The Hohneck from La Schlucht via the Sentier des Névés and the small pass

The walk starts from one of the car parks at the Col de la Schlucht.

(S/E) From there, cross the road with care and head towards the Notre-Dame-des-Chaumes Chapel.

(1) Take the path marked with a Red Rectangle to the left of the chapel. Follow this path as it climbs through a magnificent beech forest to the meadows above the Trois Fours farmhouse inn: from here you have a breathtaking view of the Hohneck, the highest point of your route. Continue straight on until you reach a junction with the road leading to the farm.

(2) Turn right and follow the road for about 250 m.

(3) Take the Red Rectangle-marked trail on the left and continue, admiring the Frankenthal Nature Reserve and the Martinswand Rocks, a climbing site, on your left. Take a short detour to the left to the viewpoint.

(4) Return to the path and follow it to the left to the Falimont Pass, a junction of numerous paths.

(5) Keep following the Red Rectangle markings along the wide path to reach the Hohneck. At the summit, you can enjoy a 360° view and, weather permitting, you can see the Alps to the south-east. You can also stop for a bite to eat at the inn.

(6) Then follow the Blue Ring marked trail which overlooks the Wormspel, with Lake Schiessrothried in the background, to reach the junction with the Snowfields Trail, marked with a Yellow Cross, which takes its name from the numerous patches of snow that sometimes remain well into the heart of summer.

(7) Continue to the left, then turn left again a good hundred metres further on, enjoying a magnificent view of the Munster Valley and the Spitzköpfe.

(8) When you reach the first junction, turn right and then follow the path marked with a Red Rectangle crossed by a White Rectangle, which climbs gently to the right and leads back to the start of the Sentier des Névés.

(7) Head left and descend through a cow pasture to the Route des Crêtes and a car park. You can also take the opportunity to stop for a break at the Auberge du Pied du Honeck or the Auberge du Maquis.

(9) Then head up to the right towards the Honeck, following the road which you leave at the first bend, continuing straight on along the path. At the first junction, take the path on the left marked with a Blue Ring, which will take you back to the Route des Crêtes.

(10) Cross carefully, following the same markings towards the Refuge du Sotré. Here is another lovely spot (open all year round) where you can have a drink or a bite to eat. Follow the road and then a path to pass beneath the refuge’s terrace; continue to follow the Blue Ring to cross the Haut Chitelet scree slope, then head back into the forest to reach the Col de Thiaville.

(11) At this point, turn right onto the GR® de Pays Tour de la Vologne, marked with a Blue Disc. It will take you through a magnificent forest to Le Collet and its spa hotel, where you might fancy a drink whilst lounging in the bar’s ultra-comfortable armchairs. Be warned, it can be hard to tear yourself away after a few kilometres of hiking!

(12) You then continue your walk along the GRP®, which runs more or less parallel to the D417.

(13) Cross the Route des Crêtes carefully at a hairpin bend and take the path opposite to return to the Col de la Schlucht and your car (S/E).