Peat bogs are the discreet jewels of the High Vosges. Living memory of the glaciations, they harbour fauna and flora found nowhere else. Here are five easy walks around La Bresse, on boardwalks, accessible to all.
1. Lispach peat bog
The best-known and most accessible from La Bresse. A 1 km loop on a wooden boardwalk around Lac de Lispach.
- Duration: 30 minutes
- Elevation: none
- Access: Lispach estate car park
- Highlights: cottongrass, sundew, lake views
More info on the Lispach estate.
2. Tanet peat bog
In the heart of the Tanet Gazon du Faing nature reserve, the largest peat bog in the Vosges. Marked trail, 2 km.
- Duration: 1 hour
- Elevation: 50 m
- Access: Col de la Schlucht
- Highlights: sundew, cranberry, panorama towards the Alsace plain
See our complete guide to the Tanet Gazon du Faing reserve.
3. Frankenthal peat bog
At the foot of the Hohneck, in a spectacular glacial cirque. A 2.5 km loop to combine with marmot watching.
- Duration: 1h30
- Elevation: 100 m
- Access: Col de la Schlucht or Stosswihr
- Highlights: marmots, cottongrass, Hohneck rock face
4. Machais peat bog
Confidential and well preserved, in the Cornimont valley. Short and informative access on a marked trail.
- Duration: 45 minutes
- Elevation: 80 m
- Access: from La Bresse, towards Col du Bramont
- Highlights: acidic flora, sphagnum, floating mats
5. Sewen lake and peat bog (Alsatian side)
Further afield but worth the trip: peat bog ringing the lake. You can walk all the way round.
- Duration: 2 hours
- Elevation: 50 m
- Access: from Masevaux
- Highlights: typical flora, view of the Ballon d’Alsace
Rules to follow
- Stay on the boardwalk, never off-trail
- No picking in peat bogs
- Dogs on lead, ideally left at the car park in reserves
- No swimming, no drones
- Silence to observe wildlife
Good to know
- Wellies or waterproof shoes recommended outside summer
- Insect repellent in July and August, especially in the evening
- Many species are protected: photograph, do not pull anything up
- Peat bogs are major carbon sinks, their preservation is essential
Plan your walk
Combine these peat bogs with a discovery of the Parc naturel régional des Ballons des Vosges or a Hohneck hike. To stay nearby, discover our chalets in La Bresse.
Frequently asked questions
What is a peat bog?
An acidic wetland where plant matter accumulates without fully decomposing, forming peat. The Vosges count more than 200 of them.
Can you walk in a peat bog?
Only on the fitted boardwalks. Off-trail, trampling destroys the habitat and is dangerous (collapsible zones).
What is the best season?
May and June for cottongrass in bloom, July and August for the full flora, October for the colours.
Can you swim in them?
No, swimming is forbidden in peat bogs (fragile habitat, cold water, unstable bottom).
Are they pram-accessible?
Lispach and Frankenthal partially, on stabilised boardwalk. Check before you set off.