The Bois d'Arfin

Date of your route : Sep 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Sometimes the descriptions do not correspond to the actual markings, particularly:
before arriving at Beulotte le Guillaume and at point 4 "Le pré Guénée".
At point 4, to cross the small stream, the post should be replaced with a simple
plank with a small pontoon, as the crossing is very muddy due to livestock passing through.
The route was enjoyable and, what's more, there was no rain.

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70% of the region is wooded

We will try to modify the route to better access the ponds! Thank you for your comment.

Enjoy your hike!

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Date of your route : Aug 31, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

Not a very interesting route, a bit too much road, not enough views, and we're a bit too deep in the woods
It's a shame, as the region is magnificent and there is potential for improvement

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Date of your route : May 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Pleasant hike. I can only confirm the negative points already mentioned by other users:
- point 4: turn right at the second bridge in Beulotte la Guillaume
- point 6: confusing explanations, use of GPS necessary
Thank you, however, for this beautiful hike, which is not very busy during the week on this beautiful site.

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Date of your route : Feb 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Two locations on the route are poorly marked on Visorando

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Date of your route : Aug 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

few ponds

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Date of your route : Jul 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A quiet route on a hot day! A lovely walk, but not enough ponds to admire.
Bring citronella oil with you because there are thousands of mosquitoes and horseflies!!!

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Date of your route : May 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Everything's fine, no problems

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

Beautiful hike
See point 4 to go to 5 complicated explanation
Several mandatory passages to cross streams. That day, at the end of the hike, it rained and there were heavy storms overhead. We were forced to cross them,
with water up to our ankles. We returned soaked from head to toe

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Date of your route : Feb 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Please note that if you are doing this route after a period of rain, the streams are difficult to cross as there are no footbridges. It is safer to use GPS tracking as signage is sometimes lacking.
Finally, this trail is not really maintained, with many trees lying across it

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Date of your route : Sep 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

It's a shame there aren't any designated places to take a break

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Date of your route : Aug 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

I discovered this hike thanks to the website. The hike is very beautiful. It's a shame that there is a bit of tarmac and that in some places there is a lack of signage. The ponds and trails are beautiful
I really enjoyed it and I intend to suggest it to my walking club.
I highly recommend it.👍😄🚶

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

As on all the other courses, the numbered indexes are poorly placed, partially obscuring the map in the useful fork area (example 1+5). They should be located outside the course with a thin arrow to indicate their position on the route.
Incorrect description at point 4, it should read "After crossing the second bridge... head towards Les Forges for 2 km"
Incorrect description at point 5: the 2 km are before point 5, not after.
Less pleasant section up to point 5, with many deforested areas.

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Date of your route : Jun 27, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

route followed without difficulty
beautiful places
things to do

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Date of your route : Jun 15, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The description of the hike is very detailed on the information sheet. The signposting of the paths leaves something to be desired at certain crossroads where you have to choose which way to go. It is true that some forestry work has caused certain signposts to disappear. However, using methods that some people have forgotten, a good compass and an IGN map will help you find your way easily. The elevation gain is not very significant, but you need to take care when descending a rocky path in the Bois du Bec de Lièvre, shortly after the Arfin pond. In terms of interest, landscapes and route configuration, forests, meadows and ponds, there is plenty to enjoy on this route. Setting off at 6 a.m. in June allows you to see deer in the meadows. In terms of visitor numbers, apart from one friendly mountain biker, the lack of interest described on this site by some means that it is very quiet, which is just as well, as it makes a change from the motorways that most of the hiking trails in the Hautes Vosges have become. I have been visiting these trails since I was a child, but I have moved away from them due to this "overcrowding". The same goes for the trails in the Jura. Too many hikers kill the hikes and the trails lose their wildness. Noisy hikes on organised trips are not for me. So, the calm of this 4-hour hike means you can listen to nature: birds, frogs, streams. Take your time. Due to the abundance of deciduous trees, this hike is best done during Indian summer.

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