Vosgian Valleys Menu Heritage and Tours Sceneries and Men History of Men Geology and Climate Landscapes Hautes-Vosges The “Plateau des Mille Etangs” Fougerolles and Val d’Ajol Valleys Ballons of Franche-Comté Vosgian Valleys Haut-Rhin Valleys Wine-growing Foothills Natural Heritage Forests High Stubble Lakes, Ponds, Peatlands Ravines, Cliffs and Scree Slopes Calcareous Grasslands Orchards Local Products and Craftsmanship Marque Parc (Park Label) Wood Cladding Mineral and Natural Spring Waters Wooden Toys Honey and Fruit Juice Wooden Furniture for Children Products Vosgian Cattle Breed Fougerolles Orchards and Kirsch Cheeses Small Fruit, Aromatic and Medicinal Plants Alsatian Wine Fish Farming Smoked Meats and Andouilles Farm Shops Craftsmanship Textile Granite Lava Sandstone Wood industry Farmhouse-Inns Farm Markets Cultural Heritage Thermal Heritage Industrial Heritage Farms Country of Art and History Religious Heritage Intangible Cutural Heritage Heritage and Memory Castles Thematic Roads and Tracks Tourist Routes Barefoot Trails Treetop Adventure Park Museums and Heritage Sites Thermal Baths Parks and Botanical Gardens Venues for Shows, Exhibitions and Festivals At the Park Doors Colmar Belfort Lure Mulhouse Luxeuil-les-Bains Remiremont Saint-Dié-des-Vosges Environment Awareness Structures Nature activities Guided Walks and Discovery trails A Farm, A Hike Mountain Guides Reception Centres for Educational Stays Pedestrian Hikes Club Vosgien / Club Alpin (Vosgian / Alpine Clubs) Winter Activities Aeromodelism Water Sports Mountain Biking and Cyclo-Tourism Fishing Equine Activities Climbing Trail Skydiving Nature vacations Camping in Nature Panda Lodgings and Guesthouses Hôtels au Naturel (Hotels in Natural Settings) The Vologne, Moselle, Moselotte, and Meurthe Valleys reach into the mountains until the high crest, thus facilitating traffic and settlement. Despite rather poor soils, the first colons first cleared the valleys bottoms, then the lower slopes, before settling in to develop a pastoral activity. For historical reasons, individual land exploitation was favoured in the Lorraine region. As a result, isolated exploitations can be found on the Lorraine mountain side, which also enjoys gentler – and therefore accessible – slopes. Dwellings are imposing square farms. Each farm was totally autonomous and its inhabitants could withstand the winter without outside help. Textile factories and sawmills used a lot of water from the river running through the valley floor. These companies enabled inhabitants to remain in the village, offering them work and accommodation in workers’ estates. The wood industry, agriculture and winter and summer tourism are great assets for the Vosges Mountains nowadays. These modernized exploitations welcome tourists who came to discover local produce, among which the Géromé – ancestor of Munster cheese – made with raw milk. Its name comes from Gérardmer, renowned for its cheese market and its lake. Of glacial origin, the Gérardmer Lake is the largest water body in the Vosges region, with the Longemer Lake in its footsteps. Ten lakes surround the Vosges median crest.