Haut-Rhin walks

Looking for a varied hike with different terrain? Then look no further than the Three Lakes Hike. Rooted footpaths, forest tracks, uneven terrain, crossing the Gazon du Faing, Lac Noir, Lac Blanc and Lac des Truites (also known as Lac du Forlet) and, on a clear day, a diversion to the Belmont Rocher observatory or Rocher de Hans. A lovely hike to do in fine weather. It's better for the scenery.

This short hike on trails marked by the Club Vosgien has in the first instance views of the valley of Munster, and also a view of the peaks of the Vosges. The many picnic opportunities around the Lac des Truites or Lac Forlet lakes, the trout spotting opportunities, as well the welcoming farmhouse make for an enjoyable outing.

It's a nice walk that visits the three castles of Ribeauvillé at a slightly different angle from the traditional walk.

In the Doller valley, this walk will let you discover the lakes of Neuweiher and some of the most beautiful landscapes in the Vosges. It's an easy walk and accessible to anyone.

A walk around Markstein on a typical Vosges ridge. This route has all the ingredients for a great hike in the Vosges mountains, including panoramic views of the peaks and valleys, well-marked trails laid out by the Club Vosgien, including over thatch, and visits to a number of farm inns.

A beautiful hike that takes you up to the “Gazons”, the famous pastures of the Hautes Vosges, and along the steep slopes overlooking the magnificent cirques where the lakes of Lac Vert and Lac du Forlet lie. All of this is situated at an altitude and in landscapes that are reminiscent of the Alps.

This hike will take us on a day-long journey to discover some of the most beautiful lakes in the Vosges, four of which are nestled in remarkable glacial cirques.

This short hike offers breathtaking views of the Col des Perches and the lake of the same name, Sternsee. A bench and a small table above the scree overlooking the lake are ideal for a snack break while admiring the landscape. At the Grand Neuweiher lake, stop at the refuge inn to quench your thirst before heading back to Rimbach. Moderator's note: the Blue Disc trail between (6) and Ermensbach is closed to the public and should not be used as an alternative to the Yellow Horse trail (Steinweg).

A beautiful circular hike from the wine route to Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle. Climb up through the beautiful valley of the mills. Loop around Haut-Koenigsbourg and return via Langenberg. Beautiful views of the Alsace plain and the Black Forest, with an orientation table. The castle courtyard is free to visit. Don't hesitate to make a detour from (6) or (7).

A peaceful hike that will take you to Sewen Lake and its peat bogs, then to Alfeld Lake, which is very different with its dam. The path is flat until you reach the foot of the dam, then climbs a little.

Explore the forest, lakes and the Hautes Chaumes, the highlights of this hike that follows Vosges Club trails.

The Hartmannswillerkopf (Viel Armand in French) was the scene of fierce fighting throughout 1915. Losses amounted to 50,000 dead, evenly divided between the two sides. This hike pays tribute to these soldiers by following part of their trenches. It begins with the ascent of the massif, following the German fortified trenches to the summit where the necropolis is located. The return route descends via the French side, the "Chemin des Dames".

This is a beautiful hike starting from Eguisheim, offering stunning views over the Alsace plain. We pass by Hagueneck Castle and the Three Castles above Husseren. On the way back, a visit to the picturesque village of Eguisheim is a must, with its beautiful circular rampart street.

An original route to get to Lac du Grand Ballon avoiding the road. You will discover beautiful trees, a waterfall and views over the Petit Ballon and the Black Forest along the way.

Hike in the Alsatian Vosges from Lac Blanc to Lac Vert and return via Lac des Truites and Lac Noir. These are three loops that follow on from each other so well that you can shorten the route at two points.

The aims of this hike are to observe chamois in the Wormspel, dip your feet in the clear waters of the Schiessrothried lake and enjoy the beauty of the Frankenthal-Missheimle Nature Reserve. And if you can stop at a farmhouse inn, then it's a perfect day! A variation of this hike, passing through the Falimont Pass, is suggested in the practical information section. The BloyGR®®531trail between (6) and (7) is closed from 1 November to 30 April by prefectural decree dated 18 May 2022. 06/02/2023: Hiking prohibited until further notice by municipal order due to rock and stone falls on theGR®®531.

Along this trail of bunkers, explore fortifications dating back to the First World War, built by the German army. After the fighting in the summer and autumn of 1914, the Haute-Alsace front stabilised on along the line of Cernay-Dannemarie. The commune of Burnhaupt-le-Bas remains on the German side. In December 1914 and January 1915, the French offensive in this sector regularly broke the German lines at the cost of many lives.

This is a must-do circuit for all hiking enthusiasts.

Speaking of this part of the Sundgau, André Gide wrote:"One is constantly surprised, as one crosses the forest, to find oneself in the presence of an unsuspected sheet of water, mysteriously asleep in the shelter of the beech forests; rushes adorn narrow sandy beaches at the edge of large fields of water lilies. There are also several reminders of the First World War and the front line that separated Largitzen from Bisel.

A pretty walk, alternating between rises and descents following sinuous winds and paths over ridges with magnificent views. ‘’The’’ meeting place for local chamois.

This hike will take you to the Source de la Doller, which, contrary to what you might think, does not originate at the Ballon d'Alsace, but below the Schlumpf. During the hike, you will enjoy beautiful views of the Doller valley and have the opportunity to eat at one of the farmhouse inns along the route.

This hike could also be called 'Les Balcons de Buhl' (the Buhl balconies). It crosses the Buhlois vineyard, offering magnificent views of the Florival and the Grand Ballon. An additional point of interest is that the circuit crosses old abandoned red sandstone quarries in the Vosges.

This is a pleasant hike that will take you through vineyards and woods to the amazing Rocher du Schlüsselstein, then to the foot of the Taennchel and finally to two of the three castles of Ribeauvillé. There are a few climbs, but overall it is an easy route.

Discover the Taennchel massif and its impressive sandstone rocks of the Vosges from the picturesque village of Thannenkirch.

Kilometre Zero is the starting point of the front line established during theFirst World War. It is located on the current French-Swiss border, at a place called Le Largin. The Kilometre Zero trail explores three sections of the front line, the first kilometres of the French and German fronts, and the Swiss front at Le Largin, established along the border opposite the no man's land where boundary marker No. 111, considered the zero point of the Great War front line, is located.

The Petit Ballon tour starts at the Wasenmatten farmhouse inn. A challenging start (+300 m) precedes a gentle descent with superb views of the surrounding mountains - the Vosges, the Black Forest, the Jura and, for the lucky ones, the Alps.

The hike starts in Murbach and allows you to discover several attractions in the valley: Murbach Abbey, the Notre Dame de Lorette Chapel and the ruins of an ancient castle, the Hohrupf.

A magnificent circuit on the Vosges ridges with views of the Black Forest and, on clear, dry days, the Alps. 400 m of paved road, the rest on trails or wide paths.

This walk takes you to the Lac des Perches ; a lake that nestles at the bottom of a very steep-sided cirque. Then the path leads you on to a stubble field where there is a very beautiful view over the valley of the Doller and even of the Alps when the sky is clear.

The Linge region was the scene of bloody clashes in 1914 and 1915. You will discover the remains and traces still very much present on the ground as you follow this route. Between 20 July and 16 October 1915, one of the bloodiest battles of the Great War in the Vosges took place on this section of the Linge-Barrenkopf front, barely 2 km long. It cost the lives of more than 17,000 young French and German soldiers.

This is a very pleasant hike that also offers views of the Alsace plain. The different environments you will pass through will delight walkers who take the time to look around.

Hike through the pretty town of Kaysersberg, then into the Alsatian vineyards. The climb continues through a forest with different species of trees. The return route follows a stream that winds its way between the rocks.

The landscapes you pass through here are among the most beautiful in the Sundgau region. The rock shelter of Mannlefelsen, a major Mesolithic site in Alsace, precedes the Ebourbettes, which tell the story of General Giraud's escape in 1942. Further on, the ruins of Morimont offer an interesting history lesson on how a medieval castle was adapted to firearms.

A loop from Turckheim through the vineyards. Climb up through the forest via the Ehrbergkopf rock to discover the castles of Hohlandsbourg (wide views over the Alsace plain) and Pflixbourg (view of Trois Epis).

A memorial hike to a small peak that was the scene of violent clashes in 1914-1915, traces of which are still visible on the ground. Along the way, you will pass the very moving Duchesne Cemetery located in the middle of the forest.

More of a Sunday stroll than a real hike, this trail around Lake Kruth-Wildenstein, which is accessible to people with disabilities, will give you a breath of fresh air. It is particularly pleasant in summer when it is very hot in the valley.

Loop hike around Gueberschwihr via Saint-Marc Convent.

This circular hike starts in the village of Le Bonhomme and follows the "Circuit de la Grande Guerre sur le massif de la Tête des Faux" (Great War Trail on the Tête des Faux massif), which was a fierce battlefield between 1914 and 1915. Here you will find remnants of the 1914-18 war, two imposing cemeteries, as well as fortifications and technical installations erected by the Germans. The Étang du Devin and its bucolic setting offer a place to rest.

This hike, mainly in the forest, follows the Lauch river and then climbs up through the Belchenseebach gorges, alongside a series of magnificent waterfalls, to reach the romantic Lac du Ballon. The trail is steep in places and some sections are slippery, but they are safe and the views are well worth the effort. The return journey is relaxing, with the option of stopping for refreshments at a farmhouse inn.

This hike offers magnificent views of the Doller Valley and the Ballon d'Alsace on a former volcanic massif.

This is a 12-kilometre hike that takes you to most of the interesting rocks in the magical Taennchel area. Start from the Club Vosgien chalet at Schelmenkopf, above Ribeauvillé. To get there from Ribeauvillé, take the road to Aubure, then at the hamlet of La Pépinière, turn towards Grande Verrerie. Please note that this is inaccessible in winter as the road is unpaved. Addendum dated 17 June 2025: storms have badly damaged the unpaved road from the bottom of the Grande Verrerie to Schelmenkopf. It is only suitable for 4x4 vehicles or those that can handle rough terrain.

This short family hike takes you up to the ruins of Wildenstein Castle along a discovery trail dotted with information panels. On the way back down, you can walk around the lake and, once you arrive, enjoy the peaceful surroundings with a trip on a pedalo or, for the more energetic, a walk among the trees in the tree-top adventure park right next to the car park.

The Raemel mountain range, two kilometres long, blocks the horizon and rises to an altitude of 832 metres. It is the highest point in the Alsatian Jura, accessible via a picturesque limestone ridge, the Sentier des douaniers or smugglers' path, which follows the French-Swiss border. This is a fairly challenging walk, but it offers magnificent views of the Swiss Jura.

This is an easy hike with beautiful views of the Keysersberg valley to the east and the ridges to the west. You will always find a sunny spot for a picnic around Lac des Truites. The Auberge du Lac Noir welcomes you for a break and the Ferme Auberge du Forlet is open at the end of April. You can also eat at the Mussmiss farmhouse inn, which is clearly signposted on arrival at the Col du Wettstein.

Tour and climb to the Grand Ballon from the Glashutte farmhouse inn. This hike offers beautiful views from the highest peak in the Vosges mountains, over the Alsace plain, the Black Forest and, depending on weather conditions, perhaps even the Alps.

A magnificent hike with trails that are sometimes alpine in character.

Lac Vert (1,044 m) owes its name to the colour it takes on in summer due to the proliferation of algae. Lac des Truites (or Forlet) is the highest lake in the Vosges mountains at 1,066 m. Both are located in former glacial cirques dominated by the Hautes Chaumes.

Above Lautenbachzell, this day hike will take you through several different landscapes of the Vosges: orchards and villages in the valley, pine forests, beech woods and stumps. You will reach the Grand Ballon, the highest peak in the Vosges, after walking along the Lac du Grand Ballon and passing near waterfalls.

This hike takes you around the thatched roofs of the Petit Ballon, allowing you to enjoy views of the surrounding peaks and the thatched roofs that are so characteristic of these Vosges peaks.

This short walk takes you up to the Dusenbach, avoiding the dangerous road to Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines. From the Dusenbach, you can climb up to the Taennchel or the castles.