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Parking is available at the end of the small road signposted “Lac de la Maix” from Vexaincourt, a village on the D392 road between Raon-l’Etape and the Col du Donon. On the left-hand side of the small road, there is space for 4 or 5 cars, and on the right-hand side of the road, there is access to a larger car park.
N.B. It is not possible to start from the car park between 15 June and 15 September (barrier down). The remaining distance to cover on the small tarmac road is 2.9 km.
Signposting: Yellow Ring + Blue Diamond + Red and Yellow
(S) Go through the forest barrier and immediately take a path on the left. After about 200 m, turn left onto a track towards Prayé. The track climbs steadily through the forest. From time to time, you can catch a glimpse of the summit of the Donon on the left through the trees.
(1) You’ll come out onto a track; follow it to the right for about 50 metres.
(2) At the crossroads, turn left onto a track towards Prayé. Head eastwards downhill, ignoring any paths branching off to the left or right. You will come to a small road in the Clairière de Prayé.
Yellow Ring markings
(3) Take the road to the right and walk past the Refuge Roger Laederich on your right.
(4) After about 1.2 km on the road, leave it and turn right onto the Route Forestière du Haut du Bon Dieu. This wide track climbs gently to a large crossroads at a place called Le Haut du Bon Dieu.
Yellow Triangle markings
(5) At the far end of the crossroads (west), look for a tree marked with the number 72 (forest plot) and signs (on the right, a wayside shrine which you can visit). Then take a path on the left which leads into the forest, climbing slightly. At a flat section, look for a sign pointing to the right towards “Les Auges”.
No signposting
(6) Follow this direction, to the right, and you will very quickly reach the Roches à Auges site. Retrace your steps.
Yellow Triangle Markings
(7) Follow the marked path again, to the right. You’ll reach a crossroads.
No signposting
(7) Turn right onto the path that runs between two trees marked with numbers 87 (on the left) and 72 (on the right). Stay on this path, which descends steeply through dense woodland, and ignore the smaller paths branching off to the left or right. At the bottom of the descent, you will reach a crossroads.
(8) Take the first path on the right, between plot numbers 73 and 72. Head uphill and walk through open terrain (on the left, a view of the Tête du Coquin). Ignore a path branching off to the right and head back down to reach a Y-junction where you will find signposting again. Turn right and you will immediately reach the Fontaine Colas Lorrain (a spring by the side of the path).
Red Triangle Markings
(9) Take the path that starts opposite the spring, heading north-west. The path winds its way through the trees and rocks and leads to the Roches à Cupules site.
(10) Retrace your steps back to the spring.
Yellow Disc markings (+ Red Disc at the start)
(9) Turn left as you descend, heading towards Lac de la Maix. At a T-junction, turn right and climb slightly. After a few dozen metres, leave a path (not shown on the map) marked with a Red Disc, and head left towards the lake. Stay on the wide path marked with a Yellow Disc, which offers a clearer and less steep route.
(11) At a fork, take the left-hand path which descends to the chapel overlooking Lac de la Maix to the west and reach the lake.
(12) Walk along the lake, ignoring the paths branching off to the left. Pass the information boards, continue eastwards to the forest gate and you will immediately return to the starting point.
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Difficult 
