Access
The nearest major airports are Strasbourg, Geneva and Basel, but it is also worth checking flights to nearby German destinations. TGV express trains from Paris serve Strasbourg, Mulhouse, Basel, Belfort and Geneva. By road, Strasbourg is about 650km (400 miles) from Calais.
Taking the section start points in order, Wissembourg, Niederbronn-les-Bains, Saverne and Schirmeck are all accessible using French railways (SNCF). Ribeauvillé no longer has a rail station, but is easily accessed by getting the train to Sélestat, then using the regular buses which link to the train service. For Mittlach, head for the rail station at nearby Metzeral, then complete the journey on foot (3km), or use the infrequent local buses.
Thann and Héricourt (for Brévilliers) are both served by rail stations, but further south, as the route crosses the Jura, access becomes more tricky. St-Hippolyte can be accessed from the rail station at Montbéliard, using Ligne B of the Mobidoubs local bus service. Villers-le-Lac is no longer served by a bus service, and the nearest train stations are Morteau in France, 7km away, or Le Locle in Switzerland (8km). The road from Morteau to Villers-le-Lac can be busy, and a taxi might now be the best way to access the town. Further south, Les Hôpitaux-Neufs has no rail station, but currently has a connecting bus (run by SNCF) linking the station at Frasne with the town. The final section end at Nyon is on the Swiss rail network.
Local transport
Local bus services are sparse, and often infrequent where they do exist. The sections of the route through the Jura are particularly poorly served, so if possible, it is better to walk sections 9 and 10 together. If doing part of the route, starting/finishing from a point on the rail network eases the arrangements.
Accommodation
The area has a wide range of hotels, although those in mountain resorts may be geared more towards the skiing season. Chambres d’hôtes are rooms in private houses, similar to bed and breakfast. When planning a trip it is a good idea to check the regional and local tourist office websites (Appendix D). Local tourist offices can answer questions about accommodation in their own area and can generally make bookings.
Gîtes d’étapes, which provide inexpensive accommodation for walkers, are common along the route. Most of them simply provide dormitories, although some offer almost hotel-like facilities, with meals and private rooms. (Note that a gîte d’étape is not the same as a gîte rural, which is not usually available for single nights.) There are also occasional hostels, either Youth Hostels or privately run.
Refuges (mountain huts) also provide inexpensive dormitory accommodation, but making use of them is not always straightforward as many have very restricted opening periods. Where such refuges are run by walking and skiing clubs they are often open continuously only during the high season, or may be available for group bookings only or reserved for club members.
Finally, abris (shelters) may have little more than walls and a roof – useful for anyone caught out in bad weather. Note that the many fermes-auberges in the Vosges – farms offering simple meals based on local produce – do not usually offer accommodation.
Camping
Camping is popular in France and most campsites provide good facilities at a reasonable cost, but some are only open for a limited period. Comprehensive lists of campsites are available from tourist office websites. Wildcamping is not a right in France and different communes have different regulations. Outside restricted areas, discreetly pitching overnight may be possible, provided it is well away from roads and houses.
Food and drink
In Alsace the German style of cooking is seen in the popularity of pork, especially sausages, and dishes such as choucroute (based on sauerkraut). Kugelhopf is a distinctive ring-shaped cake, and tarte aux myrtilles is made with the bilberries common on the hillsides of the Vosges.
Tarte aux myrtilles
The Jura has been famous for smoked meats since Roman times. The local products to look out for are sausages and hams, trout from the Doubs, and snails. Both the Vosges and the Jura have fine local cheeses and wines – Alsace is well known for its white wines, and the yellow wine of the Jura is particularly unusual.
Not every village has a shop, so a little forward planning of food purchases is required in some places, and you may have to carry food for a day or two. Be aware that many shops close for an extended lunchtime, which can cause considerable delay, but many, particularly bakeries, are open early in the morning. When buying meals there is a wide choice, from village bars to restaurants. A set meal, usually of local produce, can be bought at one of the many fermes-auberges to be found in the Vosges.
A ferme-auberge in the Vosges
What to take
Although the route does not involve any scrambling or climbing, some sections are rough and exposed, so good footwear and waterproofs are essential, and a hat and sunscreen are wise precautions. The basic walking tools of maps and compass, first aid kit, torch and water bottle are necessities.
For other packing requirements, much depends on accommodation and eating preferences. If using the many hotels and chambres d’hôtes along the route, little is required other than changes of clothing and personal items. If depending on gîtes d’étapes and hostels, add a sleeping bag. The cheapest and most flexible way of travelling is with a lightweight tent – even if you are not planning to camp every night, a tent gives an alternative if accommodation is a problem. A lightweight stove and utensils are worth considering.
Backpackers will be well aware that trips are all the more enjoyable if pack weight is kept down, so ruthlessly weed out any non-essentials at the packing stage. If camping, remember that many French campsites have laundry rooms, so there is no need to carry too many changes of clothes.
Maps
Relevant maps are listed at the beginning of each route section, and possible stockists are in Appendix D.
Four sheets of the IGN 1:100,000 (TOP100) series cover the route (Nos 112, 122, 137, 143). These maps are good for planning and in conjunction with this book can be used for route-finding, as GR paths are marked.
The IGN 1:75,000 (TOP75) maps are ideal for walkers, and cover the Vosges, but only part of the Jura, (Nos 012, 027, 028). The Club Vosgien has produced maps of the Vosges at 1:50,000, but other than these, IGN maps at 1:50,000 are not currently available for the area of the route. IGN 1:25,000 maps (TOP25) are available, these are very detailed and a large number would be needed to cover the whole route.
The maps in this guide are not meant to be sufficient for navigation – more detailed mapping information is recommended. The main place names and features on the sketch maps are shown in bold type in the route descriptions.
GR system and waymarking
The GR5 and GR53 are part of an excellent network of long distance footpaths in France, the Grandes Randonnées. Waymarking of GRs is generally with a standard system of marks. A red and white rectangle (white above red) confirms the route. A cross formed by a diagonal red line crossed out by a diagonal white line is used to indicate ‘incorrect route’. This system is used for the GR5 in the Jura, but the Vosges is an exception. Here, footpaths were waymarked before the nationwide system was developed, and the GR53 and the Vosges section of the GR5 are both waymarked with red rectangles.