Discover Sapois

Sapois: Nature and high-altitude landscapes

Sapois combines a distinctive natural setting with trails of varying character and a notable church. When planning your trip, you can first decide which aspect you want to focus on: a waterfall, a circular hike, botanical themes, the high-altitude setting, or paragliding.

Waterfall and landscape

The Cascade du Saut du Bouchot is located on the Route de Gerbamont in Sapois and plunges 28 metres into a valley basin. It lies within a regional nature park and a forested mountain area. The drop and its location in the valley basin describe the waterfall itself; its setting in the park, forest, and mountain area broadens the view to the surrounding landscape. For nature-focused trip planning, these are two different scales: the waterfall itself and its wider landscape context.

Hiking trails and botanical route

The Balade de la cascade de la Pissoire is a 4.2-kilometre circular trail with 120 metres of elevation gain. It follows the red-marked loop route towards the Cascade de la Pissoire. The distance and elevation gain give you concrete figures for planning the hike; check trail conditions before setting out. For this walk, there is a car park on the D23 in the hamlet of Haut-du-Tôt, behind the church.

A botanical trail takes a different approach: it runs 1.8 kilometres from the car park by the church to a footbridge. Compare the two trails using the features given for each: for the Pissoire walk, the information includes a loop, elevation gain, and direction; for the botanical trail, it gives the distance and the destination at the bridge. This lets you weigh up which route description better suits your interests without confusing the two trails.

La Chambre du Loup is also a circular trail and follows the blue-marked loop route. A rocky cave can be discovered along the way. La Chambre du Loup lies within a regional nature park and a forested mountain area. The markings offer a practical way to distinguish it from the Pissoire loop: the latter is marked in red, while La Chambre du Loup is marked in blue. If you include both trails in your plans, you can use their respective names and colours to tell them apart.

Paragliding at La Sotière

La Sotière offers a take-off site for experienced paraglider pilots with their own equipment. It is on a meadow at an altitude of 920 metres and faces southeast. The landing area for La Sotière is in the valley of Sapois, at an altitude of 450 metres. The descriptions therefore make clear that the two points are in quite different locations: the southeast-facing take-off site on the meadow, and the landing area in the valley. Check the technical conditions on site and follow local flying guidance.

Church and plants

The Église du Haut du Tôt combines a high-altitude setting with a specific building history. At 840 metres, it is the highest church in the Vosges department. Parishioners built it in the space of a year. The construction time offers a different perspective on the church than its altitude: while the figure places it within the department, the fact that it was built in a year tells of the parishioners’ involvement. Both may interest travellers curious about the history and distinctive features of a place.

The Fête des Plantes complements the nature and trail themes with plants and regional products. There, you can discover, sample, and buy medicinal and aromatic plants, products made from flowers and fruit, and regional products. If the event is important to your trip, check the dates as you plan.

Discover more destinations: Bonvillet, La Bresse, Morizécourt, Lubine, Bulgnéville, Saulxures-Sur-Moselotte, Fresse-Sur-Moselle, Ban-De-Laveline

For the regional travel overview: Vosges.