Le Climont and the source of the Bruche

de fr

This walk winds through a haven of peace and tranquillity towards one of the legendary peaks of the Bruche Valley. Surrounded by green, wooded landscapes, Le Climont is the region's water tower. Three rivers originate in its vicinity: the Bruche, Giessen and Fave. This spot is marked by a stele created by sculptor Raymond Keller from a block of sandstone donated by the Champenay quarry.

Details

n°30161852
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.85 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 381 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 380 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 965 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 584 m
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Description of the walk

Park in the car park at La Fraise.

(S/E) At the car park, turn left and follow the blue cross signs towards Les Houvres.
Continue straight ahead until you reach an intersection where you should continue straight ahead, following the blue cross signs and ignoring the side roads. You will reach an intersection with three possible routes.

(1) Turn left, following the blue ring signs, to go around the mountain and arrive at an intersection.

(2) Keep to the right, following the yellow cross markings, to climb the northern slope of Climont. Cross two tracks. Then turn left and ignore four junctions. At the next junction, keep left and continue straight ahead to the summit of Climont.

(3) To descend the southern slope, follow the red rectangle with a white stripe markings. Continue straight ahead at the first fork, then left at the second. Continue straight ahead until you reach the first track, descending to the right.

(4) Follow it, turning sharply. Continue downhill until you reachthe GR®532and the yellow rectangle markings. Turn right and follow the blue cross markings to the Source de la Bruche.

(5) The source is marked by a sandstone stele on the right. Continue following the blue cross markings until you reach the crossroads you passed on the way there.

(1) Continue left until you reach a four-way junction. Take the second left, following the yellow triangle markings. At the end of the track, turn right towards the antennas and return to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 584 m - "La Fraise" car park
  2. 1 : km 2.01 - alt. 659 m - Crossroads with three options, at the foot of Climont
  3. 2 : km 3.22 - alt. 681 m - Intersection
  4. 3 : km 5.3 - alt. 956 m - Mt. Climont
  5. 4 : km 6.48 - alt. 824 m - Downhill track
  6. 5 : km 8.21 - alt. 653 m - Source of the Bruche
  7. S/E : km 10.85 - alt. 585 m - "La Fraise" car park

Notes

Walking shoes, drinks, clothing and protective gear suitable for the weather.

  • Access to the "La Fraise" car park:

At Bourg-Bruche church, at the junction with Route de la Salcée, turn left then
then take thethird right onto "Vielle route". Continue for 350 m and take thethird right onto "Chemin de Rassus" for 850 m until you reach the crossroads and "La Fraise" car park.

Worth a visit

Find other hiking trails on rando-bruche.fr, the hiking website of the Bruche Valley Tourist Office.

  • The Mennonites (Swiss Anabaptist farmers) settled in the heart of these difficult regions in the 18th century. Living in an austere and unassuming manner, they succeeded in making the most of this ungrateful land. Some, who left Alsace, spread out across North America.
  • Le Climont, the most beautiful massif in the Vosges sandstone mountains, is located at a pivotal point between the St-Dié-des-Vosges and Villé basins and is the region's water tower (source of the Bruche, Giessen and Fave rivers, tributaries of the Meurthe). Its distinctive profile can be seen for miles around: a cone whose summit has been cut off horizontally.
  • Here you take the "Strassburgerweg", one of the historic paths of the Club Vosgien de Strasbourg, which is responsible for a vast forest area between Rothlach, Hohwald and Champ du Feu. Their first trails were laid out around the Climont to reach the new summit tower, which was inaugurated in 1897. The Strassburger Weg will take you to the summit after a climb of more than 350 metres.
  • At the summit, you will find the Climont panoramic tower, or Julius Tower, erected in 1897 by the Strasbourg section of the Club Vosgien. Built in a neo-medieval style with a square floor plan, this 17-metre-high tower was inaugurated in October 1897 by the authorities of the German Reich. It has 78 steps and a commemorative plaque in honour of Julius Euting, a famous orientalist and founding president of the Club Vosgien, is affixed to its entrance. Its construction cost 4,000 Reichsmarks at the time.
  • The village of Bourg-Bruche, where you started your journey, was created when two communities on either side of the Bruche River joined together: Bourg to the north-west of the current centre and Bruche in the valley to the west. Bourg is the original community, positioned here as a defensive barrier over the Bruche valley and the ancient Salt Road (from Villé to Saint-Blaise-la-Roche), while Bruche is a community linked to the toll bridge over the Bruche River, as are the villages of Devant-Fouday and La Broque.
  • The Bruche rises at an altitude of 690 metres on the western slope of the Climont. A timid stream at first, the Bruche crosses a vast sunny basin, the Clairière du Hang, then flows into a valley which, narrow in places, gradually widens between the granite massif of the Champ du Feu and the sandstone massif of the Donon. The Bruche has excellent water quality and is a paradise for fishing enthusiasts.
  • You will once again pass the Clairière du Hang clearing on your left. In the 18th century, part of the Mennonite community was involved in the development of glass and crystal craftsmanship. This eventually disappeared in favour of that of Baccarat. If you look closely at the landscape, you may be able to see some of the old Mennonite buildings that have been left abandoned.

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.

Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 8 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
User 27167660

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

So, one thing to note about this trail, especially on the climbs, is that it's very difficult and you absolutely must have suitable clothing and shoes, as you'll be brushing against rocks, bushes and all sorts of other things you might find in the mountains! Otherwise, the hike is very pretty, sometimes in full sun and sometimes in the shade.

Machine-translated

User 11856963

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant, well-marked hike through wooded countryside with a beautiful view from the Julius tower at the summit of Climont.
To descend to the source of the Bruche

Machine-translated

Sennit
Sennit

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

The description was accurate. We hesitated a little because of the word 'acrobatic', as our group had an average age of 72! But we quickly realised that there was humour in this adjective!

Machine-translated

stefaix
stefaix

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 31, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The view of the surrounding area from the "JULIUS" tower at the summit of Climont is very beautiful.
The ascent is partly wooded and the descent is along wide paths with little shade in some sections.

Machine-translated

SKURT
SKURT

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

This route is classified as moderately difficult. In reality, only the climb up Climont is difficult, especially in rainy weather, as was the case. The path is narrow, strewn with sandstone rocks and not cleared of undergrowth.
The 360° view of the surrounding area from the "JULIUS" tower at the top of Climont is very beautiful.

Machine-translated

Tomvince
Tomvince
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We had a lovely hike yesterday. Obviously, as the weather wasn't great, there was no one else around. The path is very pleasant, very varied, well shaded all the way, and climbs quite a bit before reaching the summit. Luckily, we had the GPS track, because otherwise it's not always easy to follow with just the explanations. We had two GPS watches, both of which showed 12.5 km (instead of the 10.8 km indicated). The two highlights of this hike are the tower at the summit and the source of the Bruche river.

Machine-translated

patrick.hecky
patrick.hecky

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Machine-translated

griso35
griso35

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The first part is wooded until point 3. Then descend via wide paths with little shade. Be careful of the sun in the afternoon. Not particularly difficult, but the GPX track is very useful for the descent, which lacks markings.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

Walking L'Alhan - Le Climont - The source of the Bruche

Visorando member
L'Alhan - Le Climont - La source de la Bruche
↔15.58 km ↗+621 m ↘-619 m ◔6h 15 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Bourg-Bruche (Bas-Rhin)
A beautiful hike with stunning views of all the surrounding valleys: the Bruche Valley, Donon, Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, Val de Villé, Sainte-Croix-aux-Mines, Haut-Koenigsbourg, etc. It is quite difficult due to its length, elevation gain and rough terrain (narrow paths on the edge of the void or muddy forest paths).

Walking The Hang clearing at the foot of Climont

Tourist office
↔11.19 km ↗+262 m ↘-267 m ◔3h 55 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Bourg-Bruche (Bas-Rhin)
This walk winds through a haven of peace and tranquillity at the foot of one of the valley's legendary peaks: Climont (966 m). The Bruche river rises at an altitude of 660 m and then crosses a vast basin: the Hang clearing. This is where families of glassmakers settled in 1723. Le Hang continued to prosper thanks to the arrival of Mennonite farmers of Swiss origin. They found here a place conducive to their pastoral and community life.

Walking Le Voyemont and the Roche des Fées viewpoint via the Hang shelter

Visorando member
Le Voyemont et le belvédère de la Roche des Fées par l'abri du Hang
↔15.58 km ↗+442 m ↘-441 m ◔5h 45 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Ranrupt (Bas-Rhin)
A mix of magnificent cow pastures and beautiful coniferous forests with stunning views. A preserved valley with a few farms and the occasional holiday home, at the foot of one of the valley’s legendary peaks, the Climont (966 m). A haven of peace, picture-perfect! The route is suitable for beginner hikers, though the climb to the Refuge du Hang and then to the Belvédère de la Roche des Fées may seem challenging for those less accustomed to hiking and requires a reasonable level of fitness.

Walking Col D'Urbeis Pushchair Trail

Tourist office
↔4.71 km ↗+51 m ↘-51 m ◔1h 30 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Lubine (Vosges)
This walk is primarily intended for families with young children or pushchairs. This circular is not difficult but offers truly magnificent scenery and atmosphere. You can ask for more information at the Villé Tourist Office.

Walking Le Climont pushchair trail

Tourist office
Sentier poussette du Climont
↔5.53 km ↗+76 m ↘-76 m ◔1h 50 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Urbeis (Bas-Rhin)
This walk is a round trip taking you to the ruins of Bilstein Castle.

Walking Le Climont from the south side from the Col de Steige

Visorando member
Le Climont par la face Sud depuis le col de Steige
↔9.39 km ↗+430 m ↘-430 m ◔3h 55 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Ranrupt (Bas-Rhin)
Climont is a curious conical massif that you will approach from the south. The climb is steep, but the view from the top of the Julius Tower, at an altitude of over 960 metres, is well worth the effort.  21/04/2025: Five years after its first publication, I revisited this route to check that the description still corresponds to the terrain. I took the opportunity to clarify certain passages and add a few waypoints. The descent is quite technical and difficult, and it is best to avoid it in rainy weather, or to hike in the opposite direction. Enjoy your outing, everyone.

Walking Circular route around Saulxures

Visorando member
Boucle autour de Saulxures
↔10.80 km ↗+230 m ↘-233 m ◔3h 45 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Saulxures (Bas-Rhin)
A pleasant walk around Saulxures, much of it in the shade. Beautiful views along the route.

Walking Farms and farmhouse inns around Ranrupt

Tourist office
↔11.94 km ↗+401 m ↘-392 m ◔4h 35 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Ranrupt (Bas-Rhin)
Explore the trails above the village of Ranrupt and discover the hamlet of Fonrupt, a haven of tranquillity. Along the way, treat your taste buds to authentic local produce while enjoying splendid views of the Climontaine and Chiregoutte valleys.

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.