Is your dream to spend a safe night under the stars? Then bivouacking is for you!
Whether you need a stop-over during a long hike in the heart of the Vosges or you just want to clear your mind and sleep in nature, bivouacking is for you: for one night, install a temporary camp like a small tent in a field or forest and rest.
Enjoy the beauty of the forests in the Vosges when all activities stopped and the night is taking over – the ideal conditions. Hiking offers the unique opportunity to observe nature around you. In a bivouac, you are surrounded by trees and you can learn to identify the hoot of the owls, rocked by the gentle wind in the foliage nearby.
The rules of bivouacking
No matter where you choose to stay, there are some rules that should be respected when you bivouac. It is forbidden to camp in nature reserves and protected sites. After deciding where you would like to stop, we recommend that you find out more about the site and contact the landowner. You should ask for permission to camp, get their agreement and respect their rules. Our team is available to discuss you plans and help you choose your campsite. Campfires are not allowed in nature except on rare occasions due to the risk of fire. Please make sure you leave the site as you found it and remember to take all your rubbish with you!
There are shelters as well as unusual accommodation options in the woods or the countryside. For more information contact our Tourist Offices.
Are you tempted by bivouacking?
The Tourist Office in Épinal offers bivouac hiking with a guide so that you can learn how to adapt and "live" in the forest.
Albane Lessard is a mountain guide and former high-level sportsperson. She will introduce you to different methods for hiking freely. The program includes:
- how to start your own fire (initiation and making of a roaring fire)
- how to protect yourself against the cold
- how to make your own hut or bivouac
- what to eat!
