We started driving early as it would be a 6 hour drive and we wanted to do a short walk. We arrived early in the afternoon and started the trek from the parking at the Lido Restaurant at the lakeshore of the Lac de Gérardmer (673m / 2,208ft.). It was a steep and very rocky path up. Eventueally the path became less steep and we started the descent again. We had to go up a bit to reach the watchtower of Tête de Mérelle (693m / 2,943ft.) and get a great view of the lake and its surroundings. Next itw as down down down until we reached the parking again.
We then drove to our hotel in the lovely city of Gérardmer. After a shower we walked to a nearby restaurant that also was a micro brewery for a local beer and dinner.
This day we walked approximately 1h15m.
After breakfast we drove to Steinabruck (492m / 1,614ft.). It was about 50 minutes over there via small roads winding through the woods and hills. We parked the car near the Auberge de la Wormsa and started walking. After we had cleared the woods, we could see the snow on the peaks around us and could feel the temperature dropping as we got higher. We obviously were ill-prepared without gloves and without a coat that could stop the wind. By the time we were getting close to Le Hohneck, we were walking on snow, sometimes kneedeep in it. We had hot chocolate at the restaurant on top of Le Hohneck (1.363m / 4,472ft.) and lunch outside. We then continued down via the lake of Schiessrothried (1.142m / 3,747). By then it was clearly getting warmer. After a long descent, eventually through forest again, we arrived back at the car in Steinabruck (492m / 1,614ft.).
After breakafst and a short drive from Gérardmer we reached the Col de la Schlucht (1.139m / 3,737ft.). It would be a relatively easy day (little altitude differences). We followed the path over the ridge. It went up slightly before reaching the highest point at 1.302m / 4,272ft. We had great views down. At Gazon de Faing we went down a bit and then returned towards the Col de Schlucht below the ridge we had just walked in the opposite direction. We passed the lovely lakes Lac des Truites and Lac Vert (which was not very green though).
This day we planned to do a combination of two somewhat shorter routes. First we drove again to the Col de la Schlucht (1.139m / 3,737ft.). From there we walked downhill at first and then up, through some field of snow, to the little Hohneck (1.289m / 4,229ft.) and then continued to Le Hohneck (1.363m / 4,472ft.). The path went slowly down to the Col de la Schlucht (1.139m / 3,737ft.) from there.