The Queen Brunehaut Trail

Following in the footsteps of Queen Brunehaut, regent of Gaul in the 6th century, who had the network of paths restored following the decline of the Roman Empire.

Details

3531693
Creation:
Last update:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.49 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 123 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 118 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 307 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 213 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Vigy (57640)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 49.203608° / E 6.291849°
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Start and finish: Vigy, opposite the station.

Route No. 4. Yellow Rectangle markings.

(S/E) Take Rue de la Gare towards Rue du Val de Metz D52 (towards the grain silos).

(1) At the junction with this road, turn left towards Sanry-les-Vigy, cross the level crossing, then take the first alley on the left running behind the station. Continue due south, passing under the power lines.

(2) Pass the old railway bridge on your left and take the path on the right, passing under the high-voltage power lines, to the village of Sanry-lès-Vigy.

(3) At the signpost for “Sanry-lès-Vigy”, take the sharp left-hand bend towards Vry. Pass between the lagoons on the left and the Les Neuves Vignes pond on the right, then go under the high-voltage power lines and continue straight on to the D67. This allows you to link up with Circular Loop No. 5 via a 1.6 km connecting route.

(4) Cross the D67 road (caution: dangerous crossing) and follow the D71 opposite towards Vry. Pass under the power lines again.

(5) At the entrance to Vry, turn left onto Place de l’Abreuvoir. At the fork, follow Rue Principale to the right. At the end, turn right and, at the T-junction immediately ahead, turn left.

(6) Continue straight on (north) and pass a riding school on the left. Pass under a power line.

(7) Enter a wooded area and cross the Ruisseau des Sources Merles

(8) At the signpost for “Le Pré Guérez”, turn left towards Vigy. Follow the Ruisseau des Sources Merles. This allows you to link up with Circular Loop No. 2 via a 1.4 km connecting route.

(9) Cross the Pont de Mapré bridge over the Canner. The path leads onto the D52.

(10) Follow the road to the left towards Vigy centre. Cross the village via Avenue Charlemagne. At the end, first turn right then left and take Rue Pasteur. Pass in front of the church then turn left into Rue du Val de Metz.

(1) Turn left into Rue de la Gare and you will soon reach the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 251 m - Vigy station
  2. 1 : km 0.15 - alt. 251 m - Road D52 (Rue du Val de Metz)
  3. 2 : km 1.49 - alt. 246 m - Crossroads
  4. 3 : km 3.01 - alt. 227 m - Sanry-lès-Vigy - Junction and link
  5. 4 : km 5.04 - alt. 275 m - Road D67 x Road D71
  6. 5 : km 6.67 - alt. 291 m - Entrance to Vry
  7. 6 : km 7 - alt. 292 m - Exit from Vry
  8. 7 : km 8.02 - alt. 299 m - Entry into the woods
  9. 8 : km 8.88 - alt. 296 m - Le Pré Guérez junction and link
  10. 9 : km 11.17 - alt. 227 m - Mapré Bridge - Canner (rivière)
  11. 10 : km 11.54 - alt. 255 m - D52 road
  12. S/E : km 13.49 - alt. 251 m - Vigy station

Notes

From Le Point (3) you can continue on to Circular Loop No. 5 Les Queulots https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-les-...

From Le Point (8), you can continue onto Circular Loop No. 2, La Source de Charlemagne https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-la-s...

In wet weather, some sections are muddy and should be approached with caution.

Note: Part of the route is shared withthe GR®5F(red and white markings) and the Santiago de Compostela route.

Shared section: from Pré Guérez (8) through Vigy to the village of Sanry-les-Vigy (3).

Worth a visit

Sanry-lès-Vigy had another outlying settlement, the Bévotte mill, a former farmstead belonging to the parish of Vigy. Today, only the ruins of this mill remain, nestled in lush greenery on the banks of a pretty stream called ‘La Bévotte’, which once had a pond. The mill was owned by another countess, the Countess of Bévotte. The Bévotte stream originated from the former pond in the Sanry woods, which has now disappeared.
The Bévotte flows through the municipal area and the commune of Antilly for a distance of 8 kilometres and flows into the Moselle at Argancy.

On 12 August 1990, the municipality of Sanry-lès-Vigy inaugurated its communal pond, “Les Neuves Vignes”, which was
created to enable the recovery, locally (and thus at lower cost), of some 6,000 m³ of fill required for the base of its new sports ground (inaugurated on 31 May 1992). This shaded spot allows walkers and hikers to take a break in the shade of the tall oak trees, lulled by birdsong.

Vigy
Vigy station is situated on the route of the “Metz – city to the German border via Uberherrn” railway line.
Towns served on the Metz–Anzeling section: Metz, Vantoux, Failly, Sanry-les-Vigy, Villers-Bettnacch, Piblange and Hestroff.
The line entered service in April 1908. It took five years to build.
As the terrain is quite rugged, the line features numerous engineering structures.
Four metal-structured viaducts:
- Vantoux-Vallières 279 m
- Failly 574 m, the longest in the Alsace-Lorraine network (34 m high)
- De la Canner 262 m
- Villers-Bettnach 170 m
Five tunnels:
- Borny 70 m (still in use today – express line)
- Failly 770 m
- Saint Bernard 925 m
- De Téterchen: 2 tunnels, 996 m
- Hargarten: 2 tunnels, 377 m

Vigy station also operates a railbike route running from Vigy to Aboncourt (http://vigy-velorail.over-blog.fr/pages/Les_horaires_et_tarifs-1025191.html)

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.1 / 5
Based on 6 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.2 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
3.5 / 5
User 17782418

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

to be used in dry weather in forests where felling and skidding have made the paths slippery and muddy.

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alsa
alsa

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Over a stretch of about 300 metres – likely the section that gave the route its name – there is an unkempt “path” with tall grass, protective fencing around three-quarters of the ground-level plants, and nettles. Then there is a lack of signposting; you get lost, turn back, and then find signposting in an area of brambles and nettles!

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Randohautchemin
Randohautchemin

Hello,
Thank you for your comment.
Regarding the section on the road, unfortunately there is no other option, as the yellow rectangular ‘PR’ signs indicate routes that are exclusively on public land. So when you walk on the road, it is because there was no other alternative. I should also point out that the aim of the ‘PR’ routes is to enable people to discover the villages within the same community of communes.
Kind regards

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phil0057
phil0057

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A varied nature walk with sections through the countryside and the second half through the forest. One slight downside: you have to follow a road for about 500 metres, which isn’t quite as pleasant.

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valeriede M
valeriede M

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 26, 2022
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I went for a walk today after several weeks without rain, so the ground was dry.
I usually follow the route on the GPS, but the ubiquitous yellow markings were sufficient.
Occasionally, the GPS helps to confirm that I’m on the right route.
I’m deliberately going to bump up the rating for the route’s interest. It’s a varied route that starts and ends in built-up areas, follows paths and tracks, and ultimately winds through the forest.
Admittedly, the section running alongside the road between 4 and 5 is the least interesting, but as mentioned, it’s just a connecting route. It’s fine.
Between 8 and 9, walking alongside the stream is quite pleasant and in places the wild garlic gives off a lovely scent.
Yes, you pass under the high-voltage power lines several times, but it’s not too bad either.
There’s a possible stop just after point 3, by the pond on the right-hand side of the path.
Thank you for this route.

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Manu57120
Manu57120
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 30, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

A rather uninspiring walk. High-voltage power lines and pylons as far as the eye can see. A very muddy path, rutted by motorised vehicles

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beatrice christmann
beatrice christmann

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 03, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk with no major difficulties. The first section takes you across fields with lovely scenery – it’s a shame there are so many power lines. The second section is through the woods, which is lovely when it’s hot. The route is very well signposted along the various paths.

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