Gérardmer: Lake, Trails and Culture

Lac de Gérardmer, trails with different layouts and the cultural history of Église Saint-Barthélemy offer different perspectives on Gérardmer. For your planning, you can consider water activities, trail formats and historical sites separately. When it comes to the trails, it is worth looking not only at the distance but also at the stated elevation gain; at the lake, the seasonal swimming period is a factor in its own right.

At Lac de Gérardmer

Lac de Gérardmer is the largest natural lake in the Vosges Massif. Activities on the lake include paddleboarding, sailing, pedal boating, wakeboarding and boat trips; supervised swimming is available in summer. At Quai de Waremme, the Union Nautique offers three supervised swimming pools on the shore of Lac de Gérardmer. Swimming and water activities may vary seasonally. If you are planning a day of swimming, check the current conditions beforehand.

Compare trails by route format

The Balade de l'Observatoire et de la cascade de Mérelle is a 5.4 km circular trail with 240 m of elevation gain. The voie douce et piétonne du Cerceneux Marion is an 8 km out-and-back route with 67 m of elevation gain. The second route is longer; the two also differ in format and in their respective stated elevation gains. When choosing a route, you can consider distance, route format and elevation gain together.

Free parking is available in the town centre or near the lake for the Balade du Tour du lac de Gérardmer; the boat landing is about 300 m away. Check parking options locally. Trail conditions may change seasonally; access conditions for the voie douce may also vary. Check the current situation before setting out.

Views and hiking options

The Observatoire de Mérelle offers a 360-degree panoramic view. The Bureau Montagne Gérardmer offers themed hikes as well as hikes focused on observing wildlife. This means that, alongside routes with specific distance and elevation figures, you can also consider options based on their theme. A hike can therefore be chosen either by its route format or by your interest in a particular theme or wildlife observation.

Church and festival history

Église Saint-Barthélemy was destroyed by the effects of war on 20 June 1940. Reconstruction began in 1952; the present-day church was consecrated on 10 October 1954. In the same year, Maison Roethinger de Strasbourg built and installed the choir organ; in 1959, the same organ builder installed the grand organ. Thus, 1954 marks both the church’s consecration and the construction and installation of the choir organ. Several concerts are held at Église Saint-Barthélemy every summer.

The Fête des Jonquilles also has a specific place in history: it was started in 1935 at the initiative of the Gérardmer motorcycle club. The first official festival took place on 22 April 1935. The two details distinguish the festival’s origins from the date of its first official event, but both fall in the same year. Together with the church’s history, the festival’s history offers another perspective on Gérardmer: a club initiative and its first official event.

Discover more destinations: Denipaire, Rupt-Sur-Moselle, Champ-Le-Duc, Sanchey, Brouvelieures, Thaon-Les-Vosges, Vittel, Plombières-Les-Bains

For the regional travel overview: Vosges.