Mont Avison

Mont Avison is a wooded summit in the Vosges mountains overlooking Bruyères, known both for its panoramic lookout tower and for traces of settlement nearly two thousand years old.

Where is it and how do you get there?

Mont Avison, also called Grande Avison, rises to 593 metres above sea level just north of Bruyères, in the Grand Est region. The Arentèle stream has its source on the mountain's northern slope. The foot of the hill is a short drive from the centre of Bruyères, and from there marked hiking and mountain-biking trails climb toward the summit, ranging from easy family routes to more technical sections for experienced riders. Detailed trail maps are available from the Bruyères tourist office.

What can you see at the summit?

The summit's best-known feature is a stone lookout tower, known locally as the mirador, built in 1900 to a height of 15 metres — it replaced an earlier wooden structure on the same spot. The tower gives a 360-degree view over the surrounding countryside. Next to it stands an orientation table, donated in 1898 by a local alpine club, which helps visitors identify the hills and ridges visible from the top. The tower suffered serious damage during the fighting of October 1944 and was repaired in 1957. The summit area also has picnic spots, making it a natural stop for a rest after the climb.

What lies beneath the surface — the archaeology of Avison

Mont Avison is more than a viewpoint: it is also an archaeological site. The hill was occupied in the late Gallo-Roman period, at the turn of the 3rd and 4th centuries CE, as one of several highland settlements linked to other fortified sites in the region. Proper excavations took place in 1967–1968, uncovering several dozen Roman coins, fragments of around forty ceramic vessels — including bowls, mortars, strainers and rounded pots — and the remains of simple structures. The ceramic finds are now kept at the Pierre-Noël Museum in Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, while carved stones and reliefs from the site are held at the Departmental Art Museum in Épinal.

What else is there to see nearby?

Close to the summit stand the Chapelle de la Roche (Chapel of the Rock) and the Saint-Georges spring, long said to have miraculous properties. Both make a good addition to a visit to Avison, combining a walk through the forest with a look at local history and tradition.

When should you visit?

The trails up Mont Avison are open for most of the year, but the clearest views from the tower come between late spring and early autumn, when the weather favours longer walks and the tree canopy doesn't obscure the panorama too much later in the season. In winter, the climb up the forest paths can be noticeably harder going.

Frequently asked questions

How high is Mont Avison? The summit reaches 593 metres above sea level.

Can you go up the tower at the top? Yes — the stone mirador built in 1900 and repaired in 1957 is open to visitors and offers views in every direction.

Are there archaeological remains to see on site? The 1967–1968 excavations are not displayed in place today, but the finds — Roman coins and pottery — can be seen at museums in Saint-Dié-des-Vosges and Épinal.

What routes lead to the summit? The Bruyères tourist office publishes marked hiking and cycling routes of varying difficulty, including one known as the Circuit de l'Avison.