Le Clerjus: Architectural History and Pond Landscapes

Le Clerjus combines historic buildings with trails between forests, streams and ponds. To plan your trip, you can first decide whether you are most interested in architectural history and traces of technology or in the area’s varied landscapes. Each of the named places has its own character.

Chapels, a Church and Industrial History

On the Le Clerjus side of the metallurgical complex at La Chaudeau, a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary was built in 1819–1820 and expanded in 1843. The site also included residential buildings and a school. The chapel, housing and education thus stand as distinct elements of the same historic complex. The church in Le Clerjus represents another phase from a different period: it was rebuilt in 1823, replacing an older church dating from the 12th century. The earlier church and its 19th-century reconstruction can therefore be viewed as distinct building phases.

Technology and named places of worship can also be found at different sites. Grain was milled at Moulin Greget, where a turbine powered the operation. In La Chaudeau, there is a replica of the Grotte de Lourde, built in 1926. The La Mouche loop passes the Chapelle de la Chaudeau and a shrine dedicated to Notre Dame des charbonniers. At the La Rochère crossroads, the Croix Jacquot stands opposite a two-hundred-year-old oak. Here, a named monument and a striking natural feature can be seen together.

Ponds, Forest and Trails

At Étang de la Picarde, there is an educational trail through a beech forest described as a “cathedral.” The pond also has a picnic shelter with a table, benches and a stone barbecue. Check the condition of this facility before your visit, as visitor facilities can change. The Croix Calvaires 2 loop leads to a 14-hectare natural pond in the hamlet of Corbefaing, maintained by an angling association. If you are interested in fishing, check the local rules in advance.

The La Mouche loop runs between streams, ponds and forests, giving it a distinct landscape character. On the VTT No. 16 La Picarde mountain biking circuit, forest trails make up most of the route: the circuit runs 90 percent on them. As trail conditions can change, check local conditions before setting out.

What are the trails’ main features?

The trails described differ mainly in their landscapes and the stops they feature. At Étang de la Picarde, the focus is on the educational trail and beech forest; Croix Calvaires 2 leads to a natural pond in the hamlet of Corbefaing. La Mouche combines a landscape of streams, ponds and forests with two named religious sites. VTT No. 16, by contrast, is a mountain biking circuit whose share of forest trails is explicitly stated. When choosing between these options, you can base your decision on your interest in forests, bodies of water, historic buildings or a mountain biking route.

Discover more destinations: Liézey, Basse-Sur-Le-Rupt, Cleurie, Le Valtin, Grandrupt-de-Bains, Saint-Julien, Bruyères, Xertigny

For the broader travel overview: Vosges.