Cleurie, Cheniménil and Herpelmont (around Gérardmer)
Cleurie is in a wooded valley near Le Tholy, about 15 minutes from Gérardmer, whose lake has a promenade, boat hire and a summer beach. Longemer and Retournemer, smaller and quieter, are a few minutes further up the valley. Cheniménil and Herpelmont are on the lower western side, towards Épinal and Bruyères, which makes Épinal's shops and station easy to reach. Basel-Mulhouse airport is around an hour and three quarters away.
Best for: Families who want lakes, forest walks and a ski slope within half an hour
Not for you if: You want to walk to the lake: these villages are 15 to 30 minutes from Gérardmer by car.
La Bresse and Ventron (the High Vosges)
La Bresse is a mountain town with the Vosges' biggest ski area, La Bresse-Hohneck, on its doorstep, plus cross-country trails and, in summer, mountain biking and walks up to the Hohneck ridge. Ventron, over the hill to the south, has a smaller family ski area at the Ermitage du Frère Joseph, above the village. The Route des Crêtes, the high road along the ridge, is around 20 minutes away. Basel-Mulhouse airport is about an hour and a half by road.
Best for: Skiers and hikers who want to be on the slopes
Not for you if: You need guaranteed snow: these are mid-altitude resorts and winters vary a lot.
Fraize and the Col du Bonhomme (towards Saint-Dié)
Fraize is a small town in the upper Meurthe valley, below the Col du Bonhomme pass. Over the col the road drops into Alsace, with Kaysersberg and the wine villages around 40 minutes away and Colmar not much further. Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, about 20 minutes north, has a TGV station and a cathedral rebuilt after 1944. Lac Blanc and the Route des Crêtes are reached from the col in summer.
Best for: Walkers who want a base for both Lorraine and the Alsace wine villages
Not for you if: You want ski runs nearby: the slopes at the col are small and snow is patchy.
Damelevières and Villers-en-Haye (around Nancy)
Damelevières is on the Meurthe about 10 minutes from Lunéville, whose large 18th-century château and gardens were built for the Dukes of Lorraine. Nancy, around 25 minutes away, has the Place Stanislas and a big collection of Art Nouveau glass and furniture. Villers-en-Haye is in the Forêt de Haye country north of Nancy, about 25 minutes from both Nancy and Pont-à-Mousson. Luxembourg airport is around an hour and a half away.
Best for: City-and-countryside trips with Nancy's squares and museums close by
Not for you if: You want mountains: the Lorraine plateau is farmland and river valleys.
Haselbourg, Walscheid and Cirey-sur-Vezouze (the Moselle hills)
Haselbourg is near Dabo, whose sandstone rock carries a chapel and a viewpoint over the forest, and the Saint-Louis-Arzviller boat lift, which raises canal barges up the hillside in a tank. Walscheid is close to Abreschviller, where a forest railway runs in summer. Cirey-sur-Vezouze is about 40 minutes south, near Baccarat's crystal works and the Lac de Pierre-Percée. Strasbourg is about an hour from Haselbourg, but has no UK flights.
Best for: Forest walkers and anyone curious about canals and old railways
Not for you if: You want lively villages: this is quiet sandstone and forest country.
