Hiking in the southern Vosges
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There's no shortage of waymarked paths in the southern Vosges. Six GRs cross the Vosges and are a good way to see the less-frequented castles.GR7: Ballon d'Alsace to Remiremont. GR53: Wissembourg to Belfort (part of the route coincides with GR5). GR59: Ballon d'Alsace to Besançon. GR531: Wissembourg to the Ballon d'Alsace. GR532: Soultz-sous-Forêts to Belfort. GR533: Sarrebourg to Belfort, along the west flank of the Vosges. There are five treks of between five and eleven days' duration described in Les Grandes Traversées des Vosges, published by the Office Départemental du Tourisme du Bas-Rhin, 9 rue du Dôme, 67000 Strasbourg (tel 03.88.15.45.80), with details of accommodation, access and so on. Another useful contact for information is the Association Départmentale du Tourisme du Haut-Rhin, 1 rue Schlumberger, 68006 Colmar tel 03.89.20.10.62/68, www.tourisme68.asso.fr. Organized walks, involving guides or luggage transport or both, are arranged by tourist offices and a handful of companies, the most reliable of which is Horizons d'Alsace, 7 Grand' Rue, Kientzheim (tel 03.89.78.35.20, fax 03.89.78.12.22). A six-day trip will cost around €460; book in advance. Belfort in Franche-Comté is another good place to base a Hiking trip in the southern Vosges. The Ballon d'Alsace, in the centre of the Parc Régional des Ballons des Vosges is the meeting point of the GR5, GR7 and GR59, and a discovery trail has been marked out around the summit. A number of PR trails (rambles) begin from here. The Malsaucy lake along the GR5 trail is another popular Hiking area. Contact the Belfort tourist office for maps and information.
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