The shelter trail via the Côte d'Échery

Car park at Col de Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines (D459).

Red Disc markings

(S/E) From the car park, near a stone marker with inscriptions in German, take the path furthest to the left, following the Red Disc markings along the Chemin de la Landwehr (meaning territorial army). You will reach a three-way junction in the path.

(1) Keep left (the path on the right has a barrier with a ‘private property’ and ‘no entry’ sign). Head down towards a clearing. Cross it to the bottom of the valley.

(2) The path turns left. At the fork ahead, continue along the path opposite to head back up into the forest. Ignore the path on the left leading down towards La Haute Broque. You will come to a farm on your right.

(3) Continue straight ahead. Look out for the blue-white-blue Blue Rectangle on the right, which marks the return route.
This is followed by a descent along a tarmac road, in the hamlet of Côte d’Échery. Further on, pass an electricity substation before reaching a crossroads.

(4) Turn right, towards Arbre de la liberté. Pass a farm on your left and continue along the Chemin de la Côte d'Échery heading south-west until you reach a three-way junction.

(5) Head right (private forest track). You will see a cave (“Feste Heimat”), then further on a shelter (“zum lustigen Spielmann”) with a water tank and a memorial stone marking the site of a German cemetery. You will arrive at the “Reinhards Eck” shelter.

(6) Stay on the path on the right until you reach the Freedom Tree Crossroads, with a shelter and outdoor tables.

Blue-White-Blue Blue Rectangle Markings

(7) You will see a memorial stone commemorating the battles at Tête du Violu, then turn back to continue along the first path, marked with blue-white-blue Blue Rectangles, towards Col de Sainte-Marie via the Chemin des Abris (ignore the alternative route to the Col). After a few hundred metres, a path veers off to the right below the main track.

(8) Take this detour to the right towards a gazebo with a viewpoint (see signal posts). Continue to rejoin the path, then take a short detour to see the various ruins with information panels (funicular station, forge, ammunition depot, “Zunfthaus” shelter, etc.). Continue on to a crossroads where several paths meet.

(9) Continue straight on towards Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines and return to the farm you passed on the way there.

Red Disc markings

(3) Turn left and follow the route back along the way you came to reach the Col de Sainte-Marie car park (S/E).

Picnic area halfway along the route at the Carrefour de l'Arbre de la Liberté (7): several outdoor tables + a lovely shelter

Names and meanings of the Club Vosgien trail markers.

• Near the car park, cross the main road and follow the Blue Rectangle-White Rectangle-Blue Rectangle markings to see the national necropolis a few hundred metres away.

• For the more adventurous, there is the option to climb up to the ruins of Château de Faîte (Blue Rectangle markings), from where there is a stunning view of the Vosges side.

• Other routes exploring the military heritage of the Val d'Argent are available: see.