Le Pré de la Caille, Frais route

A pleasant hike near Frais, located 10 km east of Belfort.
You can admire a rich architectural and natural heritage, beautiful half-timbered houses and a superb view of the Southern Vosges.

The route is marked with a red ring.

Details

1633779
Creation:
Last update:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.50 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 22 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 22 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 380 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 353 m

Photos

Description of the walk

To get to the starting point, go to Rue de la Croix, 90150 Frais. Continue for about 800 metres along Rue de la Croix before arriving at the reception area located on the edge of the Étang du Pré de la Caille. The road is paved up to the reception area.

(S/E) After admiring the landscape with its beautiful pond, continue northwards. After 100 metres, at the crossroads with a bench, turn right. The path enters the forest.

(1) At the edge of the forest, at a place called Les Grands Champs, turn left, heading due west, making a hairpin turn. Continue straight ahead on a beautiful stone path that enters the forest again.

(2) After 1 km, at the T-junction, turn left. You will join the GRE5, which you will follow for most of the hike.
After 500 metres, take the second path on the right, then turn left immediately afterwards. The signposting is helpful in this section.

(3) When you reach the D419, follow it to the left towards the south-east and walk along it for 100 metres. Cross it and take a path on the right that enters the forest: the Haut Bois.

(4) In the middle of the forest, a sign indicates a shelter nearby on the right. You will need to make a detour of less than 100 metres. You can take a break here. There is a designated area for making a fire. Only collect dead wood, which is abundant. Continue straight ahead for about 500 metres.

(5) Turn left and continue straight ahead, passing close to the Étang des Crastsch.

(6) Take the hairpin bend to the left. You are now leaving the GRE5. The signposting is helpful at this point.
After 100 metres, turn right. The path leads to a cultivated area and then runs alongside a pond.

(7) When you reach the D419, turn left, pass the sign for Frais, and follow the road to the town hall.

(8) At the town hall, turn left onto Rue d'Alsace, then 100 metres further on, turn right onto Rue de la Croix.
After 150 metres, turn into the second road on the right, which will take you to the reception area (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 358 m - Reception area at the Étang du Pré de la Caille
  2. 1 : km 0.94 - alt. 360 m - Les Grands Champs
  3. 2 : km 1.94 - alt. 375 m - T-junction
  4. 3 : km 3.21 - alt. 378 m - Route D419
  5. 4 : km 4.1 - alt. 370 m - Shelter on the right
  6. 5 : km 4.53 - alt. 366 m - Path on the left
  7. 6 : km 5.46 - alt. 364 m - Path to the left in a hairpin bend
  8. 7 : km 6.36 - alt. 353 m - Route D419
  9. 8 : km 6.75 - alt. 353 m - Frais Town Hall
  10. S/E : km 7.5 - alt. 358 m - Reception area at the Étang du Pré de la Caille

Notes

Start: Frais reception area.
To get to the start, go to Rue de la Croix 90150 Frais. Continue for about 800m on Rue de la Croix before arriving at the reception area located on the edge of the Étang du Pré de la Caille. The road is paved up to the reception area.

You can also join the hike at the car park behind the town hall at Rue du Charron, 90150 Frais. In this case, follow the directions above from (8).

Visorando was informed by Mr Chevalley, a volunteer member of Balisage90.
This hike was created by the Tilleul community of communes, which is now part of Greater Belfort.
It is marked with a red ring.

Worth a visit

Frais
The name Fray first appeared in 1445 in its German form, "Fress". The village belongs to the seigneury of Montreux-Château and is part of the parish of Fontaine.
There are two historical monuments in the village:
The town hall with its bell tower, representative of the communal houses in the Belfort area.
A wayside cross, listed as a historic monument in 1980, dating from 1760, 2.5 metres high and decorated with a central four-lobed panel representing a Virgin Mary in bas-relief. It is located on the road from Frais to Fontaine.

At the starting point, there is a picnic area with a table by a pond and a magnificent pedunculate oak tree, a deciduous tree native to the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere and belonging to the Fagaceae family. Its various names come from the Latin "robur" (robust) and "pedonculatus" (pedunculate), as the fruit is carried on a long stalk.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 10 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4 / 5
User 3621075

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk, short and flat, well shaded, perfect for hot days.

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Marysette
Marysette

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A pleasant, easy route that is well marked. However, it should be avoided after heavy rain. All the paths are flooded and difficult to navigate (brambles, branches, etc.). Best to try again in good weather. Thanks to Mr Chevalley, a volunteer member of Balisage90. As always with this gentleman, the signposting is perfect.

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Francine et Didier
Francine et Didier

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

This little picnic area near the pond at the reception area is very nice.
The route goes through the forest, so it's very shady, which is great on a hot Sunday afternoon.
I'll come back to do this hike in autumn to see the beautiful colours.

The only minor drawbacks are:
Point 3: Be careful when crossing the D419, as motorists are unaware that there is a hiking route, which is also located on a bend.
Point 7: There is no pavement, and motorists are already driving at high speed as they leave Frais.

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Eric90
Eric90

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 22, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello, everyone
The first part of the route is pleasant, with the pond.
Be careful when crossing the RN 419 between points 3 and 4, which is a bit risky in my opinion (on a bend).
The same applies after point 7 for a few hundred metres without a pavement.
The path is well marked, even in the forest.
We made a small mistake between points 2 and 3, at the second right-angle fork due to forestry work.
Sunny weather, beautiful colours on the trees at the moment.
A good time with friends.

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gchainquiou@gmail.com
gchainquiou@gmail.com

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 24, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

This route is mainly through forest, so it is very shaded. It is ideal in very hot weather, but best avoided when there is no sun.
As for half-timbered houses, these are only found in the village of Frais; there are none on the route except at the start and finish in the village.
There is almost no elevation gain.
A good route for getting some fresh air.

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ODILEVACHET
ODILEVACHET

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 23, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant, easy walk in the woods to keep in mind for the summer when it gets a bit warm.

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nènène
nènène

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 06, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant and easy hike. Due to its proximity to the car park, the table at the start of the hike and by the beautiful pond is perfect for people with reduced mobility who are unable to hike but want to join the walkers who have completed the hike to share a picnic.

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malou68
malou68

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A very pleasant, easy, shaded route, with no worries even when it's hot. I did it with my grandchildren, who really enjoyed it.
Thank you to the visitor who posted this route online.

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francoisg90
francoisg90

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 16, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A pleasant walk. A great way to get some fresh air. Well marked and well described. Thank you chevalley@wanadoo.

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chevalley@wanadoo
chevalley@wanadoo

I went there.
There are indeed several trees. They are bigger than I thought.
I notified my colleague from balisage90, who will be taking action shortly.
I noticed that hikers have already passed through the undergrowth next to the uprooted trees. There must be a lot of hikers because the paths are well marked.

Thanks again for letting me know.

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Tatale
Tatale

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 26, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Easy hike, shaded trail, interesting when it's hot.
One detail, however: in the woods between markers 5 and 6, there are two fallen trees blocking the path.

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