60 km, between the Col du Bonhomme and Thann, over 3 stages, following the backbone of the Vosges massif: beech forests, glacial lakes, wind-swept high pastures, the summit ridges of the Hohneck and the Grand Ballon, and historic First World War remains encountered along the way, from the Tête des Faux military cemetery to the Hartmannswillerkopf.
Why this route
Unlike an alpine traverse, the difficulty here isn't altitude — the highest point, the Grand Ballon, tops out at 1,424 m — but exposure to wind on the high pastures and the final stage, the longest in duration (9h) and the toughest on the descent, with over 1,500 m of elevation loss down to Thann. The route remains broadly accessible to a regular hiker in good shape, provided this third day isn't underestimated.
"On the blue line of the Vosges, the forest keeps a silence that the Rhine plain below has long since forgotten."
Day-by-day itinerary
| Day | Stage | Distance | Ascent / Descent | Estimated time | Accommodation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Col du Bonhomme → Col de la Schlucht (1,139 m), via the Château de Gutenbourg, the Étang du Devin, the Roche du Cordeau (1,130 m) and the Tête des Faux military cemetery, passing by the Lac Blanc | 19 km | 945 m / 490 m | 6h30 | Gîte at the Col de la Schlucht |
| 2 | Col de la Schlucht → Markstein, via the Trois Fours and the Hohneck ridge (1,363 m) | 20 km | 590 m / 530 m | 7h | Farm inn at the Markstein |
| 3 | Markstein → Thann, via the Grand Ballon (1,424 m) and the Hartmannswillerkopf (Vieil-Armand) | 21 km | 630 m / 1,510 m | 9h | End of traverse — accommodation in Thann |
Map: pick up the IGN Top 25 map for the Hohneck / Grand Ballon area from a bookshop or outdoor shop before setting off.
A variant worth knowing: the Sentier des Roches
The Sentier des Roches is not the main GR5 route — it's a variant carved into the cliff face at the foot of the Frankenthal cirque, between the Lac Blanc and the Col de la Schlucht, while the official GR5 follows the ridge higher up. If you want to venture onto it, plan it as a loop from the Col de la Schlucht (or a short there-and-back from stage 1), with 1h30 to 2h of walking on metal footbridges and handrails. This stretch is slippery in rain or frost and not recommended for anyone prone to vertigo — but it remains optional, not a stage of the main route.
Likewise, the Lac Noir is not on the itinerary: it's a roughly thirty-minute round-trip detour from the Lac Blanc, worth doing only if time and weather allow on the first day.
Access and logistics
- Start (Col du Bonhomme): reachable by car, parking at the pass. Nearest train station: Colmar, then a bus connection to the pass. Check current timetables before setting off, as TER connections vary by season.
- Finish (Thann): train station on the Mulhouse–Kruth line, with an easy return to Colmar or Mulhouse.
- Water resupply: available at the Lac Blanc and in most farm inns; carry a 1.5 L reserve for stage 3, the longest and most exposed.
Wildlife and regulations
The massif is home to a population of Western Capercaillie, an endangered species particularly sensitive to disturbance during the breeding season (March to June). Some quiet zones are off-limits to off-trail access during this period — check with the Parc Naturel Régional des Ballons des Vosges before straying from waymarked routes. Lightweight bivouacking is tolerated from sunset to sunrise, except in biotope protection zones marked on site.
Gear specific to this traverse
- A waterproof windbreaker is essential: the high pastures are exposed and the weather can turn quickly, even in summer.
- High-top boots with good grip: the rocky descents into Thann at the end of stage 3 are technical even in dry conditions.
- Trekking poles are useful on the long ridge sections, but stow them in your pack if you add the equipped Sentier des Roches variant.
When to go
May to October. Avoid the Western Capercaillie breeding season (March–June) for any off-trail excursions. The Vosges farm inns, open in season, generally close from mid-November to Easter — check opening dates before booking.
Shorter variant
For a one-day taste of the route, walk only stage 1 (Col du Bonhomme → Col de la Schlucht, 19 km), returning by bus to the starting point from the Schlucht.