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Notre dame des 3 valléesPhoto: Jean Pierre Pentecôte, Club Vosgien
Forest route along a section of the Bouzey reservoir supply canal and using part of the old railway that served the fortified belt of Epinal.
Marked: red disk, blue sign.
Not to miss on this route:
- Notre Dame des Trois Vallées: In 1854 the nuns of the St Maurice hospital in Epinal built a basin for the washerwomen of the area. The sisters placed a statue of the Virgin there. A pilgrimage is held every August 15.
- The Bouzey reservoir supply canal: This canal supplies water to the Bouzey reservoir created in 1882 to feed the Vosges Canal. Near Saint-Etienne les Remiremont, part of the Moselle water is diverted into this canal which flows by gravity over more than 45 kilometers to the Bouzey reservoir. Ten siphons allow crossing the encountered valleys and two underground galleries have been developed on the structure. One at Bénaveau, the other at the Bourieure with respective lengths of 1541 m and 1577 m.
- The Olima rocks: Imposing rocks located on the edge of the Olima path composed of huge conglomerate blocks separated by horizontal splits. A natural cavity equipped with a ventilation chimney located to the left of the rock has served several times as a shelter for unfortunate families or for woodcutters.
- The old railway: This railway called Decauville or 60 cm gauge was 120 km long; it served the 17 forts of the place, part of the 91 artillery batteries, and the powder magazines.
Author’s recommendation
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
Track types
Show elevation profileSafety information
Before leaving:
- Check the general and local weather ensuring no rain.
- Inform yourself about the approach walk, altitude of the itinerary, estimated time, possible escape routes (IGN map, GPS, guidebook, etc.)
- Assess possible risks by consulting mountain professionals, refuges, lodgings.
- Inform a close person of your goal and contact them in case of change: departure and return times, number of participants with phone number, vehicle(s), parking.
- Avoid going alone, use equipment suited to the activity, adjusted and in good condition, headlamp, complete first aid kit, survival blanket, etc.
In case of emergency
Alert: call 112 (European emergency number)
5 key points to convey your alert:
- Where? municipality, place, itinerary, altitude
- Who? identity, phone number
- What? type of accident, number of victims, severity, dynamics of fall
- When? time of the accident
- Weather? wind, visibility
Tips and suggestions
Club Vosgien Epinal: 5 rue François Blaudez Epinal (next to the theater)
Tel. / Answering machine: 03 29 35 45 44
Roadbook
In front of the Forest take the Marulaz forest road to the left for 150 m, then to the right the red disk marked path that descends towards Notre Dame des 3 vallées.
Then follow the Bouzey Pond supply canal to reach the Olima path which you cross to go up in front of the stairs. You will come out onto a path, a former railway that served the fortified belt of Epinal.
(The braver can turn left for a 450 m round trip to immediately see on the left the Olima rocks. They will continue their route to pass under a tunnel to an old powder magazine, home to bats).
Go right until the first house. Just before this house, go left on the forest track until the blue signposted fitness trail path. Turn left and follow the blue signposts until the paved road.
Take this road to the left for 150 m then always left the red disk marked path. You pass next to the Olima farm which you leave on your right and go down the stone-paved path for 550 m.
Still following the red disk waymarking, you will turn right to cross a small wooden bridge over the stream and climb a fairly steep path that will take you through the Marquisat wood.
Continue following the red disk marker to reach the edge of the forest where you come out onto a gravel forest road near the hamlet of Basse Henri.
Straight ahead, cross this forest road to climb an unmarked path that runs along the forest edge next to houses. This path (2.1 km) will take you back to the starting point.
Public transport
Public-transport-friendly
Epinal train station: Bus No. 3 - stop at Chantraine - Passée Communale station.
Get Timetable to destination
Directions
From EPINAL train station take the D51 towards Chantraine. After passing under the railway, you arrive at a traffic light; turn left to Chantraine. The climb will take you to a European crossroads, turn left towards Renauvoid – Bains les Bains.
You climb just over one and a half km, then descend slightly about 400 m.
At the foot of the descent, take a paved path on the right called Passée Communale that heads to the forest. You leave your car there as you have arrived at the starting point of the circuit.
Parking
Chantraine: Passée Communale parking
Coordinates
Author’s map recommendations
Book recommendations for this region:
Equipment
Clothing suitable for the season and conditions (cold, hot, wet…)
Hiking shoes suitable for the terrain (even for children!)
Hiking poles (useful for stability and to relieve joints)
Mobile phone and spare battery
IN THE BACKPACK
- Everyone carries their own backpack: 20 liters for half a day, about 30 liters for a full day, but no more than 10-15% of the carrier's weight.
- Bring protection against rain (cape, umbrella...), cold (fleece, hat, gloves, lip protection...), sun (sunscreen, hat...)
- Trash bag (to bring everything back home!)
- Tissues, toilet paper.
- Knife.
- First aid kit.
- Survival blanket.
- Water bottle, some cereal bars.
THE "EXTRAS"
- Compass and/or hiking GPS
- Camera or binoculars
- Headlamp or flashlight
- Whistle (to alert other members of the group)
- Fluorescent yellow vest (if it is necessary to follow a road)
THE HIKER BEHAVES AS A RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN:
He respects:
- Nature and the environment, wildlife, plants, biodiversity
- Protected areas (national parks, nature reserves, etc...)
- Sites visited
- Other hikers
- Other forest users
- Basic safety rules
- In groups, the guide's instructions
- Public or private owners and their property: he closes fences and gates after passing
He carries out his waste
He preserves sites and trails
He reports any damage observed on the trails by reporting any anomalies via the Club Vosgien form.
He favors public transport and carpooling
Localization
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
User Questions