Saut de la Bourrique walks

Saut de la Bourrique is a waterfall in the Vosges mountains in the commune of Gérardmer. The legend associated with the name of this waterfall actually comes from a bourrique that belonged to a lord. Returning from the crusades, he was attacked by bandits, and to protect him the animal threw itself on them at the foot of the waterfall, where it perished with the miscreants. 28/05/2024: Hiking not possible at present: Sentier du saut de la bourrique closed from (1) to (2) by municipal by-law since 15 March 2024 for works. See practical information

A magnificent route offering a variety of landscapes. You’ll be charmed by the walk along the shores of the largest natural lake in the Vosges. After a stroll through the forest and pastures bordering the lake’s southern shore, you’ll enjoy the natural beauty of the Saut de la Bourrique site. Following the Ruisseau du Phény and its remarkable little bridges, you’ll return to the lake’s shore to complete a circular walk. Part of the walk is currently unavailable (2026): the Saut de la Bourrique path is closed from (10) to (12) by municipal order since 15 March 2024 due to works. See the practical information section for alternatives.

After starting in a wood, we very quickly arrive at a path in the undergrowth, running alongside the Ruisseau du Phény stream, which is one with the path, except for numerous passages over small stone bridges. It leads us to the Saut de la Bourrique. A few more hundred metres of climbing and, after passing Urson, we arrive at a wide path that leads us to the Col du Haut de la Côte. There is a section of uphill road, then the descent begins, with some sections more challenging than others. Before returning to the starting point, there is a magnificent viewpoint at La Roche du Renard.

A long, challenging hike that takes you around a well-known town in the Vosges: Gérardmer. Nestled at an altitude of around 600 m, the town is home to the largest lake in the Vosges: Lake Gérardmer. It is also possible to take side trips to explore the natural scenery. This walk offers a feast of rivers and waterfalls: the Saut des Cuves, the Saut de la Bourrique, the Cascade de Mérelle and other watercourses of varying sizes. It also passes close to several ski resorts, particularly during the first part of the circular route. Mainly through woodland, there are also some rather lovely viewpoints when the weather permits. In winter, the track between points (6) and (7) is used as a ski run. It is better to take the track leading uphill to the left at (6), then the road to the right which leads to point (9). Point (13), Saut de la Bourrique, has been closed by municipal order since 15 March 2024 for works; see practical information.

There are numerous waterfalls on the slopes of the Vosges mountains. These include the Saut du Bouchot and the Saut de la Bourrique. These two waterfalls can be visited on a long walk, which is shown here. There are many advantages to this route, with unique views at Moyemont and Rocher des Ducs, but there is also cultural interest with a passage at Falaise de Lyris. A large part of the hike is through forest.