Lac Noir, its source, two viewpoints and the stubble fields.

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A varied hike starting from Lac Noir, winding through the beautiful Vosges forest and taking you to the Hans rock, which overlooks Lac Blanc. The return route, which is less busy, allows you to discover the lake’s source and the stubble fields near Gazon du Faing.

PLEASE NOTE: The notice dated August 2026 indicates a diversion at the end of the route, adding an extra 2 km.

Details

n°3627987
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 4.07 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,165 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,152 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 4,232 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 3,127 ft
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Photos

View between points 6 and 7
Source of Lac Noir
Stele
The stubble fields

Description of the walk

Parking at the car park near Lac Noir, accessible via the D48.3 from the D48.2 when coming from Orbey or Lac Blanc.

(S/E) From the car park, head towards the Auberge du Lac and walk along the lake on the right. You’ll very quickly reach a gate. Take the Blue Disc-marked path which climbs to the right. It heads towards the Belmont Observatory.

(1) After about 400 m, take a sharp right-hand bend and follow the path as it winds its way uphill. Marked with a Blue Disc. When the path turns westwards, you’ll reach a junction with a path marked with a Yellow Cross and a signpost.

(2) Turn right towards the Belmont Observatory, Rocher Hans, La Vierge and Lac Blanc.

(3) On the way, stop at the clearly signposted Belmont Observatory, situated on the right-hand side of the path. Once you reach Rocher Hans, admire the view of Lac Blanc and the rocky outcrop crowned by a statue of the Virgin Mary. Turn back, ignoring the path leading off to the right towards the source of Lac Blanc, and return to the crossroads.

(2) Head right (westwards) towards the source of Lac Noir. The path, marked with a Blue Disc, is relatively flat.

(4) Walk past a memorial stone (after about 20 minutes’ walk) and continue

(5) The source of Lac Noir is on the right; continue along the same path.

(6) At the next junction, ignore the path on the right and continue left for about a hundred metres until you reach a crossroads with a signpost.

(7) Turn right to see the stubble fields and the sweeping view, then retrace your steps.

(7) Take the fairly steep path leading down opposite, towards Lac Noir. Marked with a Blue Disc. (You can avoid a short steep section by taking the white path that crosses it: head off to the left. The path curves (see map) then crosses the path marked with a Blue Disc. Follow this path again as it descends towards the lake.) Descend to the lake
(S/E). Arrival.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 3,130 ft - Lac Noir
  2. 1 : mi 0.34 - alt. 3,291 ft - Map marker
  3. 2 : mi 1.19 - alt. 3,947 ft - As you approach the Belmont Observatory
  4. 3 : mi 1.43 - alt. 4,052 ft - Hans Rock – view of the - Lac Blanc (massif des Vosges)
  5. 4 : mi 2.41 - alt. 4,229 ft - Memorial stone
  6. 5 : mi 2.61 - alt. 4,186 ft - source du lac noir
  7. 6 : mi 2.68 - alt. 4,173 ft - Crossroads
  8. 7 : mi 2.74 - alt. 4,147 ft - Crossroads, signpost for Lac Noir
  9. S/E : mi 4.07 - alt. 3,127 ft - Lac Noir

Notes

Car park at Lac Noir: mainly along the access road. Very busy in summer. Take care not to park beyond the lake, past the ‘no entry’ sign.

Worth a visit

Lac Blanc, which can be reached by car or on foot.
Belmont Observatory en route during a hike.
The Linge Memorial is 8 km south-east by car.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 13 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.9 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
User 10150855

Shortly after the source of Lac Noir, you leave the Visirando Blue Circle route to take a path leading to Kraywasen d’en Haut; there, you turn left onto the Chemin de la Pique to rejoin the Visirando Blue Circle route
This detour is now itself part of the new Blue Circle route

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piccolopripri
piccolopripri

Thank you for your feedback. I’ll add a note in the introduction. I can see a path north of Federmuss on the map, which passes in front of an inn. Is that the detour? If so, I’ll make the change.
The routes described on a particular date are not guaranteed to remain accurate in subsequent years. That’s why the reviews on Visorando are so useful.

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User 10150855

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 24, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Route not updated
On the way back to the lake, a long section of the route has been closed due to the creation of wildlife sanctuaries, resulting in an additional distance of at least 2 km.

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User 13747977

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 16, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk, described very well on VISARANDO. The signposting on the ground matches the VISARANDO map perfectly and is easy to follow.
Some sections are a bit more challenging; the difficulty stems from the very stony path in certain sections with quite a steep gradient.

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User 11055796

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful autumn walk that preserves the wildlife's quiet zone.
Superb viewpoints with views of the various peaks of the Vosges mountains.

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amandinegdn
amandinegdn

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 26, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This hike is great to do in winter because the views are absolutely magnificent. We were above the clouds. Be careful if you have sensitive knees, as it's quite a climb at the beginning, but nothing insurmountable. What makes the hike more difficult are the shady areas, which are very slippery in winter, so you just have to be careful. .

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Nine 68
Nine 68

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful views, fairly rocky trails, so good footwear and walking sticks will make this outing easier. We missed the stubble at point 7; we should have looked carefully or watched our step , and only realised our mistake much further down. To give our knees a rest, we took the forest path for a while before continuing the descent.

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Pit
Pit

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 13, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant hike despite poor visibility at the start (we set off at 8am). Then beautiful panoramic views of the Black Lake, the ridges and Lake Forlet.
We extended the route a little by going to the Altenkraehkopf, then we reached the pass before the Haufenwannkopf and descended via the track before returning to the route.
Duration: 3 hours 15 minutes. Crowded towards the end, car park completely full.

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Patou63
Patou63

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike in the middle of the Vosges. It is best to do it clockwise, as we did it the other way round and the descent is quite long over rocky ground. The site is beautiful. It is best to do the hike early in the morning to avoid the crowds. Listen and look up into the trees, as there are some very curious squirrels there...

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etienne92.d
etienne92.d

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We went on this magnificent hike during a long weekend in Alsace for the Ascension Day bank holiday.
We didn't understand the comments about the lack of signage because we had no complaints.
We spent a long time picnicking at Chaumes (point 7) with its magnificent unobstructed view and, above all, far fewer people than at Rocher Hans (point 3).
It was great!
It took us 2 hours and 20 minutes to walk without breaks.
The descent was normal and not steep at all in our opinion. We hike a lot in the Alps and Pyrenees, which may explain this.
Thank you.

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inconnu qui randonne
inconnu qui randonne

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 04, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hello,
We completed the hike in just under four hours. There is so much scenery to see that we may have lingered a little longer than the time given in the Piccolopripri guidebook.
The view from the Belmont Observatory viewpoint is very beautiful.
We took a packed lunch and ate it at Hans's rock. (We lingered there a little too.)
Superb viewpoint over Lac Blanc, La Vierge and the peaks and balloons of the Vosges.
For the return trip, we followed the guidebook, with a detour to see the stubble fields (point 7 in the description).
The descent is indeed challenging but not particularly difficult. We did not take the forest path that can be seen below the trail and which we crossed.
For your information: there is currently (04/07/2022) work being done on this path near the big bend (at an altitude of 1046 m), which is unfortunately generating a lot of noise.

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piccolopripri
piccolopripri

Following Daniel7's message, clarification provided, based on the map given my distance from Orbey.

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Daniel7
Daniel7

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 26, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike with the lake in view the entire way.
The trail is dominated by rocks and roots with a fairly steep descent.
Tips on how to use the forest path would be much appreciated.

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Linette67
Linette67

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 19, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We completed the hike in 3½ hours, with a 20-minute break for a picnic above Lac Blanc and a short stop on the stubble fields (which were magnificent, with views of the last patches of snow).
There were quite a few people at the viewpoint above Lac Blanc, but the variety of routes meant that everyone dispersed afterwards.

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CM67
CM67

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 12, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful views.
Lots of people on the course.

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