GR5 — Ballon d'Alsace Stage

The Ballon d'Alsace, at 1,247 m, marks the southern tip of the Vosges massif on the boundary between the Territoire de Belfort and the Vosges department in the Grand Est region of France. This stage of the GR5 long-distance trail — one of Europe's great north-south routes, stretching from the Hook of Holland to Nice — offers a strenuous and rewarding full-day mountain walk in the southern Vosges. The recommended out-and-back route begins at the Lac d'Alfeld car park on the D465 near Masevaux, a serene glacial reservoir at 590 m fringed by mature fir and beech. Toilet facilities and a seasonal snack bar are available at the lake. No public transport serves this trailhead; the nearest bus serves Masevaux from Belfort, leaving the final 8 km to the lac accessible only by private vehicle or taxi. From the car park, GR5 red-white waymarks lead steeply up through dense forest, then break out onto open pastoral grasslands on the upper slopes — the rounded summit dome is the result of centuries of summer transhumance grazing. The total climb is approximately 700 m over 7 km of ascent. The mid-trail forest section involves tree roots and rocky outcrops; trekking poles ease both the ascent and descent. The summit plateau is open and exposed: a memorial to the Virgin Mary and a topographic orientation table are the principal landmarks. The panorama on a clear day extends from Monte Rosa and the Swiss Jura in the south, across the Rhine plain, and north along the full Vosges chain to the Grand Ballon. The summit is geographically notable as the source of three rivers: the Moselle, the Savoureuse, and the Doller. A café and hotel (Ferme-Auberge du Ballon) operate near the Col du Ballon, approximately 300 m below the true summit and reachable by road from the eastern approach. No water sources exist between the lac and the summit; carry at least 3 litres. IGN map 3620OT covers the area. The summit is part of the Parc naturel régional des Ballons des Vosges. No permit is required.