circuit Bainville-aux-Miroirs - Gripport (English text)

This route will take you first over the plateau on the west bank of the river Moselle, and then back along the charming Canal des Vosges that runs alongside the river. The first part features forests and fields with some good views of the Moselle valley, and the second part follows a long-distance bike route along the canal that is lined with majestic plane trees.

The route is signposted and easy to follow; most of the route is paved, and gradients are modest.

ATTENTION: We encountered two major problems on the way (we did the walk in July 2021). The forest path on the edge of the plateau south of Bainville-aux-Miroirs, which can be very muddy, was in places blocked by treefalls. In one location we had to climb up through the dense forest to continue the route. If you don't feel like doing this, you can play safe by taking the higher forest road.

Secondly, the signposts (and available online route descriptions) assume that you can do a circuit from Gripport to GPS coordinate 48.40584849913718, 6.242276359531919 and then return. However, at this point the path is blocked by the landowner, and there is no alternative but to go back the way you came. You might still want to do this: the views are nice, and there is a small sanctuary a bit further down the road, hidden on the Ruisseau-de-la-Rame - but again the landowner seems not very keen on having tourists there.

Starting and end point: one of the small parkings in Bainville-aux-Miroirs; the village has a bus connection

Food and drinks: Bainville-aux-Miroirs has two restaurants, but there are no opportunities for refreshments on the route