Hiking and wellness in the High Vosges

You will leave the hotel and follow the old tramway line leading to the Schlucht Pass. You will cross the Misselheim glacial cirque reserve to reach the Green Lake. A lunch break will be planned either by the lake or on the ridge above. Returning via the GR5 long-distance hiking trail, you will traverse high-altitude beech forests, observing the unusual shapes of trees stunted by the weather. The high-altitude pastures will offer panoramic views across much of the Vosges Mountains and Alsace.

The stage, traversing ridges, glacial cirques, and summits, will take place entirely at altitude, between 900 and 1360 meters. It will be a succession of breathtaking views across the entire Vosges Mountains: simply sublime! You'll set off in search of chamois as you ascend towards Haut de Falimont and the Rochers de la Martinswand. This will be an exceptional moment, with the dramatic ridgelines and the intense calm of early morning. Afterwards, you'll descend into the prestigious Frankenthal glacial cirque, a national nature reserve, before circling the Petit Hohneck and beginning the ascent of the Hohneck.

The day will begin on the Hautes Chaumes, overlooking the Bresse and Metzeral valleys. Next, you'll follow the main ridge along the snowfield trail to the summit of Rainkopf, the highest point of the day. The return journey will take you past Lac de la Lande, where you'll enjoy a picnic lunch on the grass. You'll have the opportunity to discover the raised bogs and wetlands of Lac de la Lande, a true gem of nature and wildlife. Finally, you'll return via Bas Châtelet and the glacial cirque of Retournemer.

You will reach the Grand Ballon (1424m), a site steeped in history and a memorial to the Great War. Its summit is dominated by an aeronautical radar station, which conceals a 360° orientation table. Afterwards, you will walk back to the Markstein. You will enjoy a stroll along the ridge, through alpine pastures dotted with scattered trees. The path will traverse an open landscape offering views of the deep Thann Valley, home to remarkable old trees with countless stories to tell. Finally, you will return by bus to the Schlucht Pass, from where it will be a 15-minute walk to the hotel.

From the hotel, you'll head off in a new direction to climb to Haut Gazon, a clearing that occupies the mountain's summit. You'll walk through wooded meadows overlooking the Vologne Valley lakes. Lake Longemer, impressively long, and Lake Retournemer, nestled at the bottom of a narrow cirque, were once traversed by the tramway that climbed to the Hohneck in its heyday, starting in 1904. You'll make a detour through the peat bog and then ascend via Balveurche to return to the hotel.