Domaine des Messires

A well-deserved five stars!

At first, we felt a bit out of place. The town of Bruyères and its immediate surroundings—aside from the beautiful natural scenery—do give off a somewhat run-down impression. But in hindsight, that turned out to be an advantage: it puts you just a bit further away from the very touristy heart of the Vosges and … the accompanying crowds, while Bruyères still has all the amenities you need.

The campground itself is beautifully laid out. Hats off to the owners for maintaining the balance between the campsites, the lake (le lac), and the forest on the property, which is all part of the campground. Hopefully it stays that way, because it’s truly a gem. We had a spot along the lake (at the end of the campground), which was perfect for us, since we prefer peace and nature. It’s a bit busier in the central area, but all the spots are spacious enough. You can even find the exact dimensions for each spot on the map. Water and electricity are available right next to each campsite.

The restrooms are well-maintained; we ran into cleaning staff several times a day. Of course, a lot also depends on the other campers... The showers are fine in the summer, but might be a bit trickier in the shoulder season. That’s because the water temperature isn’t very consistent. When it’s less crowded, this might be less of an issue.

There’s also a nice little beach, ideal for families with young children. But you can also just go into the water right from your own campsite! The tall grass in the water helps keep the pond clean (unlike the blue-green algae that often runs rampant elsewhere), though they could keep a slightly wider strip along the campground “grass-free.” SUPs and kayaks are available for free (albeit in 45-minute increments, but what a perfect service!). You can also borrow petanque sets and other games at no cost.

The restaurant is also excellent. In the morning, you can get delicious pastries there, and in the evening, you can enjoy a lovely and very affordable dinner. The selection is relatively limited, but the value for money is incredible. In short: this campground is a textbook example of how things should be. Not everything is perfect, but the guest really is the focus. You can feel it.

This specific area isn’t described in detail in the Michelin Green Guide, so planning a two-week itinerary takes a bit of searching. But—as we discovered on a bike ride toward the Hohneck—that’s actually not a disadvantage at all. It’s a 15-minute drive to Gérardmer and “the cols,” which has the major advantage of making the area around the campground much quieter. Our second bike ride right around the campground was actually much more enjoyable than exploring the famous mountain passes; after all, during peak season, the “Route des Crêtes” is practically a half-highway of RVs, motorcyclists, and other motorized traffic.

Recommended spots nearby:

Hiking: Cascades du Tendon, Tour des 3 Lacs (challenging!), Sentier des Roches (very challenging!).

Museums & Culture: Abbaye Notre-Dame d’Autrey, Écomusée du Pays de la Cerise, Fort d’Uxegney (a bit tedious), Camp Celtique de la Bure.

Towns: Saint-Dié-des-Vosges and Épinal are highly recommended; Remiremont is very charming; Plombières-les-Bains is an eye-opener. You’re better off skipping Bruyères itself and Gérardmer. We also visited Colmar and Eguisheim; it’s a little over an hour’s drive, but definitely worth it.

Atmosphere: The artisanal evening market on Wednesday nights (in the summer) in Granges-Aumontzey is really charming! Read more Show less

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We rented a tent ⛺ through Interhom, and despite the incorrect information on their website, we were warmly welcomed by our Dutch hosts. The campground is very quiet, and we appreciated how cool it was at night compared to the heat wave outside...

We loved it

A beautiful place with nice people 👍🏻