The Hautes-Vosges, and especially the Haut du Tôt, are dotted with wayside crosses. Also called calvaries, these monuments built in stone are an important part of the territory's identity and built heritage.
The origins of the wayside crosses
There are 3 main origins
- The plague crosses, erected in memory of the inhabitants who perished by the plague between 1630 and 1637 and who were buried away from inhabited places
- Devotional crosses erected in honor of God or for the souls in purgatory
- Crosses erected in honor of soldiers killed in action during the liberation of 1944
398 years of road crosses !
The collector's cross, the oldest in the area, dates from 1602. Located on the chemin des Tilleuls, in Vagney, it was built on the site where a tax collector was murdered
The most recent one was erected at Haut du Tôt during the Holy Week of the year 2000. In the foundations, a bottle containing the names of all the inhabitants was sealed. An original way to mark the passage to the new millennium!
The circuit of the road crosses
This circuit is composed of two loops and starts from the col de la Croix des Hêtres. The first loop (2.5 km) allows you to see the first 4 crosses which are spread over the Haut des Charmes. The second (3.5 km) goes through Moyenmont and the Haut du Tôt to discover crosses 5 to 11.
Animations
In July and August, it is possible to walk this circuit with Daniel Thiriet, a volunteer of the ASF, who presents the origin and the history of each of the crosses of the Haut du Tôt, as well as the rural life in the farms during the last centuries. This guided tour ends with the church, built by the inhabitants in 1832. 3.5 km are covered on foot (without difficulty), the rest is done by car.
Contact : Daniel Thiriet - 03 29 61 73 24
Source: OT COMMUNAUTAIRE DE LA BRESSE HAUTES VOSGES
Col de la Croix des Hêtres, Sapois
StatisticsSelect one of the most popular activities below or refine your search.
Discover the most beautiful and popular trails in the area, carefully bundled into appropriate selections.
Select one of the most popular categories below or be inspired by our selections.
Discover the most beautiful and popular attractions in the area, carefully bundled in appropriate selections.
With RouteYou, it's easy to create your own customised maps. Simply plot your route, add waypoints or nodes, add places of interest and places to eat and drink, and then easily share it with your family and friends.
Route planner<iframe src="https://plugin.routeyou.com/poiviewer/free/?language=en&params.poi.id=8946053" width="100%" height="600" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Try this feature for free with a RouteYou Plus trial subscription.
If you already have such an account, then log in now.
© 2006-2024 RouteYou - www.routeyou.com