Verbamont, Moscow and Jerusalem in a single day!

Park in the lay-by in front of the Arboretum de la Hutte Verbamont, with the chapel and the private school in front of you. A sign erected by the DOP association explains the history of the Arboretum de la Hutte. You can visit part or all of it at the end of the walk.

(S/E) Take the tarmac road and walk downhill for about 300 m.

(1) Here you’ll find the little cave of Merlin, a dwarf who moved away in 2020. A letterbox allowed everyone – particularly local children – to exchange messages during the 2020 lockdown. Continue along the road and keep to the right as you come out of the bend.

(2) Opposite a house, take the dirt track that climbs towards the forest, passing through larch trees, pines and dry grass. A few trees may be lying across this narrow track. You’ll also find blueberries here around July and August. Follow this track until it joins a stony forest road at a right angle.

(3) Opposite, take the gravel path, following the red markings.

(4) Carry on straight ahead, passing the school, and head down to the bottom of the hamlet of Clairey.

(5) Turn left, then immediately right onto the Route de Surance. Pass a few houses and enter the forest along a lovely straight stretch of path.

(6) Cross a forest track and carry on straight ahead until you reach the junction with a hunting lodge.

(7) Carry on straight ahead through the very quiet hamlet of Surance. Cross the River Ourche, which rises in the meadow on the left, and continue along the road to Moscou.

(8) There’s no Place Rouge here, just a few houses. Turn right for about 80 metres, then turn left onto the stony path towards the forest. Pass a small pond and carry on to the junction just before a second pond.

(9) Turn right at the edge of the forest, follow the edge for about 500 metres, then carry on across the meadows.

(10) Turn right onto the dirt track between the fields: it feels like the vast expanses of the ‘Moscow’ countryside. Carry on along the stony track until you reach the small hamlet of Jérusalem. Follow the only track towards Moscow.

(12) Turn left, pass a large sheepfold and enter the forest again.

(13) At this three-way junction, take the path straight ahead, veering slightly to the right, and follow it to the Planchotte junction.

(14) Turn right, continue for 1 km, then turn onto the first path on the left. Pass through the ONF wooden gate and continue through a Douglas fir forest.

(15) On emerging from the forest, there is a superb view on a clear day. Enter the hamlet of La Frison and walk straight through it. Pass in front of a large farm, walking alongside it on the concrete track, and carry on, leaving the farm buildings on your right and left. Enter the forest and immediately join the Chemin de la Hutte au Frison (marked with the Club Vosgien Red Ring).

(16) Take the gravel path opposite, the Route Forestière Gaspard.

(17) Turn right onto the tarmac road, passing the“La Clairière du Verbamont” campsite.

(18) Enter the Hutte-Verbamont Arboretum, which you can explore in part or in full: don’t miss one of the tallest sequoias in France.
Then return to your starting point (S/E).

(S/E) At the start of your walk, as you cross the first stone bridge before the entrance to the hamlet of La Hutte, locals often fetch water from the bridge abutment just to the right before stepping onto the bridge. You’ll easily spot the old iron pipe through which this spring flows.

(8) You can also head straight to point (12) and shorten your route by several kilometres.

(4) 50 metres from the route is the Iron, Glass and Wood Museum, open in the afternoons from Easter to All Saints’ Day.

(11) Jérusalem Honey Farm: make the most of your visit to stock up on honey whilst you’re there, or come back by car so you don’t have to carry it.

The Hutte Arboretum.
The Verbamont campsite
The source of the Ourche.
Viewpoints.
Blueberries.