L'Échappée des 1000 Étangs

More than a simple route : l'Échappée des 1000 Étangs is about experiencing the landscape and the heritage. The 'pauses paysages' (landscape breaks), placed at key locations, are interactive, with a sensorial approach.

Six major locations of the 1000 Étangs, six experiences : "Au fil de l'eau" (along the water) in the hamlet of La Mer, "Kaléidoscope" at the Saint-Martin chapel, "Géologique" at the Croix du Montandré, "Vue du ciel" (Sky view) in Grilloux, Servance, "Sonore" (sonorous) at the Annegray chapel and "Subaquatique" at the Pellevin pond in Écromagny.

Look, touch, listen, learn, understand ... call on all your senses.

The map of the Échappée is available at the Tourist Office, or downloadable HERE

Kaléidoscope et frise photo

Eglise Saint Martin à Faucogney-et-la-Mer

Remarkable sites of the Échappée

On the outskirts of the Échappée, these remarkable sites illustrate perfectly the explanations found in the 'Pauses Paysages' and highlight the natural and cultural riches of the region.

The Saut de l'Ognon in Servance

At the entrance of the village of Servance, the Saut de l'Ognon is a majestic 14m high waterfall attesting the omnipresence of water in the area and its uses in local industry.

The Champey bridge and the 'Doue de l'eau' river

Discover a wild, bucolic and calm location, accessible only by a hiking trail.

Martin sawmill in Miellin

Originally in Fresse, in the next valley over, it was rebuilt at the end of the XIXth century on the banks of the Doue de l'eau. Abandoned for years, it was restored by Georges Tuaillon and it lives anew with animations by the Maison de la Nature des Vosges Saonoises. The water wheel actions the sawblade and the carriage. The building is open on the side where the logs are stored.

The Parc des Ballons des Vosges supported the restoration of the dam.

Ternuay Mountain

At the end of World War II, a fight happened here between the 130 men of the Beuchots resistance group and german troops. The resistants managed to evade encirclement and retreated after four hours of fighting. In retaliation, the nazis looted and burned the surrounding farms, and savagely executed five farmers who failed to flee. A commemorative stele was erected in the hamlet.

Mount Vannes in Fresse

A magnificent view on the upper valley of the Ognon, especially on the hamlet of Magny, Belonchamp and the Grand Rosbeck pond.

The site is also set up as a take off spot for paragliders. There is a former abbey a little further along the road.

The Grande Chaussée pond in La Lanterne

After following along the Échappée, a relaxing break is always appreciated at the Grande Chaussée pond, to fully enjoy a moment of leisure. This 6.5 hectares pond is part of a group of ponds (27, from 1.9 ares to 6.5 hectares, for a total of nearly 30 hectares).

Saint-Columbanus chapel in Sainte-Marie-en-Chanois

It is in this place, on a hill overlooking the Breuchin valley, that Saint Columbanus liked to retreat to in the early VIIth century. One day, after walking a long distance out of the Annegray monastery, Columbanus discovered a large steep rock, from up which he could see far and wide the roads of men.

In it he found a a concave cavern, carved in the stone, which a bear made its home. Calmly, he asked to wild beast to leave and it dare not come back ...

He sometimes lead a lonely life in this cavern. He was indeed used to, especially before the religious holidays, leave others company and retire to invisible locations, to be even farther away and remain in the deep of the desert, to dedicate himself solely to prayer, a religious life exertion, soul united and free of sorrow.

Since then sick people often came seeking water from the miraculous spring and lie on the stone called "Saint Columbanus bed", over which the chapel was built.

Source : Association des Amis de Saint Colomban.

Beauregard chapel and cross-country skiing area in La Montagne

The chapel Our Lady of Beauregard was built in 1884 by a farmer who had been lost in the snow. After praying to the Virgin Mary, he miraculously found his way back. He said a statuette of Mary appeared in front of him, in a small nook in a wood post.

The farmer had the chapel built exactly where he got lost. The miraculous statuette and the wood post are exhibited in it.

An other legend tells that if a stone of the chapel moves under the feet of a young lady, she will get married the following year.

L'étang Bachetey

The black pond and view on the Hautes-Vosges in Ramonchamp (Vosges)

Located on a small road along the ridge between the Col des Croix and the Cold du Mont de Fourche, the Black pond lookout offers a remarkable view on the Hautes-Vosges and the Moselle valley. This view reminds visitors that the 1000 Étangs are part of the Vosges mountain range.