Altkirch walks

Hirtzbach is well worth a visit. The castle, English park and opulent residences of Unterdorf are neatly lined up on either side of the stream, whose banks are beautifully flowered in summer. Along the way, a rural and wooded detour leads to the site of the vanished village of Sankt-Glückern and the Landfürstenweyer, the Princes' Pond, with its still waters.

The fighting of the First World War raged in the Sundgau region from August 1914 onwards. The French blew up the Dannemarie viaduct and the front stabilised and extended from the Vosges to the Swiss border. The front line ran a few kilometres from Illfurth, near Heidwiller. During this tour, you will discover several bunkers that served a variety of purposes, including ammunition depots, observation posts and artillery emplacements, as well as several casemates.

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.

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.

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.

A beautiful hike to discover Ferrette, a beautiful medieval town with its castle and the Grotte des Nains (Dwarves' Cave) with its famous legend known to everyone in Alsace.

A circular walk around Michelbach dam with views over the Swiss Alps and 'Le Grand Ballon d'Alsace' on a clear day. Perfect spot for wildlife spotting. Along the way there are many signs giving some information about what to see and the history.

A trail giving you the possibility to explore a large number of running vineyards throughout the Bartenheim and Brinckheim hillsides.

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.

This family hike takes you to the majestic Gros Chêne de Sondersdorf. Entirely in the forest, it passes through the Raedersdorf Discovery Trail, decorated with around fifty (or more) wooden sculptures and dotted with educational panels that are sure to interest children. Best done in dry weather in any season.If you only want to do the discovery trail and see the sculptures, see Practical Information.

This hike takes you mainly through forest from Sentheim to Masevaux via the Wolflenloch discovery trail. The return route follows the Doller river, passing the Hohenstein Cave and Sainte-Anne Chapel.

This second stage begins in France and rejoins the Jura trail at the Ébourbettes farm. You will walk along a border path and, at Roc au Corbeau, enjoy a view of Alsace. Until Vendlincourt, you will walk through alternating pastures and wooded areas. Before arriving in Porrentruy, you will enjoy an open-air exhibition of wooden animal sculptures. Don't miss a visit to the historic town of Porrentruy and its castle.

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.

A beautiful, shaded hike in a stunning forest that will take you to the heights of Thann.From there, an impressive panorama stretches towards the Alsace plain and the Swiss Jura.

This beautiful hike takes you from Masevaux to the summit of Rossberg at an altitude of 1,191 metres. From the top, you can enjoy magnificent views of the Vosges, the Alsace plain, the Black Forest, the Jura and the Alps. The elevation gain is significant, but the route is otherwise easy.