It is also advisable that you take a map with you and ask any Tourist Office available for information on the different sites you want to go to. This will allow you to enjoy all the different hiking trails, whether they are beaten tracks or not, in a moment of quietude.
Plan your itinerary
Freedom must rhyme with safety! You are recommended to prepare your itinerary in advance and more specifically to evaluate the distance and the walking pace. The aim of a hike is not to be back at night or to be exhausted due to inadequate planning. The average walking speed is 4 kilometres per hour including breaks. This pace can be lowered to 3 kilometres per hour if children are present and when joints remind us that some of us are not 20 years old anymore.
The basics
Our advice to hikers with less experience is to be equipped with a good pair of suitable shoes but also, depending on the distance, not to forget to bring enough water and snacks. Sometimes, some hikers, although they are experienced, feel a little too curious and keep walking on marked trails and forget to anticipate the distance. Be reasonnable, preparation and prevention is best for all...
Reliefs in the Vosges
The thin contour lines on maps are valuable indications on the reliefs which of course influence the hiker’s pace. Therefore, it is best to take them into account even though the lland in the Vosges is made of more gentle and less steep slopes than those in other mountain ranges.
Topographic maps or apps dedicated to hiking also offer a lot of information about the points of interest such as the hot springs in the forest of Fontenoy-Le-Château, which are marked by a blue symbol. Doesn’t it make you want to escape to this wild area?
Reading a map consists of collecting the maximum amount of information to hike alone or with your family. It also implies planning an itinerary for everyone with a certain peace of mind. Moreover, remember that reading a map is already exploring and dreaming about the area.
