Vosges mountains

Although it's not the highest of France's mountain ranges, the Mountain massif nevertheless stands out for its unspoilt wilderness atmosphere, making it an ideal territory for nature vacations. Comprising two nature parks, the Parc naturel régional des Ballons des Vosges to the south, and the Parc naturel régional des Vosges du Nord, it is nevertheless a region steeped in history, with a mix of Franco-German culture and its own identity. A land of conflict, the Vosges Massif saw many battles in the early 20th century, with Hartmannswillerkopf and Struthof in Natzwiller being painful reminders.

As pioneers of winter sports, the resorts of the Vosges Massif have gradually become less famous than those in the Alps, enabling them to offer family holidays with Nordic skiing, downhill skiing, snowshoeing and dog sledding, as well as being quieter and offering more space, like the resorts of La Bresse-Hohneck, Lake Blanc, Markstein or Gérardmer.

Hiking is the region's most emblematic activity, with the GR 53, GR 531 and GR 532 long-distance hiking trails for cross-country skiing and mountain biking in winter, thanks to the often gentler, but just as majestic, terrain. In fact, the Mountain was one of the first mountain ranges to be so systematically marked out by the Club Vosgien, and many enthusiastic clubs will lead you to discover the most beautiful landscapes in the Vosges, such as the Grand Ballon, which rises to over 1,400 meters, the Lakes of Longemer and Lake Blanc , or through the nature parks, where you may be lucky enough to admire the magnificent gray wolves and lynx.

The Massif Vosgien is also a region of rich industry, which has contributed much to French know-how in many fields, as witnessed by the Musée de l'Image inEpinal, the Beauvillé textile factory in Ribeauvillé, the Clairefontaine paper mills Museum in the City of the same name, and the many spa towns such as Contrexéville, Vittel, Bains-les-Bains, Niederbronn les Bains and Plombières-les-Bains.