley, along easy paths, except that halfway through our journey it started to rain and the paths turned into small streams. The only downside is that after this long period without rain, the stream is dry and all you can see of the resurgence is a hole in the ground covered by a grate. I hope that in March or April 2021 there will be water again. The underground river really needs a big supply of this water!

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artaban10
artaban10

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 16, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Please note that you can park in the pumping station car park, but the path leading to the trail is now PRIVATE and a metal barrier prevents access, so you will need to take the lower path that runs alongside the field.

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PGER
PGER
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 07, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very pleasant hike, to be repeated at the end of spring.

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dominojustyann
dominojustyann
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 14, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful hike in the woods under sunny skies and autumn colours.
One small downside was the meeting point for this hike, which wasn't specific enough in relation to the pumping station (there are two in the village).

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baladin54
baladin54
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 18, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A beautiful hike with the discovery of a green and flower-filled valley that you would never suspect exists between Allain and Ochey, but we didn't see the big oak tree!...
The only downside: the planes from the Ochey air base flying over the region at low altitude, making a hell of a racket...
Friends, I highly recommend this hike.
Thank you for introducing us to it.

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