The Little Balloon

Parking Auberge du Ried

From the car park take the road to Wasserbourg at the crossroads (blue triangle). At hill 904, go up the Hertzog path on the right (yellow triangle), an itinerary that was very dear to this former president of the CV Munster from 1956 to 1983. The exit from the forest leads to the Wasematten hills, from where you can see the Wasserbourg valley and the lower Munster valley which opens up towards the plain. At the Buchwald crossroads (Mémorial Emile Hertzog), continue left towards the farmhouse inn and then take the path (yellow ring) which passes the remains of the intermediary station of the railway;The trail leads past the remains of the intermediate station of the cable car, built by the Germans in 1915, which linked Wasserbourg to the underground fortress they had built on the eastern flank of the Petit Ballon. After the chicane climb up to the carriage road (red trestle), continue on your right to the crossroads of the Strohberg (CV post). On the left the path (yellow triangle) goes into the forest towards the summit of the Petit Ballon (1272m). The end of this path is quite steep and impassable if there is snow. After the statue of the Virgin, pass the chicane and go down to the right (red triangle) towards the crossroads of Kahlenwasen. Cross the road and continue (red triangle) towards the place called Kegelritz (1166m) and then the Steinberg arch (1177m) which separates the Sondernach and Breitenbach valleys. The path winds between the galithes, impressive heaps of large rocks, which are what remains today of this great massif, the image of the Alps which, millions of years ago, were destroyed by the sea;After the Grothkopf and a beautiful view of the Grande Vall de la Fecht, the path descends in the middle of a large area of high stubble to the signpost. Turn right (red triangle) towards the Schoenenklang and the Petit Ballon. The path leads up to the ruins of the old Schoenenklang marcai and on to the Kegelritz. Cross the road and follow the path (blue disc) down to the Kahlenwassen farmhouse. The path continues on the other side of the road through the pasture and a small forest to Schweng 934m. Take the road on the right for about 100m, then at the roundabout leave the road on the left to go down the meadow and after the footbridge continue on the left towards the Ried and the red disc to return to the starting point.