Saint-Maurice-sur-Moselle has 100 km of marked hiking trails, 103 km of approved mountain biking routes and 9.3 km of signposted snowshoe trails. Renting a holiday apartment in Saint-Maurice-sur-Moselle is a specific accommodation option for your stay.
Activities
The marked FFC mountain bike circuit no. 13, “La Grande Goutte”, is 20 km long, includes 430 metres of elevation gain and has a red difficulty rating. On foot, the “Les 2 chapelles” hike connects two chapels: it is 12 km long, includes 510 metres of elevation gain and takes about four hours. The starting point is at a car park below the Chapelle des Charbonniers; the route then follows a forest path to the Chapelle Botiotte.
Geographical Setting
At 1,247 m, the Ballon d’Alsace is the highest point in the southern Vosges and lies within the Ballons des Vosges Regional Nature Park. The station at the Ballon d’Alsace can be reached via the village of Saint-Maurice-sur-Moselle, between Le Thillot and Bussang, on the RN66.
Nature
The Sentier découverte du Ballon d’Alsace takes about one hour and includes ten information panels and an orientation panel. Notre-Dame du Ballon at the Ballon d’Alsace was built in 1862, and the Monument des Démineurs there was inaugurated on 7 July 1952. The Ballon d’Alsace also has launch sites for paragliders and hang-gliders.
The family hike “Balade famille au Ballon d’Alsace” is an easy 6 km route with 140 metres of elevation gain and takes about two hours. It passes through the protected Réserve Naturelle des Ballons Comtois nature reserve; dogs are prohibited there, even on a leash.
Culture and History
The Chapelle des Charbonniers was built as a wooden chapel on the Têtote in 1860, to provide a place of prayer for the hamlet located far from the church of Saint-Maurice. The Chapelle Botiotte was built in 1857 and expanded to its current size in 1873. It can be visited individually and free of charge all year round via marked paths, and is a destination for walks in the forest near the remains of historic mines.
Le pont Montbel is a structure located at an elevation of 903 m in the forest and can only be reached on foot via several circular routes.
Landscape
Some cattle still graze on the grasslands of Rouge Gazon in summer. The Chaume des Neufs Bois at Rouge Gazon is a man-made pasture that was formerly used by the Marcaires as summer pasture. In winter, circular snowshoe trails are available at Rouge Gazon.
Horse Riding
La Jumenterie is an equestrian centre on the Vosges side of the Ballon d’Alsace and offers riding lessons, riding courses and horse-riding excursions. The horse-riding excursions may include stages at Ferme-Auberges, where specialities from Saint-Maurice-sur-Moselle are served.
Other places: Frebécourt, Saint-Julien, Le Val-D'ajol, Luvigny, Sapois, Les Rouges-Eaux, La Chapelle-Aux-Bois, Denipaire.
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