The La Bresse Hautes Vosges tourist office area includes 14 communes. Its page “Découvrir les villages” states that each one has its own character, traditions and heritage. Four of them get their first portrait here: Gerbamont, Basse-sur-le-Rupt, Cleurie and La Forge. Here is what their commune listings and those of their sites say, reread on 14 October, supplemented by the Mérimée database of the Ministry of Culture for the Gerbamont chapel.
The four villages at a glance
| Commune | Range in metres given by the listing | Sites named by the listing |
|---|---|---|
| Gerbamont | 450 to 1,088 m | Bouchot waterfall, Saint-Desle chapel |
| Basse-sur-le-Rupt | 600 to 1,060 m | Piquante Pierre, Croix des Moinats, Haut du Roc |
| Cleurie | not given | serpentine rocks, rock shelters of the Hêtre de la Vierge |
| La Forge | 480 to 820 m | Roches chevalières, Saint-Augustin fountain |
Gerbamont: a wide valley and the Saint-Del chapel
Gerbamont opens onto a wide valley and, according to the listing, extends between 450 and 1,088 m. The listing describes open landscapes maintained by several farms that offer their products. It names two sites: the Bouchot waterfall and the Saint-Desle chapel, an 18th-century building. According to the listing, the chapel’s carved polychrome wooden altarpiece and its rustic benches, made of beams squared with an axe, are classified as historic monuments.
The Mérimée database calls the building the Saint-Del chapel. It places it at the place called Grand-Clozel and gives construction in 1715, registration as a historic monument by order of 5 April 1993 and an association as owner. It also mentions an annual pilgrimage on 18 January.
The Saut du Bouchot falls 28 metres at Sapois, close to the chapel according to the waterfall’s listing. Access and the protection of the site are detailed in our article on the Saut du Bouchot.
The La Bresse guide, winter 2026-2027 edition
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Basse-sur-le-Rupt: seven hamlets between 600 and 1,060 m
Basse-sur-le-Rupt is a mountain village made up of seven hamlets, between 600 and 1,060 m in altitude. The Hauts de Presles area, called “la petite Suisse” (little Switzerland) for its open and preserved landscapes, is named by the listing. The sites to discover are the Piquante Pierre, the Croix des Moinats and the Haut du Roc.
The Piquante Pierre pasture (a chaume) is a site protected and enhanced by the Conservatoire d’Espaces Naturels de Lorraine. It is reached from the col de Menufosse, between Basse-sur-le-Rupt and La Bresse. The listing recalls that a chaume is a high-altitude meadow, a traditional Vosges landscape, and that the gradual abandonment of farms lets the forest return and makes these open landscapes disappear. The site takes its name from a block of granite that overlooks the valley at 1,008 m altitude. This monolith bears on one face a plaque in tribute to the 83 maquisards (Resistance fighters) shot during the Second World War.
Our article on the sea of clouds around La Bresse presents the Haut du Roc among its viewpoints.
Cleurie and La Forge: serpentine, soapbox cars and accessible fishing
In Cleurie, the listing describes a village with a well-kept setting, local crafts, a few businesses, rural events and forest walks. It names the serpentine rocks and the rock shelters of the Hêtre de la Vierge. Its anecdote concerns the soapbox racing track: very technical, it has five bends over 1.2 km and regularly hosts regional and even national championships, as in 2006.
La Forge lies in the Cleurie valley. Its housing is scattered on the valley floor and on the sunniest slope, called the adret, between 480 and 820 m in altitude. The listing mentions a fishing course accessible to people with reduced mobility and names two sites: the Roches chevalières and the Saint-Augustin fountain.
Preparing an outing
The listings give neither distances nor walking times: in our reading, it is better to prepare the route on a map before setting out. For information, the Piquante Pierre and Saut du Bouchot listings give 03 29 24 88 69, the number of the tourist office’s Vagney branch, 11 place Caritey.
The La Bresse guide, winter 2026-2027 edition
Opening dates, official pass prices, school holidays and good addresses, in a free PDF updated on 24 October 2026.
Your details are used only to process this request. Privacy policy (in French).
Free PDF, no newsletter sign-up.
Frequently asked questions
How many communes does the La Bresse Hautes Vosges tourist office area include?
Fourteen, according to the tourist office page "Découvrir les villages". Gerbamont, Basse-sur-le-Rupt, Cleurie and La Forge are among them.
What is there to see in Gerbamont?
The listing mentions the Bouchot waterfall and the Saint-Desle chapel, which the Mérimée database calls the Saint-Del chapel: built in 1715, it has been registered as a historic monument since 5 April 1993. According to the listing, its carved polychrome wooden altarpiece and rustic benches are classified.
What does the plaque at the Piquante Pierre commemorate?
The tourist office listing states that a granite monolith, at 1,008 m altitude, bears a plaque in tribute to the 83 maquisards shot during the Second World War.