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Departure from the Col du Bramont car park on the D13b.
(S) From the car park, follow the Chemin Vaxelaire marked with yellow crosses for about 300 m until you reach a fork.
(1) Turn left onto Chemin du Sacerlet. When you reach Route des Américains (closed to traffic in winter), turn right. Further on, leave Chemin du Tour de Machais on your right and you will find the Abri de Machais car park on your left 200 m further on. Pass to the left of the shelter until you reach the start of the paths.
(2) Pass Chemin du Génie on your right and take Chemin des Italiens, marked with a red triangle, on your left. After about 3 km, this beautiful path ends at the crossroads with the path coming from Pont de Blanchemer, marked with a blue triangle (another possible starting point for this hike).
(3) Turn right towards Lac de Blanchemer and you will soon reach the lake car park. Continue along the north shore (with the lake on your right) until you reach the shelter. Enjoy the magnificent view in all seasons.
(4) Go up to the left, leaving the shelter and toilets on your left, via the path marked with a yellow disc that goes up into the forest. Stay to the left of the stream to reach the tarmac Chemin des Chaumes. Take it to the right, following the yellow disc markings to the crossroads.
(5) Turn right (yellow disc markings) and climb towards Firstmiss (or Ferschmuss). After crossing Chemin du Grand Bougre, the climb becomes steeper. As you leave the wooded area, you will see the ridge road on your left.
(6) In winter, rather than turning right into the forest as indicated by the sign, you can cross the meadow to reach the road, which is closed in winter (see Practical Information).
Take the road on the right for about 400 m towards Rainkopf. On your left, you will see the Firstmiss farm and the Louis Hergès Refuge (closed since 2019). 100 m to the right of the refuge, at the foot of Rainkopf, a sign indicates several trailheads.
(7) Take the Rectangle Bleu (GR®531) trail, the one in the middle. The climb is easy at first but becomes more difficult once you leave the forest. The view of the Mittlach valley on the left is magnificent. You are on the ridge of the Cirque du Pferrey overlooking Lake Altenweiher. But be careful, as wind and snow accumulation often form cornices above the glacial cirques, which can break off, so keep a safe distance.
(8) Once you reach the summit of Rainkopf, continue straight ahead southwards along an unmarked path (take care in heavy snow), or walk 80 m along theGR® Rectangle Bleu to the right and then turn left onto the Croix Bleue path (safer).
These two parallel paths lead to the Col du Rothenbach (viewpoint).
At the pass, turn right onto the ridge road. About 100 m after the junction with the Route des Américains, look out for the start of a path on the left (signposted Source de la Thur).
(9) Follow the Green Cross markings on this path. It passes in front of the Source de la Thur. Remarkable view of the valley and Lake Wildenstein. 150 m further on, the path crosses theGR®531Blue Rectangle.
(10) At the junction, leave the Green Cross markings on the left and follow theGR®531. It crosses the road and continues down a steep descent to the Col de l'Étang.
(11) Sheltered by the lake, turn right towards the Machais bog lake, then take the Triangle Rouge trail to the right along the bog. About 1 km further on, you will come to the Route des Américains and then the Abri de Machais. From there, return to the starting point via the same route you took on the way there (S/E).
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