Lepuix: Ballon d’Alsace and Scierie Demouge

Lepuix offers several reasons to visit: outdoor activities at Ballon d’Alsace, hiking routes with their own distinct features, and a restored site of industrial heritage. If you are looking for a hotel in Lepuix, you can choose your destination based on whether winter sports, hiking, cycling, or a visit with a demonstration is your main focus. The specific offerings vary by activity and season.

Landscape and protected areas

Ballon d’Alsace reaches 1,247.3 metres and is the highest peak in the Vosges in Franche-Comté. Large parts of the municipality of Lepuix lie within the Natura 2000 site and the Parc Naturel des Ballons des Vosges. The Savoureuse is also part of the landscape: its source is near Lepuix. These details offer different perspectives on the surrounding area—from the prominent peak and extensive protected areas to the source of a river.

Winter sports, climbing and guided outings

Alpine skiing and cross-country skiing are possible at Ballon d’Alsace; snowshoeing is also offered. As these activities are seasonal and operations may vary, check before travelling whether the offering you are interested in is available on your dates. Mountain guides offer themed outings for all levels at Ballon d’Alsace. Availability for these outings may also vary by season.

Another focus is La Roche du Cerf, an area with several climbing sectors. In suitable weather, ice-climbing routes also form there. This means that opportunities at this climbing area depend on specific weather conditions; the ice-climbing routes should not be considered a year-round offering. When planning a stay, you can distinguish between the activities offered at Ballon d’Alsace and the climbing area, with its weather-dependent ice-climbing routes.

Hikes and the climb up Ballon d’Alsace

Two routes offer useful points of comparison for hiking. The departmental hiking guide was updated on 24 September 2025. It lists the Vallée de la Savoureuse route between Lepuix and Malvaux as 9 km long and graded “Sportif.” The Boucle des Belles Filles in Lepuix is 9.6 km long and has the same grading. The listed distances are close; the names, routes and respective starting points help distinguish the two trails.

For cycling, the Montée du Ballon d’Alsace offers a different kind of route information: it starts in the village of Lepuix and features a series of hairpin bends with gradients of no more than 7%. For the hiking routes, the key details are distance, grading and route; for this cycling route, they are the starting point and stated maximum gradient. This makes the options comparable without treating hiking and cycling as a single type of activity.

Industrial history in Chauveroche

The restored Scierie Demouge is in the Chauveroche hamlet, on the right bank of the Beucinière. It offers visits with demonstrations. The municipal sawmill was built at the initiative of the municipality and the Demouge family. This makes it possible to understand the site not only as a building, but also through its history.

There are several ways to visit: open days take place in May, July and September throughout the year, including during the Journées du Patrimoine. Visits are also available by appointment. Before travelling, check the specific visiting dates or arrange your visit in advance. This makes it easy to plan this cultural attraction as part of your stay, separately from seasonal winter sports and the weather-dependent opportunities at La Roche du Cerf.

Discover more destinations: Villars-Le-Sec, Auxelles-Haut, Buc, Andelnans, Giromagny, Grosmagny, Offemont, Cravanche.

Go to the overview of the wider area: Territoire De Belfort.