In Le Thillot, short, easy walks sit alongside moderate and challenging trails. There are also routes for several activities, mining heritage and a memorial site with panoramic valley views. This lets you choose your outings by theme, distance and the time available.
Hiking by Distance and Duration
The Circuit de la Vierge is an easy family walk of about four kilometres with 84 metres of elevation gain. The Circuit de Chaillon is also classified as an easy family walk: it is 3.5 kilometres long and has 126 metres of elevation gain. It is therefore slightly shorter but has the greater elevation gain. Another short option leads from the church to the Étang de Chaillon. This easy hiking trail is 2.5 kilometres long and takes about an hour.
The Circuit poussette Le Thillot offers a different kind of outing: this circular route starts at the Étang de Chaume, is 4.4 kilometres long and takes two hours. Along the way, it passes between ponds, meadows and streams, with numerous viewpoints. The longer routes differ in both duration and difficulty. A 9.1-kilometre trail around the Tête des Noirs Étangs is listed as taking three hours and ten minutes. It is of moderate difficulty and starts at the Hautes-Mynes visitor car park in Le Thillot. Short detours lead to the Source de l'Ognon and small scenic ponds; these detours are optional. Trail conditions can change, so check them before setting out.
Trails and Routes for Multiple Activities
The Le Thillot trail station has 13 marked routes, from beginner level to more demanding sporting grades. Two routes illustrate the range: Circuit trail 7 – Les Hautes Mynes is of moderate difficulty, 17.76 kilometres long and has 710 metres of elevation gain. The difficult Circuit trail 12 – Le tour des Crêtes is 30.75 kilometres long and has 1,250 metres of elevation gain. Check conditions before setting out.
For an easier route that can be used for several activities, consider La Voie du Tacot. This five-kilometre easy route has five information panels about the historic transport link between the Vosges and Haute-Saône from 1912 onwards. It starts beside the Musée des Hautes-Mynes and initially follows the Voie Verte towards Remiremont. The route is suitable for inline skating, cycling, pushchairs and walking away from car traffic.
Mining Heritage and Memorial Sites
The Hautes-Mynes showcase mining heritage created in granite between 1560 and 1761. The visit includes a museum with archaeological objects, models and videos. At the Mine Rouge-Montagne, visitors can enter the underground network wearing a helmet and headlamp. Check the current access and equipment requirements before your visit.
The Vierge du Thillot, also known as Notre-Dame de la Libération, commemorates the liberation of the village on 26 November 1944. It stands on a 585-metre-high peak with panoramic views over the valley. The Église de Le Thillot was inaugurated in October 1904; its stained-glass windows were made by the Ateliers Loire between 1947 and 1949.
Road Connections and Leisure Pool
Le Thillot lies at the junction of the RN66 between Mulhouse and Nancy and the RD486 towards Franche-Comté, La Bresse and Gérardmer. Another option is the Piscine de Le Thillot – Complexe aquatique et espace bien-être, with a 25-metre pool, a teaching pool, a Pentagliss slide and a paddling pool. Confirm current opening arrangements before visiting.
Discover more destinations: Grand, Le Tholy, Gerbamont, Laval, Wisembach, Sauville, Igney, La Chapelle-Aux-Bois.
Back to the regional travel overview: Vosges.
