Le Tholy has 1,536 inhabitants according to the Tholy Tourisme website, which describes it as one of the few villages in the Vosges built on a hillside, in the valley of the lakes (vallée des lacs), a few kilometres from Gérardmer. The towns and villages page of the Gérardmer Hautes Vosges tourist office repeats this feature. Here is what these sources publish, reread on 19 October 2026.
A village born in the 16th century
According to the page “Découvrir Le Tholy”, the village was born around the middle of the 16th century, after a large migration from Alsace. The first inhabitants found a valley covered with forests, rising to 892 metres, a former glacial site between Gérardmer and Remiremont. The parish was established on 16 December 1663, with a church built on the site chosen by Saint Pierre Fourier. In 1669, Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine, ordered the creation of the “Ban de Saint Joseph”, which became the commune of Le Tholy in 1791.
The village looks towards the Vosges summits, including the Hohneck (1,363 m). To place the commune in relation to the lake and the neighbouring town, see our guide to the lake of Gérardmer. The neighbouring commune of Tendon, which its town hall website says can be reached from Gérardmer by the D11, taken at the entrance to Le Tholy, has its portrait in our article on Tendon and Thiéfosse.
The church, its stained glass and the chapel
The Tholy Tourisme website states that the church has stained-glass windows made from 1947 by Gabriel Loire, less than three years after their destruction. They have been registered with the church, since 2014, as historic monuments. Guided tours are to be requested from the tourist office (03 29 27 27 27). The page gives neither days nor prices.
The chapel was erected, according to the same source, in gratitude to the Virgin for the protection granted to the inhabitants during the German retreat and the liberation of 1944. On 10 September 1944, as the fighting drew closer, the parishioners promised to “live more Christian lives” and, insofar as each family considered itself protected, to make an offering to erect a monument to the Virgin that would become the centre of a pilgrimage held every year on the feast of the Nativity.
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.
Craftspeople and producers in the “Le Tholy” section
The craftspeople page lists, among others, in its section devoted to the village:
- the Atelier du Chant du Cou, stoneware pottery: wood-fired kiln, ash glazes, roof finials and a visit to the gallery;
- Équival, saddlery and leather goods: handbags, purses, belts and leather art objects, with workshops and courses; open every day in summer and in the afternoon out of season;
- Clés & Piston: repair and sale of instruments, visits possible on request;
- the Isa.B stained-glass workshop and the DidotKnife knife maker, whose forge is open as part of courses.
On the local produce side, the page lists, among others, Le Vosgien Gourmet, the shop of the Pierrat charcuterie (more than 500 products, gourmet aperitifs by reservation every day, meals with commentary during school holidays), the Ferme du bien-être (shop open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to noon and from 2 to 6 pm, closed on public holidays), the La Bonlohi brewery (beers produced on site, direct sales) and the Faing la Biche organic farm (organic farm eggs on a self-service basis). The page “Découvrir Le Tholy” also mentions a clearance sale at the Garnier-Thiebaut factory shop in Kichompré, twice a year, “at the end of October and the end of December”, without giving the 2026 dates: to be confirmed before making the trip. For the textile background, see our article on the textile heritage of the Hautes Vosges.
Mountain biking and hiking
Tholy Tourisme announces more than 110 km of waymarked mountain bike circuits, with six circuits in its website menu, and ten hiking circuits in the menu. To compare with other areas, see our mountain bike circuits in the Vosges. The Tholy Tourisme website carries mentions from 2022 and events from 2024: we do not use any of them, and the tourist office (03 29 27 27 27) remains the right contact for the calendar. It runs a secondary information office in Le Tholy, open all year according to the towns and villages page.
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
What is there to see in Le Tholy?
According to the Tholy Tourisme website, the church, whose stained-glass windows by Gabriel Loire, made from 1947, have been registered with the building as historic monuments since 2014, and the chapel erected in gratitude to the Virgin for the protection of the inhabitants during the German retreat and the liberation of 1944. The website also lists craft workshops and producers.
Can you visit the church in Le Tholy?
The Tholy Tourisme website mentions guided tours and invites visitors to ask the tourist office, which can be reached on 03 29 27 27 27. The page publishes neither days nor prices.
How many kilometres of mountain bike circuits are there in Le Tholy?
Tholy Tourisme announces more than 110 kilometres of waymarked circuits, with six mountain bike circuits in the website menu.