Passion Vosges

The first stage of the account of a north-south crossing of the Vosges, from Wissembourg to the Ballon d’Alsace, with Passion Vosges, the magazine dedicated to hiking. This stage is recounted by Franck Buchy in Passion Vosges.

From the ‘Little Switzerland’ of Alsace to the Bruche Valley, this seventh stage of the journey through the Vosges, presented by Passion Vosges magazine published by DNA and L’Alsace, takes you through the wild heights of the Schneeberg and introduces you to the castles and the Nideck Waterfall between Wangenbourg-Engenthal and Urmatt. A stage narrated by Romain Gascon. The entire route follows the Red Rectangle, unless otherwise stated.

The eleventh stage of the journey through the Vosges proposed by Passion Vosges magazine, published by Les Dernières Nouvelles d’Alsace and L’Alsace, is also one of the longest of the trip. Starting from the vineyards, it will take you through the foothill forests via the Ungersberg Pass before reaching the small town of Châtenois and its ramparts. A report on this eleventh stage by Olivier Terrenère can be found in Passion Vosges.

With this superb twelfth stage of the Vosges crossing proposed by Passion Vosges magazine, published by Les Dernières Nouvelles d’Alsace and L’Alsace, the hiker visits a series of castles, starting with the iconic Haut-Koenigsbourg. After a lovely detour into the valley of the mountain village of Thannenkirch, a final climb leads to the steep and spectacular site of the three castles overlooking the charming wine-growing town of Ribeauvillé, the end point of this 20-kilometre route.

Stage thirteen, from Ribeauvillé to Le Bonhomme, is very long and involves a significant climb. It marks the hiker’s entry into the Hautes-Vosges and its first major peaks: Hirzberg and Brézouard, via the Lapoutroie valley. With a mountain atmosphere and superb views in store.

A lovely walk starting from Hohwald, heading towards the Source de l'Andlau via the Champ du Feu. Then a return route via the beautiful Cascade de l'Andlau and the Lindenhof, where a farmhouse inn offers refreshments. This walk is refreshing in summer; during the heat of the day, you will mostly walk in the shade and be accompanied at times by the murmur of the small stream flowing below.

A beautiful hike starting from the Col du Wettstein, with steep climbs up to the ridge above Lac Noir and Lac Forlet, a descent towards Forlet, where caution is advised, then a gentle stretch to the Musmiss Farm Inn (a gourmet stop) and then, in ten minutes, back to the Col du Wettstein.

A hike starting from the hamlet of Schnepfenried, towards the Schnepfenriedkopf (1,258 m), then the Nonselkopf (1,257 m) and the Lauchenkopf (1,314 m). Along the path that runs along the ridge, through stubble fields and forests. Return via wide paths, passing the Salzbach and Uff Rain farm inns. Start and finish near the Schnepfenried Farm Inn.

This is a very beautiful walk in the Hautes-Vosges, not very long, nor with a significant elevation gain, but be warned: the terrain is steep in places, and you should avoid this route at the end of winter (unless you have the right equipment) and in wet weather. The walk takes you to Schaeferthal and Frankenthal, where, in early spring, you’ll see marsh marigolds and daffodils carpeting the ground, and, later on, martagon lilies...

The start of this walk, suggested by Passion Vosges magazine as part of its ‘gourmet walks’ series, begins at the car park of the Maison du Pays Welche, which is next to the museum restaurant, the gourmet stop on this outing.

Passion Vosges magazine 2026, dedicated to gourmet hikes, offers a superb circular route around the highest peak in the Vosges. This route passes by the Ferme-auberge du Grand-Ballon and offers magnificent panoramic views.

A circular walk in the hills above Muhlbach-sur-Munster, starting from the La Perle des Vosges restaurant, along paths that wind through beautiful mountain forests, heading towards the Col du Sattel and the former First World War front line.

Starting from the village of Labaroche, nestled and scattered across its plateau between the Munster Valley and the Welche region, this circular walk will take you past old farmhouses and the villas of this beautiful mountain suburb of Colmar. The highlight: the medieval ruins of the Château du Petit Hohnack.

Starting from the Route des Crêtes, this circular route offers a succession of 360-degree panoramic views, each more breathtaking than the last, with a lovely detour through the pastures of the Schafert Farm Inn, on the heights of Kruth.

In the Doller valley, the climb to the Lochberg farmhouse inn from the small ski resort of Schlumpf (Dolleren) opens up a high-altitude cirque and offers superb panoramic views of the Rossberg massif and the Ballon d’Alsace.

At the very end of the Altvogelbach valley, a network of paths and trails takes you from the Auberge du Mehrbächel to explore the mid-altitude forest as far as the picturesque Saint-Nicolas Chapel, tucked away in the woods.

Perched at an altitude of 800 metres above the village of Kruth in the Saint-Amarin valley, the small four-season resort of Le Frenz, with its old farmhouses and chalets, is a bucolic mountain haven of peace. A route takes you around the area, allowing you to admire the site from every angle, starting with the splendid panorama it offers of the Great Vosges Ridge.

Nestled in the forest at an altitude of 940 m south of the village of Le Bonhomme, the Auberge de l’Étang du Devin is an ideal starting point for the climb up to Tête des Faux (1,208 m). Numerous remnants of the First World War dot the former battlefield, where a magnificent coniferous forest now thrives.

Starting from the Ferme-auberge du Felsach, a magnificent ridge path crosses the Grand Ventron National Nature Reserve. Old beech forests and preserved beech-fir forests give way to open heathland, offering superb views over the Saint-Amarin valley and the Lorraine Vosges. This route is a round trip, with a short circular loop around the Grand Ventron.

This circular route, starting from the Lac Blanc resort, takes in some of the most beautiful sites in the Hautes Vosges (Gazon du Faing, Château Hans) and ends at the Ferme-auberge du Pré Bracot.

Starting from the secluded Entzenbach Farm Inn (612 m), this circular route takes you to another, very discreet farm inn in the Doller Valley, the Bruckenwald (750 m). Then, after a long climb to the Baerenkopf (1,074 m), at the summit of which stands one of the oldest mountain huts in the Vosges, the trail leads you to a third farmhouse inn, the Lochberg (910 m), before returning to your starting point.

Starting from the Col du Ballon d'Alsace, this circular route takes you on a circuit around the summit before crossing wild maple forests and the rocky, steep south-eastern slopes of the mountain. A visit to the summit plateau, a future Grand Site de France, is a highlight of this hike, offering breathtaking views over Lorraine, Alsace and Franche-Comté. On the other side, far from the “crowds” of the Ballon, the unassuming farmhouse inn at Grand Langenberg is a peaceful haven where it’s lovely to stop for a break before setting off again.

A lovely walk that winds through woodland and stubble fields, with the odd slightly technical section but nothing too difficult (you do need to stay alert). Beautiful views over the Alsace plain and the Kaiserstuhl, and further afield towards the Jura and the Alps. This walk is also dotted with farm inns, all of which are well worth a visit: Wassmatt, Buchwald, Kahlenwasen, Hilsen, Strohberg. But you’ll have to choose...

A superb hike that passes along the Steinberg ridge, dotted with large granite boulders rising skywards. The summit of the Petit Ballon offers a beautiful view of the Vosges ridge. The Steinberg is reputed to be a major energy hub in the Hautes-Vosges. This hike is also not particularly difficult, even though it includes a few steep climbs.

In the Bruche Valley, this circular route on the heights of Rothau, starting from the Étang du Coucou, takes us towards the peaks of La Chatte Pendue and La Haute Loge. The Auberge du Bambois is the perfect stop for a gourmet meal.

This beautiful circular route starting from the Col d'Oderen quickly takes hikers up onto the ridges towards the Felsach farmhouse inn. It then offers a superb panoramic descent to the Frenz resort (Kruth), followed by a climb back up to the pass via the valley floor through a charming old mountain forest.

This mountain hike takes about 3½ hours and starts at the shores of Lake Alfeld, at the foot of the Ballon d'Alsace, and ends at the Gresson farmhouse inn, passing by the Baerenbach farmhouse inn and the spectacular little Seebach glacial canyon.

This 90-minute circular route takes you to places of remembrance from the First World War near Hartmannswillerkopf. Starting with the Sicurani Chapel, built in honour of a Corsican officer killed on the Vosges front. Pascal Sicurani, captain of the68th Alpine Chasseurs Battalion, died a few days before Christmas, on 22 December 1915. His remains were transferred to his native village in 1923. The circular route then passes by the Abri Baratin.

Fleckenstein Castle is an eagle’s nest of extraordinary proportions, first mentioned in 1174. It had a reputation as an impregnable stronghold until it fell, without a fight, to the soldiers of Louis XIV in 1680. This walk invites you to discover this castle and the lake of the same name.

This hike will take you along the ridge leading from Mont Sainte-Odile to the Elsberg kiosk, which offers a stunning view and shelter for a break. You’ll also discover impressive cliffs (often visited by climbers) and a bestiary carved into tree stumps on the Sentier des Merveilles, which runs beneath the ridge and, in places, alongside impressive cliffs.

Visit the magnificent Château du Haut-Barr, built on crags of pink sandstone, whose current layout dates back to 1583. Then enjoy a lovely descent through the forest towards Saverne, followed by a return to the château via the eastern flank of the Haut-Barr.

A descent followed by an ascent linking two iconic sites: the Mont Sainte-Odile sanctuary and Niedermunster Abbey, a beautiful site with stunning views and a lovely chapel. A journey into the history of Saint Odile. Saint Odile founded the convent at the very top of the mountain; less well known is the fact that she also founded a second convent, further down the slope, which included a hospice to accommodate pilgrims unable to climb the steep path.

Starting from the Ferme-auberge du Gresson, this circular walk is one of the most magnificent in the Doller Valley. It first takes you to a secluded ridge where the forest has naturally reclaimed the land, before descending towards the lakes of Les Perches and Grand Neuweiher, two magnificent sites where it is lovely to stroll along the shores.

This circular mountain route starting from the Col du Firstacker links three farm-inns (the Kohlschlag, the Freundstein and the Molkenrain) whilst offering you the chance to discover the Hartmannswillerkopf Memorial, the famous and deadly Franco-German mountain battlefield of the First World War. Alternating between forests, pastures and ruins, the route subtly blends heritage with farm life and the atmosphere of the forest, all enhanced by magnificent views.

This hike, lasting a good hour, allows you to discover three very different castles: Haut-Barr, restored with viewing platforms offering breathtaking views; Grand Geroldseck, where you can see the major restoration work carried out over decades by enthusiasts; and Petit Geroldseck, which is more rugged.

This walk offers some wonderful discoveries: first the temple perched on the summit of the Grand Donon, then the German military cemetery near the Col de la Côte de l’Engin, and finally the summit of the Petit Donon, which offers a beautiful view.