Col des Perches to Lachapelle-sous-Chaix: Day 156

A tiring day on which I left the Vosges mountains after the final summit of Ballon d'Alsace.

I did like the bowls provided for the coffee at breakfast, none of your minuscule Italian espresso cups. Suitably fortified with cheese, egg and jam I started the steep climb up a grass slope between trees to regain the GR5 path. Sadly, I startled a small group of grazing chamois, who rushed away into the obscurity of the forest.

3 hours 30 minutes to the Ballon d'Alsace according to someone who had amended the sign on the top. I was hoping for less as my itinerary stated it was only 8 kilometres away. However the timing proved accurate as the trail was rough, rock strewn, went up and down, and generally made my progress slow (not helped by missing a turning where the GR5 forked right). Nevertheless it was a trail to be enjoyed, starting with views down to the Lac des Perches. The GR5 did not insist of taking me over every summit and there were several places where I could gaze at the surrounding mountains. Mostly under trees there were patches of grassland, some bleached white as the season approached its end. Myrtille bushes were reddening with the oncoming autumn contrasting with still green heather, no longer at its best, although a few delicate, blue harebells held their heads high.

Lac des Perches.

GR5 contouring around a steep slope.

White grass in front on me and green grass on next slope, maybe the result of grazing.

Myrtille, its leaves turned an autumnal red and green heather on the side of the Ballon d'Alsace.

At 1247 metres high the bald, tree free summit of the Ballon d'Alsace gave wide ranging views in which I could see the mountains petering out to the south as well as the east and west. After the Ballon d'Alsace there were both the red rectangles of the Club Vosgien and the red and white stripes more typically used to marked the Grande Randonnée. It took a false start to realise that the red and white stripes were now the correct waymark not the red rectangles, and occasional E2 and now E5 waymarks proved it. After a bit of contouring these waymarks led steeply down a wooded valley following a stream cascading over rocks, shaded by trees. While a delightful sight I felt I was lagging behind and the rock strewn path was impeding any speedy progress. However I could not avoid stopping at a lake and admiring the reflections of trees in the waters.

Stream cascading down.

In time I reached the flat valley floor and gained speed on the minor roads and flat tracks across fields. Passing among houses I was disappointed that the only shop I encountered was closed for "exceptional circumstances", no coke and ice cream for me! A final hill needed to be tackled. On top was Fort Dorsner de Giromagny. Built at the end of the 19th century it saw action in 1940. Today it was closed although the GR5 took me around the ramparts and the deep ditch protecting them.

Walking along flat valley floor, unusual for the GR5.

Not content with letting me go the GR5 then added some wiggles as the path slowly descended through trees. Their rapidly yellowing leaves reminded me that I would soon be home preparing for winter nights. However the final stretch was straight over fields and I am now at my Chambre d'Hôte where my host showed me where a very welcome, cold beer was kept. Truly gorgeous I enjoyed it sitting on the terrace looking over a field as the evening fell.

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