Chantraine: Pond, Rocks and Marked Routes

For a stay in Chantraine, you can choose from several specific interests: a walk by the pond, striking rocks in the Olima Valley, woodland destinations and a designated mountain bike circuit. This lets you get a feel for the place based on the activities that matter to your trip. When planning, the type of access also matters: public access to the pond is limited to walking, while another route is specifically designated as a VTTAE circuit.

Walk by the Étang de Chantraine

The Étang de Chantraine grounds are open for walking unless otherwise specified. Public access is permitted on foot only. Before your visit, check local notices for any changes to this arrangement. If the pond is a key part of your stay, plan to visit it on foot and bear this access rule in mind.

Rocks in the Olima Valley

Les roches d’Olima are striking rocks in the Olima Valley. They rise vertically to a height of 15 to 20 metres and consist of large puddingstone blocks separated by horizontal fissures. Their height and shape give a clear impression of the rocky landscape: the vertical faces and horizontal dividing lines visibly break up the blocks. For travellers interested in landforms, this combination is a distinctive feature of the valley.

Woodland destinations and trail routes

The Les roches d’Olima route passes through shady woodland, follows a section of the Bouzey feeder canal and uses part of the former railway line that served the Épinal fortified belt. The route therefore brings together woodland, a stretch of canal and a historic transport feature. It is marked with a red disc and a blue cross. This sets its described course apart from a simple walking destination: both the trail markings and the named waypoints shape the character of the route.

The Grotte de Notre Dame lies in the heart of the Chantraine forest and is a destination for walks. The forest is the defining location given for the grotto; by contrast, the canal section and former railway line define the course of the Les roches d’Olima route. This gives you different reference points for planning a walk without combining the two destinations into one route.

The Chemin des Princes

Another historic route is the Chemin des Princes. It survives under several names still in use today: Rue de Champbeauvert, Rue Ponscarne, Chemin des Princes, Rue Français and Rue des Forges. It then continues through the area of Golbey as a path to Bois-Labbé. The sequence of names links the historic route to several present-day street names and a continuation as a path. This gives the Chemin des Princes a different perspective on Chantraine than a walk by the pond or a woodland destination: here, the route’s history and its various names take centre stage.

A mountain bike circuit

The Circuit VTT n° 90 Moustache is a 16.7-kilometre VTTAE circuit in Chantraine, marked with a blue FFC sign. Its specific length and markings distinguish this option from the pond grounds, which are accessible on foot only. As the marking information may be updated if the route is altered, check the current route before setting out. This lets you weigh up walking destinations, rocks, a historic route and a designated mountain bike circuit for your stay.

Discover more destinations: Destord, Vittel, Aumontzey, Igney, Ban-Sur-Meurthe-Clefcy, Gérardmer, Grandrupt, Ban-De-Sapt.

Go to the regional travel overview: Vosges.