La Tête de Nayemont and Champ de Roches

A few viewpoints and the discovery of a geological curiosity. A variant without the climb to the Tête de Nayemont reduces the route to 13 km and 240 m of elevation gain (see description).

Important: following comments received, the route of this hike has been modified to avoid paths that have disappeared into the vegetation.

This hike includes a paved section at the beginning and end of the route, as well as a few forest roads that cannot be avoided.

Details

1347805
Creation:
Last update:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.46 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 347 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 347 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 965 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 657 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the hamlet of La Querelle in the car park opposite the inn.

(S/E) From the car park, take the road opposite, to the right of the restaurant.
Look for a sign on your right marked "Mirador de Sarifaing" and marked with a blue, white and red flag. Follow this direction

(1) Pass the "le Grain" crossroads and continue straight ahead.

(2) At a three-way junction, keep to the right and immediately take the path on the right.

(3) When you reach the "Mirador de Sairfaing" monument, take the time to enjoy the landscape, which offers a 180-degree view of the Neuné valley. An orientation table will help you to read the landscape and find your bearings.
Continue downhill towards the Sarifaing farm.
At the farm, turn right onto the path, then take the road on the left. Continue to the four-way crossroads before the hamlet of Blainfaing.

(4) Turn right to reach the "Clair sapin" site.
Once you arrive at this site, continue straight ahead and enter the forest (yellow triangle).

(5) When you reach a large crossroads, turn right and, after about 200 metres, follow a path that branches off to the left and climbs steeply.
Climb straight ahead to reach the summit.

(6) Once you reach Tête de Nayemont, enjoy the 360-degree view.
Cross the ruins, then descend via the path opposite (narrow path marked with blue crosses, not very visible).
Continue downhill until you reach a wide path, continue downhill to the left and then, at the junction with the forest road, turn right.
Continue to a crossroads.

(7) Leave the road on your right, continue straight ahead for a few metres and take a small, barely visible grassy path on the right through the woods.
When you come out of the woods, facing the houses of the hamlet of Derrière Nayemont, take the path on the right.
In the forest, at a cross, leave the path on the left and continue straight ahead until you reach a forest road.

(8) Continue along this forest road for about 1 km.

(9) Leave the forest road and take a stony path on the left that descends until you reach a wide path.
Follow it to the left and then quickly to the right, along the tarmac road that goes around the house known as "Grande Fouille".
Continue along this road until you reach a crossroads, then turn left at the hairpin bend towards Champs de Roches.
Cross the stream "La Corbeline"

(10) Leave the road that branches off to the left and follow the path opposite for a few metres, then take the path on the left.
At the top of the hill, turn left until you reach the tarmac forest road, then turn right and descend to the Champ de Roches car park.

(11) At the back of the car park, follow the signs and information boards. Please note: turn right a few metres after this sign.
Cross the Champ de Roches, turn left immediately and continue along the rocks.

(12) At the end of the site, go up to the right for a few metres to reach a path and follow it to the right.

(13) At the end of the path, at a T-junction, turn left and continue straight ahead, leaving the discovery trail on your left.
Further on, take the path that descends to the right (marked with a green disc) and arrive at Bulmont farm.

(14) Follow the road until you reach Les Arrantès. Cross the hamlet to reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 684 m - Car park in the hamlet of La Querelle opposite the inn
  2. 1 : km 0.56 - alt. 700 m - Le Grain
  3. 2 : km 1.26 - alt. 706 m - Path to the viewpoint
  4. 3 : km 1.77 - alt. 766 m - Stele and orientation table - Mémorial du "Vercors vosgien"
  5. 4 : km 2.57 - alt. 762 m - Towards Clair Sapin
  6. 5 : km 3.94 - alt. 848 m - At the foot of Nayemont
  7. 6 : km 4.48 - alt. 965 m - Tête de Nayemont (965m)
  8. 7 : km 5.5 - alt. 849 m - Crossroads
  9. 8 : km 6.71 - alt. 801 m - Forest road
  10. 9 : km 7.65 - alt. 788 m - Path descending to the left
  11. 10 : km 9.38 - alt. 699 m - Path opposite
  12. 11 : km 10.33 - alt. 723 m - Champ de Roches car park - Picnic area
  13. 12 : km 10.69 - alt. 728 m - End of the site, fork, right
  14. 13 : km 10.97 - alt. 731 m - T-junction
  15. 14 : km 11.6 - alt. 698 m - Bulmont
  16. S/E : km 13.46 - alt. 684 m - Car park in the hamlet of La Querelle opposite the inn

Notes

Steep and difficult climb to the summit of Tête de Nayemont: numerous rocks to climb, good footwear recommended but no other special equipment is necessary.

Alternative route: from (5), it is possible to avoid the climb to Nayemont by staying on the forest road until (7).

(10) Please note that this path, which is crossed by small streams, can be very wet and difficult to walk on due to major forestry work.

From (13) to the fork on the right, the trail can also be very wet and damaged by forestry work.

(11) Picnic tables at the Champ de Roches car park.

This route partly uses numerous hiking trails marked by the Club Vosgien. Be sure to follow the description above.

There are no water sources or shelters on this route.

Worth a visit

(3) Viewpoint over Corcieux and the Neuné valley

(6) Tête de Nayemont: viewpoint over the ridge road and the Gérardmer ski slopes.

In Corcieux, Président cheese shop, direct sale of cheese.

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 16 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
WILY68
WILY68

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 06, 2025
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 in a rarely visited area, apart from the rock field. A wonderful discovery.

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fanfan
fanfan

Hello Mr Lesserteur

Unfortunately, we have no authority to take action on this type of issue, which may fall under the jurisdiction of the town hall, but this is not certain. We try to find out more when there is a problem with the Club Vosgien's signposting, but that is all we can do.
Thank you for your feedback.

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Regis Lesserteur
Regis Lesserteur

Given the weather, I only did the rock field. There is one thing that would be interesting to change: the descriptive signs. They are becoming illegible. Do you have any influence over the person responsible? Local council, community of councils, other...

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fanfan
fanfan

Thank you for your prompt reply
Was searching for a single path along the entire route really worth your disastrous assessment?
Please tell us where on the hike this difficulty occurs, as we are still unable to identify it
Thank you

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patrick.pouillieute
patrick.pouillieute

Don't take offence, it was just a constructive comment. It wasn't meant as criticism. I've been a member of a hiking club for over 40 years. Believe me, my comment was justified. I searched for over five minutes to find the left turn onto the famous path that was marked on the map, but I couldn't find it.
So I continued on the normal path and found the route further on.
Have a good day, everyone

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fanfan
fanfan

Hello everyone
We have taken note of the messages dated 2 September 2024 from Patrick Pouillieute and Ulysse 8837.

Please be specific and constructive rather than critical, as we cannot correct anything without knowing what has upset you.

We are very surprised by the comment that "some of the routes do not actually match the course." These are mostly forest roads and/or trails that are clearly marked on the ground. Was there an earthquake in this area? Or perhaps you were on the right route from the start, but a small mistake led you to believe that the description and route were completely wrong, when in fact you were simply not on the right circuit.
Your messages contradict previous messages, some of which mention difficulty finding the path leading to the top of Nayemont due to major forestry work. We have taken note of this difficulty and promise to review this route to verify this point and modify the hiking information sheet.
Unfortunately, I am currently experiencing difficulties walking (heel spur followed by a stress fracture) which prevent me from hiking and therefore from returning to this route.

Your details would help us to identify what is wrong and propose a solution adapted to the terrain and my temporary difficulties.

Happy hiking!
Fanfan

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Ulysse8837
Ulysse8837

hello, yes, that's right

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patrick.pouillieute
patrick.pouillieute

Overall rating : 2 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Some routes are not at all realistic with the Course.

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fanfan
fanfan

Hello and thank you for your comment.

We have already been informed of difficulties in finding the path leading to the summit of Nayemont, and we are aware that construction work has altered the route somewhat.
If your comment concerns this part of the route, we will review it and correct the route as soon as the weather permits.
If your comment concerns other parts of the route, please let us know so that we can check them too.

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Ulysse8837
Ulysse8837

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

a route with no particular difficulties apart from the occasional difficulty in finding the path. Beautiful views and interesting information about the local geology. A good quality inn at the end of the hike

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fanfan
fanfan

Hello
Thank you for your comment.
Forestry work has indeed changed access to the Nayemont head.
As soon as the weather permits, we will return to the site to survey a possible new route AND/OR to clarify the description.

Fanfan

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Ssylvain 88
Ssylvain 88

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A difficult crossing to find before Naymont Head

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Nanou31
Nanou31

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Thank you once again for this lovely walk... as always

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fanfan
fanfan
• Edited:

Hello
As promised, we returned to the site to review and correct our route.

The small chapel is indeed no longer accessible, so we have revised our route to maintain the site's appeal.
Other paths initially used are no longer accessible, so we had to make a few small changes without altering the appeal of the hike.

A little anecdote: while searching for new paths, we met a nice little group who were following our route, so we were able to check that the description, map and GPS route were reliable. The forestry work and flooded land are not our doing.
We would like to thank this small group for their friendliness and kindness.

NOTE: we are trying to make the description easier to follow by inserting paragraphs that limit the number of waypoints, which can obscure the route, and allow hikers to find their way without having to read too many long paragraphs.
We hope that the moderators will accept this clearer and easier-to-follow style of writing.

Happy hiking to all!
Fanfan

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fanfan
fanfan

Hello
Thank you for your comment.
We will return to the site to check and correct any problems encountered.
The small chapel is well hidden in the grove of trees, but perhaps the vegetation no longer allows easy access.
As for the signposting, while it is easy to follow the signs, it is less easy to leave them at the right moment. This requires careful attention and a precise reading of the description.
We generally avoid describing a route that has been established and marked by a club, association, town hall, etc. It's a question of ethics..
We promise we will clarify this description.
Best regards
Fanfan

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