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The hike starts at Place du Capitaine Elie Chabert, where parking is easy.
(S/E) Cross the stream (the Weiss) heading north. Opposite, climb up through the small lawn to the gate that leads to the road. Take the road on the left, then take thefirst right, signposted "Tour du Faudé 45 min".
(1) From thefirst hairpin bend, the tarmac road gives way to a gravel forest track. From thethird hairpin bend, you will join the Anneau Bleu signposted trail, which you follow straight ahead. Enter the forest. The trail runs alongside the Orbey campsite below. After passing the campsite, you will come to a road.
(2) Follow it to the left, following the Anneau Bleu signs. Go around the football field. At the crossroads, take the Triangle Rouge trail marked "Tour du Faudé direct". Follow this trail and the signs to the summit of Grand Faudé.
(3) At the Tour du Faudé, you can climb the 93 steps to admire the view. Then descend the path you took on the way up, marked with a red triangle. Pass the first forest path, continuing on the path you took on the way up. The fork is below on the right, marked with a red ring, towards Faudé and the Col de Bermont.
(4) When you reach the car park at the edge of the forest, take the road on the right marked with a blue disc, which will take you to the Col de Bermont after about 700 metres.
(5) At the pass, take the road opposite that climbs towards Lac Blanc, Les Immerlins and Tête des Faux, marked with a yellow signpost. After about 150 m, at the first crossroads, take the flat road on the left marked with a blue signpost, still heading towards Lac Blanc. At the end of the tarmac road, follow the path that climbs along the meadows to the north-west.
(6) At the first intersection, under the trees, turn right onto the path that climbs towards Tête des Faux and Col du Calvaire, marked with a red signpost. Follow these signs, heading northeast, until you reach the cross below the Surcenord farm.
(7) At the cross, continue on the Chevalet Rouge trail, pass the Surcenord farm and continue on the Chevalet Rouge trail towards the Duchesne Cemetery. You will cross high-altitude pastures and fields of broom. Do not disturb any livestock that may be there. The broom pods burst open in the August heat.
(8) Pass a spring, but it is not equipped and you cannot get any water. Continue along this path to the Duchesne Cemetery National Necropolis.
(9) At the cemetery, the path to follow, marked Anneau Vert, turns left and heads straight towards the two heads of the Immerlins and the Col du Calvaire.
(10) Once you reach the Tête des Immerlins after a final, somewhat chaotic stretch that passes through piles of rocks, continue straight ahead to the Petite Tête des Immerlins.
(11) Pass the Petite Tête des Immerlins, which overlooks the Col du Calvaire, your next stop.
(12) At the Col du Calvaire, in rainy weather, it is recommended to bypass the climb to the Gazon du Faing and go directly to the Lac Blanc (see Practical Information). In good weather, the climb to the Gazon du Faing starts below the pass, on the south side, on the path marked with a yellow rectangle. After about 400 m on this trail, the climb to the ridges begins on the right with the trail marked with a red ring and red rectangle, heading towards "Hautes Chaumes".
(13) At the top of the climb, a fork in the path offers you the option of taking the panoramic trail on the left towards the Source du Lac Blanc. Take this trail, marked with a red ring. It runs along the ridge and offers fabulous views of Lac Blanc below and the entire Orbey valley. Continue on this trail to the Source du Lac Blanc.
(14) At the source, you can make a short detour westwards to reach the stubble fields at the highest point of this hike, at an altitude of 1,296 metres. Take the opportunity to admire the landscape on the Lorraine side. Then retrace your steps back to the source.
(14) Take the marked Anneau Rouge trail, which descends towards Lac Blanc via Rocher du Hanz.
Caution! This descent is very technical, with lots of loose rocks, and should be avoided in wet weather. See the Practical Information section for an alternative route.
(15) At the Lac Blanc car park, cross the road with caution and look for the Anneau Bleu trail just opposite under the trees to continue the hike towards Orbey.
(16) When you reach the first tarmac road, take the path opposite, heading north-east, signposted Orbey with a blue rectangle. The descent is straight ahead, following the signposts.
(17) Pass a cross.
(18) Pass a pair of remarkable 300-year-old lime trees.
(19) When you reach the Saint-Genest crossroads, take the path towards "Orbey 40 minutes / Chapelle Saint-Genest" marked with a red ring.
(20) From the chapel, the path continues towards Sacré-Coeur, where you will have a splendid view of the village of Orbey. Go back down the hill, retracing your steps for 100 m, and continue along the path marked with a red-white-red rectangle towards Orbey. After passing the steps in the small wood, you will come to a tarmac road which you follow downhill to the left to enter the village of Orbey.
(21) At the bottom of the Cédez-le-passage, turn right and follow the same road until you reach the stop sign. Cross the road and continue straight ahead through the town centre. 100 m after the Town Hall, turn left into Rue des Écoles to return to the car park (S/E).
Visorando member
Moderate 
Association / Club / Walk leader
Difficult 
