Le Grand Bois

A short hike through the Grand Bois forest in the commune of Le Russey. Here you will see one of the largest fir trees and farms with the typical tuyé (or tué), a kind of large chimney for smoking meat.

Details

100
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.22 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 194 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 193 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,024 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 871 m

Photos

Description of the walk

You can park in the square in front of the church porch next to the fountain, but the starting sign is on the side of the church. Follow the yellow and blue markings.

(S/E) Pass by the fountain and walk along the D242 road towards the gendarmerie and the three fir trees.

(1) At the edge of the village, turn left into the pasture, using the designated passage to cross the fence.
Walk across the pasture towards the highest point (small hill). Once you reach it, descend towards the next fence crossing. The last few metres are on very wet ground. Once you have crossed the fence, continue in roughly the same direction until you reach a white track suitable for vehicles.

(2) Take the path on your left, which will lead you into the forest. Follow it for a good kilometre before following the yellow and blue markings and turning left onto a small path. This path leads to a small road at a place called Les Trois Sapins. Take the opportunity to see the majestic large fir tree (3). Then return to the road and turn left towards Les Marchants and Les Guinots.
At the first hairpin bend, you can continue straight ahead along the path to cut across the bend and arrive directly at Les Faivre.

(4) Before the first house, in the bend, take the yellow and blue marked path into the forest. At the edge of the forest, cross the pasture towards the buildings. Cross the fence using the designated passage. Take the road away from the farm and turn left at the first intersection. Continue to Les Marchants.

(5) At this point, enter the pasture and descend along the small hedge, then re-enter the forest at the same place as the large power line. Descend into the forest along this power line via a small path on your left. At the exit below in the pasture, cross it towards the small bridge where you will find the passage to return to the road. Turn left to reach the houses. Pass them and turn left at the small lake.

(6) After a few metres in the forest, turn right at the first intersection and follow the road.

(7) Then turn right, following the signs for Le Russey.

(8) After several hundred metres, take the small path on the left which will take you along a wall, and turn right at the end of it. You will reach the road at a picnic area.

(9) Follow the road on your left and at the first intersection, leave the road and enter the pasture. There are some yellow and blue paint marks on the trees; follow them, aiming for the corner of the highest house, then reach the fence passage and enter the small housing estate. Follow the markings that will lead you to the reservoir. Just before you reach it, turn left into the pasture and walk down towards the nearest houses to return to the road. Follow the road to the square with the fountain (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 874 m - Church and fountain car park
  2. 1 : km 1.01 - alt. 888 m - Fitted passage
  3. 2 : km 1.95 - alt. 889 m - Chemin blanc
  4. 3 : km 3.41 - alt. 884 m - Le Grand Sapin
  5. 4 : km 4.43 - alt. 931 m - Les Faivre
  6. 5 : km 6.02 - alt. 1,017 m - Les Marchants
  7. 6 : km 8.42 - alt. 874 m - Turn right onto the small road.
  8. 7 : km 9.48 - alt. 879 m - Turn right towards Le Russey.
  9. 8 : km 9.77 - alt. 877 m - On the left, walk along the low wall.
  10. 9 : km 10.94 - alt. 875 m - Road
  11. S/E : km 13.22 - alt. 874 m - Church and fountain car park

Notes

Also take map 3623OT

Reviews and comments

3.9 / 5
Based on 9 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4 / 5
Route interest
3.9 / 5
Mamie Joce
Mamie Joce

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

To be done in dry, clear weather, we swam in the fog!

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uschi
uschi

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 11, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

very pleasant walk in the woods, especially in hot weather

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denisjean
denisjean

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : May 15, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

Too much tarmac for my liking. Few points of interest apart from the site of the three fir trees and the discovery route.
At a place called "Les Marchands", turn left at the farm and follow the hedge.

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laurent.tournier
laurent.tournier

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 06, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

One small caveat: at point 4, take the small road on the right marked with yellow and blue signs, as hikers are no longer welcome on the path described (the passage has been blocked off with barbed wire and the markings have been removed).

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grandin
grandin ★

This hike dates back to 2016, and it is possible that the description no longer matches the terrain. However, only the author can update it.

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les bubus
les bubus

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 15, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

What a disappointment! We have been hiking with VISORANDO for years and this is the first time we have had to turn back to find our route... All the shops... Impossible to find the right path... We followed the yellow and blue markings... A total of 4 km too far and luckily, after a kilometre or two, we realised we were going in the wrong direction.
In conclusion, the markings are no longer up to date. This hike is only for specialists with an IGR map.

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benkm
benkm

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Hello, We made a variation to the suggested route, starting from the hamlet of Les Marchands where we had our lodge (which I recommend, by the way). We stopped for lunch at the foot of the Russey water tower because it's a pleasant spot under the tall ash trees.On this very hot day, crossing the pasture towards the Moulin hollow in the early afternoon was a little difficult, so we were delighted to enter the large wood and find some cool shade! We extended the route a little by taking the forest discovery circular trail, which is interesting and has good explanatory signs. Thank you to Bibi for this route.

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alinevoisin
alinevoisin

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 10, 2014
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We hesitated a little at the start of the hike to find the starting point, as the roadworks and the market on the square near the fountain didn't help.
At the entrance to the pasture on the outskirts of the village, a hiker who lived in the house next door gave us directions, as the sign saying "the highest point" wasn't very clear; it referred to the top of the nearest hill.
The markings were not always easy to spot and in the end we certainly did not do the indicated circular route, but the route we took was very pleasant nonetheless: crossing pastures, forests (with the president's fir tree and areas full of wild blueberries) and peat bogs...
The landscapes were very varied and truly beautiful. Even if the markings are not very precise, there is no risk of getting lost, as one hiker pointed out, so you can customise your route.
It was a nice hike. When we did it on 10 June, it was very hot, but the fairly long stretches through the forest provided shelter and a bit of coolness.

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piquard alain
piquard alain

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 27, 2014
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

A pleasant hike, but best done after a dry spell as the trail is very muddy...
We had some difficulty at times finding the yellow and blue markers (but it's impossible to get lost, as Le Russey is almost always in view).

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trottye25
trottye25

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 17, 2013
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

We noticed an error: after the guinots and entering the woods, it says to turn left towards Le Russey, but there is a direction straight ahead (Le Russey via Les 3 Sapins) and a direction to the right (Le Russey).
As a result, we continued straight ahead, but then retraced our steps to take the correct route, which is to the right.

Otherwise, we found our way around quite well overall, based on the directions given...
Thank you for this route.

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bibi
bibi ★

We had arranged to meet at the church square and looked for the sign marking the start of the trail, but we couldn't see it. We set off along the road towards the three fir trees. After wandering around a bit in the first pasture, we arrived without straying too far from the right path, while crossing a slightly marshy area...
The three fir trees are actually only two... and are quite impressive in size.
The trail then took us through the forest to some houses that still have their tuyés, large chimneys or smokehouses.
The return trip along this little path is very pleasant.

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