Little Switzerland in Lorraine

A lovely walk to discover charming villages along the winding course of the Esch stream.

Details

14260
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 21.35 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 276 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 267 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 278 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 186 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Dieulouard (54380)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 48.84284° / E 6.068622°
  • Accessible from the train station Gare de Dieulouard.
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Departure from Place Verdun in Dieulouard.

(S/E) From the car park, take Rue Porte Boulot and follow the yellow signs along a white path to Benarou. After about 2 km, turn left to return to the D10.

(1) As you approach, turn right towards the Roche aux Loups ford. At the ford, there is an information panel about the surrounding area. Then join the D107 and follow it to the right for about 100m.

(2) Turn left to enter the woods via a beautiful path and continue for 1.7 km, following the yellow signs until you reach Griscourt.

(3) In Griscourt (church with a Roman bell tower and square tower), leave the village via the Gézoncourt road (Rue de la Petite Suisse) and pass the cemetery.

(4) At the crossroads with a path on the right, take this path and follow it along a field for 1 km.

(5) At the crossroads, turn left onto the path that leads to Gézoncourt, passing a beautiful renovated wash house. Take a quick tour of the village and its Saint-Lambert Church.

(6) Leave the village via the D106 and turn left onto the tarmac road, marked with a yellow circle, which takes you to the Moulin de Villervaux. A charming spot. You then come to a path marked with a yellow signpost.

(7) Follow it to the left. At the end of the yellow signpost, you will reach the blue disc signpost to Villers-en Haye.

(8) Pass through the village of Villers en Haye, following the blue disc markings, which you will follow until you arrive in Dieulouard. On leaving the village, leave the D10 and continue straight ahead for about 600 metres until you reach a crossroads.

(9) Turn left between two fields. Then follow the blue signs designed by the Club de Rando des Vals de Moselle et de l'Esch until you reach Place Verdun in Dieulouard (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 186 m - Place Verdun - Gare de Dieulouard
  2. 1 : km 1.92 - alt. 237 m - D10
  3. 2 : km 3.39 - alt. 197 m - Turn left towards the woods
  4. 3 : km 6.94 - alt. 215 m - Griscourt
  5. 4 : km 7.47 - alt. 238 m - Path on the right
  6. 5 : km 8.53 - alt. 269 m - Crossroads, turn left
  7. 6 : km 9.87 - alt. 228 m - Gézoncourt
  8. 7 : km 10.88 - alt. 216 m - Path on the left after the - Esch (rivière)
  9. 8 : km 13.15 - alt. 246 m - Villers-en Haye
  10. 9 : km 14.23 - alt. 278 m - On the left, between two fields
  11. S/E : km 21.35 - alt. 186 m - Place Verdun - Château (Dieulouard)

Notes

A walking trail that can also be explored by mountain bike.

Village of Griscourt.
Village of Gézoncourt. Wash house that can be used as a shelter in bad weather.
Village of Villers en Haye.

Worth a visit

Dieulouard and its fortified castle.
Pont à Mousson and its 18th-century Premonstratensian abbey.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 28 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.1 / 5
danithepostman
danithepostman

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

I did this hike today and was very disappointed that in a region like this, where there are so many pleasant trails and forests, this hike goes along a lot of asphalt and farm tracks in the middle of plantations. In the blazing sun, it's quite unpleasant.
Otherwise, the few forays into the forest and the crossing of pretty villages try to compensate for this negative aspect.

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patptout
patptout

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 08, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

interesting and varied route, beautiful rolling countryside.

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Guitout
Guitout

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 12, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

There were some errors and we did the same loop twice, so we didn't manage to get to Viller en Haie. Why was that? Instead of doing 21.360 km, we did 27 km

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Frantz57
Frantz57
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 03, 2021
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The GPS track is completely reliable, which is why we didn't use a map or description. A very beautiful hike with varied landscapes, including the lovely Moulin de Millevaux site on the banks of the Esch and its fascinating history (information panels). The mill is currently being restored and will be worth a return visit once the work is complete.

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quatrieme
quatrieme

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 20, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Nice hike, although I had to cut it short and skip from point 3 to point 8 because of the heat. I'll do it again in the autumn and complete the whole route. A mix of woods and plateaus, between fields, but with a gentle breeze, it's very pleasant.

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FIACRE411
FIACRE411

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 20, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A lovely hike at the start, following the ESCH stream, which you cross from time to time.
The last part, with long straight stretches through the forest, is a little disappointing.

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MARLYZA
MARLYZA

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 22, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

a lovely hike exploring the villages of Little Switzerland in Lorraine
the description of the route is a little vague in the last section, but you can find your way using the map

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Karakoa
Karakoa

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 17, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The forest passages and tiny villages are cool.

Some sections through fields are fairly boring.

Be careful when leaving Gézoncourt not to miss the "tarmac road on the left"; either I wasn't paying attention or the signposting was poor

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Frantz57
Frantz57
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 28, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A beautiful hike through stunning countryside and traditional villages.
The Villevaux mill site is a somewhat magical place in terms of the landscape... it's a shame that the mill itself isn't better showcased and, above all, restored.

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larove
larove

A very beautiful hike, with pretty little villages and pleasant paths to walk along. The map is clear.

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SWING57
SWING57

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 05, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A magnificent hike with beautiful autumn colours.

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gazok54
gazok54 ★

Thanks, michelmuller
Can you give us some street names to use?

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michelmuller
michelmuller

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

as already mentioned, the start is a bit unclear. A street name, for example, would be helpful

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michelmuller
michelmuller

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

It would be helpful to provide a more detailed description of the departure point in Dieulouard (street names)

the route is well described with a clear and user-friendly map

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jpelerin
jpelerin

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 08, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

I have indeed hiked in this region known as "Little Switzerland in Lorraine", but I only did part
of the suggested hike: the section between Griscourt and Villers-en-Haye.
This 2-hour section is a very beautiful, bucolic and family-friendly walk.

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