The Grand Ballon circuit in 5 days

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If you’re not used to walking but still want to set off on an adventure, then the 5-day Grand Ballon circuit is perfect for you! Covering a distance of 68 km, at a rate of around 15 km a day, you’ll explore the Vosges countryside and cross the mountain passes, where you’ll be captivated by the beauty of the many viewpoints overlooking the Guebwiller valley. It’s a great way to discover the region from every angle, taking in its natural heritage, local produce and mountain specialities at the many farmhouse inns that offer a warm welcome for a gourmet break. Throughout the hike, you’ll pass through a variety of landscapes, from the foothill forests to the peaks of the Vosges mountains, passing through woodlands and grazing meadows. You’ll also be able to admire the rich flora of the Vosges, which varies according to altitude and season.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 45.84 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5 days 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 8,478 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 8,514 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 4,633 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 830 ft

Stages of the route

This route needs several days, find the details below:

  1. S

    Guebwiller – Grand Ballon

    ↔8.25 mi ↗3,622 ft ↘174 ft
    Get straight to the heart of the matter with the ascent of the Grand Ballon, which will delight the fittest walkers! Starting from Guebwiller, the first day of this multi-day hike will take you to the Grand Ballon, the highest peak in the Vosges mountains, which rises to an altitude of 1,424 metres. The climb to this pass is therefore quite challenging and requires a good level of fitness. Along the way, you’ll be able to enjoy the varied landscapes and the flora and fauna of the Vosges, and on arrival, the exceptional panoramic views across the whole of the Alsace plain, the Black Forest and even the Bernese Alps if the sky is clear.
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  2. 2

    A day trip to Lac du Ballon

    ↔8.50 mi ↗1,467 ft ↘2,031 ft
    Enjoy a relaxing break at Lac du Ballon before setting off again along the Route des Crêtes. The route for this second day, starting from the Grand Ballon, includes a short detour to Lac du Ballon, so you can take in the scenery and the tranquillity of this little paradise. The walk continues along the Route des Crêtes to Markstein, with views of the Grand Ballon and the Thur Valley, and, if you wish, you can enjoy the leisure and outdoor activities on offer at the Markstein resort.
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  3. 3

    From the ridges towards the Petit Ballon

    ↔8.32 mi ↗866 ft ↘784 ft
    The Munster Valley, Hohrodberg, Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle – just how far will the Col d’Oberlauchen take your view? Setting off from Markstein, before crossing the resort’s ski slopes, you can stop off to visit the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Chapel for a brief cultural break. Heading towards the Petit Ballon, this route crosses numerous passes and peaks, such as the Klintzkopf and the Hilsenfirst, not to mention the Col d’Oberlauchen, from which you’ll be able to spot many of the area’s distinctive features… Keep your eyes peeled!
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  4. 4

    Descent into the Noble Valley

    ↔11.33 mi ↗705 ft ↘3,825 ft
    Begin your descent through varied landscapes towards the first villages of the Alsace plain, situated on the Wine Route. After enjoying the 360° view from the Petit Ballon over the valleys of Guebwiller and Munster and the Hohneck and Grand Ballon mountain ranges, it is as you begin the descent at the end of the ridge that you will catch sight of the Petit Ballon glacial cirque. Beautiful little paths, winding through woods and meadows, vineyards and mountains, will take you to the village of Soultzmatt, via Wintzfelden and Osenbach, not forgetting a short stop at the remarkable site of the ruins of Schwartzenthann Convent.
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  5. E

    From Soultzmatt to the Guebwiller valley

    ↔9.43 mi ↗1,818 ft ↘1,699 ft
    The Florival Valley seen from above – a perfect way to end the walk! Setting off from Soultzmatt, you’ll enjoy ‘heritage stops’ along the Val du Pâtre Way of the Cross, pausing to visit the churches and chapels of Soultzmatt, Val de Pâtre and Saint-Gangolphe. This long hike concludes on the balcony paths through the Guebwiller vineyards, offering exceptional panoramic views of the Florival Valley, the Grand Ballon and the Petit Ballon. You’ll be able to look back and admire the routes you’ve covered over the last few days.
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Worth a visit

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

Reviews and comments

5 / 5
Based on 1 review
Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
User 25560755

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike, half in the forest and half in open countryside. Great views.
Watch out for ticks.

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Other walks in the area

Walking 3-day tour of the Grand Ballon: from Guebwiller to the Grand Ballon

Tourist office
↔8.23 mi ↗+3,622 ft ↘-174 ft ◔6h 55 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Guebwiller (Haut-Rhin)
First day of the 3-day Grand Ballon circuit. Starting from Guebwiller, the first day of this multi-day hike will take you to the Grand Ballon, the highest peak in the Vosges mountains, which rises to an altitude of 1,424 metres. The ascent is quite challenging and requires a good level of fitness. Along the way, you can enjoy the varied landscapes and the flora and fauna of the Vosges, and on arrival, the exceptional panoramic views across the whole of the Alsace plain, the Black Forest and, on a clear day, even the Bernese Alps.

Walking Guebwiller – Grand Ballon

Tourist office
↔8.25 mi ↗+3,622 ft ↘-174 ft ◔6h 55 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Guebwiller (Haut-Rhin)
Get straight to the heart of the matter with the ascent of the Grand Ballon, which will delight the fittest walkers! Starting from Guebwiller, the first day of this multi-day hike will take you to the Grand Ballon, the highest peak in the Vosges mountains, which rises to an altitude of 1,424 metres. The climb to this pass is therefore quite challenging and requires a good level of fitness. Along the way, you’ll be able to enjoy the varied landscapes and the flora and fauna of the Vosges, and on arrival, the exceptional panoramic views across the whole of the Alsace plain, the Black Forest and even the Bernese Alps if the sky is clear.

Walking The Guebwiller vineyards

Tourist office
↔3.32 mi ↗+486 ft ↘-486 ft ◔1h 55 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Guebwiller (Haut-Rhin)
This walk will take you to the heart of the Schlumberger Estate, France’s largest single-block vineyard, where four classified Alsace Grands Crus are produced: the Spiegel, the Kitterlé, the Saering and the Kessler. You’ll also pass by the Croix de la Mission, situated on the Unterlinger, from where you’ll be treated to views of the Alsace plain, the Black Forest, the Bernese Alps and the Florival valley.

Walking The circular route through the four communal forests from Guebwiller

Visorando Member
↔15.66 mi ↗+3,107 ft ↘-3,100 ft ◔10 hrs ▲Very difficult
⚑Departure from Guebwiller (Haut-Rhin)
A long hike taking you through four communal forests: those of Lautenbach, Guebwiller, Bergholtzzel and Orschwihr. It features four climbs with an elevation gain of around 150 to 250 metres, the gradient of which varies depending on the section. There are numerous points of interest, including the town of Guebwiller, the viewpoint in the Bergholtzzell Communal Forest, and the Oelberg Calvary. The walk offers the chance to discover the remains of several castles as well as the Hochfelsen rock formation. Furthermore, it takes you around a small peak rising to an altitude of 688 metres: the Engelstein.

Walking Castle Trail: from Guebwiller to Orschwihr

Tourist office
↔10.54 mi ↗+1,214 ft ↘-1,211 ft ◔5h 55 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Guebwiller (Haut-Rhin)
A themed walk exploring the castles around Guebwiller.

Walking A short walk to the Croix de la Mission above Guebwiller

Visorando Member
Petite balade à la Croix de la Mission au-dessus de Guebwiller
↔1.68 mi ↗+371 ft ↘-371 ft ◔1h 05 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Guebwiller (Haut-Rhin)
A short walk from Guebwiller will take you through the Alsatian vineyards to the Croix de la Mission, where you will have a beautiful view of Guebwiller, the Grand Ballon and, above all, the Alsace plain.

Walking From the Croix des Missions to Hugstein via the quarries

Visorando Member
De la Croix des Missions au Hugstein par les carrières
↔7.02 mi ↗+958 ft ↘-945 ft ◔4h 05 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Guebwiller (Haut-Rhin)
This walk offers beautiful views of Guebwiller and the Florival, and allows you to explore the old quarries of Buhl as well as the ruins of Hugstein. It can be combined with a visit to Guebwiller: industrial wastelands and villas, Saint-Léger Church, the Dominican Convent, the former Notre-Dame Collegiate Church, the Deck Museum, etc.

Walking Route de découverte de Guebwiller

Visorando Member
↔5.18 mi ↗+243 ft ↘-236 ft ◔2h 35 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Guebwiller (Haut-Rhin)
Guebwiller is a small wine-growing town. As the "capital" of Florival, it is nonetheless well worth a visit. In addition to major tourist attractions such as the Saint-Léger and Notre-Dame churches and the Théodore Deck Museum, there are several other points of interest, such as the Parc de la Marseillaise, the military cemetery and Neuenbourg Castle and its grounds. Of course, there are other lesser-known curiosities along this route.

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