Grand Ballon – Panoramic view from the Grand Ballon summit loop from Murbach

Hiking trails & Routes

Grand Ballon – Panoramic view from the Grand Ballon summit loop from Murbach

Hard

4.9

(70)

287

hikers

Grand Ballon – Panoramic view from the Grand Ballon summit loop from Murbach

08:22

23.3km

1,110m

Hiking

Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: August 22, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Parc naturel régional des Ballons des Vosges

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

3.30 km

Cave Entrance

5.76 km

Col de Judenhut

Mountain Pass

9.12 km

Grand Ballon

Highlight • Summit

The Grand Ballon (German: Großer Belchen), at 1,424 meters above sea level, offers a magnificent panoramic view and is the highest mountain in the Vosges Mountains.

In 1927, a monument to the Blue Devils (French: Diables bleus), a mountain infantry battalion during World War I, was erected. It was destroyed by the Germans in September 1940 and reconstructed by the sculptor Bouret in October 1960. A radar station has stood on the summit since 1997, serving civilian aviation during approaches to the airports of Strasbourg and Basel-Mulhouse.

On clear days, you can see far into the Rhine Valley and the Alps.

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9.39 km

Panoramic view from the Grand Ballon summit

Highlight • Summit

This superb promontory offers you a clear 360-degree view of the Black Forest and the Alps when the sky is clear. It is also an ideal location to admire the summit of the Grand Ballon from a little more perspective.

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9.62 km

View of the Grand Ballon

Highlight • Viewpoint

The Lac du Ballon, also Belchensee, is a karst lake. In the 16th century, Vauban converted it into a reservoir.

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10.2 km

Beautiful trail to the Grand Ballon

Highlight (Segment) • Trail

The path that leads to the Grand Ballon is absolutely essential. First for its destination, but above all for the variety of landscapes you cross: dense forests, ridge paths, balconies. Pure hiking as we like it!

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11.4 km

Haag Pass

Highlight • Mountain Pass

The Route des Crêtes, or the Vosges ridge road, is one of the most impressive mountain roads in France. The scenic Route des Crêtes runs along the main ridge of the Southern Vosges almost entirely at an altitude of 1200 m.
Originally, it was laid out by French troops as a supply route during the First World War. Today, in the snow-free months, it is mainly visitors to the Vosges who travel on it. It runs for 75 km from Col du Bonhomme in the north via Col de la Schlucht, Hohneck, Markstein, Grand Ballon and Cernay to Thann in the south.
The route passes several sites from the First World War and touches the highest mountain in the Vosges, the Grand Ballon.
Mostly deciduous and mixed forests line the road, or there are wonderful views of the wooded slopes of the Vosges, the Rhine plain and the Black Forest opposite. On a clear day the view extends as far as the Swiss Alps and Montblanc.
On nice days it is very popular with bikers with and without motor, and hikers get their money's worth on the left and right of the road.
Many convertible tours are also made here, which come from all regions of Europe.
The Ferme, (cozy Alsatian country inns), which can be found along the entire route, offer refreshment opportunities.

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13.4 km

Ballon Lake

Highlight • Lake

The Lac du Ballon owes its name to the summit at the foot of which it is located, the Grand Ballon, the highest point in the Vosges.
Embedded in a glacial cirque, it offers a setting of all splendor, the reflections of the sun making its surface shimmer in an alternation of shadow and light created by the rich surrounding vegetation.
Although natural, it is forbidden to bathe there because it is used to supply water to the valley.

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13.7 km

Lac du Ballon Dam

Highlight • Lake

Beautiful lake with clear water.
The climb is a bit tricky, partly with split splits, the last about 1000m neatly steep and littered with nasty potholes.
A detour is worthwhile anyway!

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16.9 km

Kletterbach Waterfall

Highlight • Waterfall

There is a smaller waterfall on the forest path and a larger waterfall a little further down the forest path. The noise can be heard from afar.

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23.3 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

9.59 km

7.35 km

5.95 km

339 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

13.0 km

6.45 km

3.17 km

290 m

198 m

148 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (1,410 m)

Lowest point (440 m)

Weather

Wednesday 7 October

15°C

6°C

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Comments

June 26, 2025,Vogesen - Du Murbach au Grand Ballon

I do this every time I am in the southern Vosges 🙂

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May 9, 2026,🇨🇵 Murbach-Grand Ballon (1424m)-Lac du Ballon

We started in the small, picturesque hamlet of Murbach near Guebwiller in the Vosges.
First, we visited the imposing Benedictine abbey. Even though today only the transept with its two towers and the eastern part with the choir remain, a visit to this impressive structure is definitely worthwhile.
When the organist suddenly began to play beautiful pieces on the organ, …

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June 20, 2025,Grand Ballon ⛰️ Runde ab Murbach über Judenhut ⛰️ Lac du Ballon und Hohrupf ⛰️

Grand Ballon/Grand Ballon, at 1,423 m, the highest mountain in the Vosges.
This loop from Murbach was, for me, a tour of superlatives! Wonderfully shady mountain forests, varied trails, a feast for the eyes through lush floral vegetation, magical mossy stones, fortifying wild blueberries, and all of this garnished with the diverse birdsong, indescribably beautiful panoramic views, and history!
Only …

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June 20, 2025,🇲🇫 Vogesen – Grand Ballon - Lac du Ballon Runde von Murbach

Our hike today took us to the Grand Ballon, the highest peak in the Vosges at 1,424 meters above sea level. The trail mostly led through shady forest. The return journey passed Lac du Ballon, and a detour to the Hohrupf was a must.
A successful day 🌞🎒🚶‍♀️🚶‍♀️

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June 26, 2025,Zweite Runde zum Grand Ballon

Hard to believe, but there were actually a few clouds this morning, so I packed a rain cape and some long-sleeved clothing. We started at a former monastery in Murbach. It was a steep climb right away, so there was no need for warmer clothing at first. Via Ebeneck, Judenhutplan, and through the Belchenwald forest, we then reached the summit …

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April 15, 2022,Großer Belchen

Hike from Murbach Abbey to the highest mountain in the Vosges - the Grand Ballon. There are a few places to stop off on the road below the summit. Except at the summit we hardly met other people. A very nice tour in the best weather!

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April 29, 2023,FR Alsace | Murbach - Ruine Hohrupf - Gustiberg - Lac du Ballon - Col du Haag - Grand Ballon - Col du Judenkopf - Ebeneck

With a certain amount of excitement we drove towards Alsace on Friday to see if the "window of sunshine" will come true as announced from Friday afternoon to Monday morning.
We had hoped for a bluer sky for today, but on the other hand playing on the Grand Ballon with the clouds and the wide views that were always enjoyable …

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August 25, 2022,🎈 Grand Ballon 🎈

Grand Finale... 😎
At the end of the hiking week we went up again, namely to the highest mountain in the Vosges in France, the Grand Ballon (Großer Belchen - 1424 m) ⛰.
It started in Murbach in the parking lot 🚗 of the Abbaye de Murbach monastery ⛪.
Without further ado, the hardest climb was waiting right at the …

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