Guidebook to a principal north-south long-distance walking route through eastern France, traversing the Vosges and the Haut-Jura plateau along the GR5/GR53. The 687km (427-mile) waymarked path traverses the entire length of the Vosges, and then climbs up onto the plateau of the Haut-Jura before dropping down to Nyon on the shores of Lake Geneva. The GR5 is one of the great walking routes across Europe, crossing the continent from the Dutch coast to the Mediterranean, and the route described here is the central section (518km) from Schirmeck down to Lake Geneva. In addition, the GR53 in the Northern Vosges from Wissembourg to Schirmeck (169km) is described as an offshoot of the GR5 that allows walkers to complete the entire chain of the Vosges.
The route is presented in 11 chapters, which in turn are broken into short sections of a few hours each, allowing for a flexible itinerary and easy route planning. There are also suggestions for shorter circular routes making use of sections of the GR53/GR5, as well as an overview of other long-distance routes in the region. A summary of local history, plants and wildlife and delicacies can be found in the introduction and appendices offer details of facilities on route and full accommodation listings.
Two further Cicerone guidebooks cover the remaining sections of the GR5; 'The GR5 Trail - Benelux and Lorraine', and 'The GR5 Trail' which covers the route from Lac Léman to the Mediterranean.