Balsthal walks

The Swiss Jura Belchen, the Alsatian Belchen (Ballon d'Alsace) and the Black Forest Belchen all form the peaks of a right-angle triangle, mystical sunrise observation point dating back to Celtic times (Belchen comes from "Belenus" the celtic god of sun). You'll gain access to this exceptional viewpoint through the "Devil's" gorges lined with steep walls, waterfalls, caves and caverns. The way back, along the "military path" is full of vestiges and ends with typical Jura landscapes.

If you're looking for a quiet, cool spot (don't forget your long sleeves, even in summer), you've come to the right place... It's a fairly steep climb, but it's really pretty and peaceful. At the bottom of the gorges, you'll enjoy the cool air...

Discover two small streams full of waterfalls and karst cliffs in Baselland (Basel-Landschaft). Coolness and humidity are guaranteed under the trees and cliffs bordering these small, steep-sided valleys.

Stage 11 From Les Rousses to Lake Constance via the Jura ridges. On this mainly downhill stage, you leave the green pastures of the Weissenstein and descend towards the Balmberg winter ski area before reaching Bättlerchuchi, a small panoramic plateau offering unobstructed views of the surrounding ridges. You then continue along an old mule track, probably used since Roman times, which leads you to the Schattenberg ridge. This historic passage immerses you in an almost timeless atmosphere. The descent continues along sometimes steep paths, winding through the Jura mountains to Balsthal, nestled on the banks of the Dünnern. This village is a strategic crossroads at the foot of three iconic passes in the Jura mountain range: the Upper Hauenstein, the Passwang and the Scheulte.

Landskrön, a castle that was feared until 1814 and is now lovingly maintained by a Franco-Swiss association, and Mariastein, where crowds of pilgrims come to pray every year, are the highlights of this superb walk, which offers beautiful views on both sides of the border.

In 1805, Napoleon and Francis I of Austria imposed the border on the Rhine. Rheinfelden then became Rheinfelden Baden, a German industrial town, and Rheinfelden Argovie, a Swiss spa town.The route runs along the German bank, which is equipped with viewing platforms and benches, to the hydroelectric dam and then along the more wooded Swiss bank. Return via the historic town and its old bridge, the Altebrücke.

A pleasant route for exploring the canton of Jura. This five-day itinerary will take you through the canton's three districts: Delémont, Porrentruy and the Franches Montagnes.

This first stage of the Chemin du Jura begins in Delémont, the capital of the Canton of Jura. You will cross this pretty medieval town. A forest path will take you to a plateau offering a view of the Jura mountain range. Before descending to Lake Lucelle, you can enjoy another panoramic view at the Grande Roche. The village of Lucelle in Switzerland no longer has any accommodation, so you will make a short detour into Alsace, to the commune of Lucelle in France, where you can stay at the Auberge du Petit Kolhberg.

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 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.

The peaceful village of Pleigne is located on a Jura plateau at an altitude of around 800 metres. It is the centre of a commune that stretches north to the French-Swiss border marked by the Lucelle, the river that gave its name to the lake and the small town famous for its Cistercian abbey.The route begins with the Pleigne panoramic trail and observation tower, then leaves the plateau, its pastures and farms, to descend around Lake Lucelle. Return along the river, passing close to the caves, to climb back up to the plateau through the Côte de May forest and its legendary Rocher de la Fille de Mai (Rock of the May Girl).

On the edge of the Petite Camargue Alsacienne is a quiet residential area that is part of the Saint-Louis conurbation: Neuweg. It is well worth a visit and, at the end of the walk, you will come to a small forest where you can learn more about water along a discovery trail.

Departure from Haagen near Lörrach. A beautiful route through the Kleines Wiesental valley to Sallneck, with a detour via Raich. However, I would like to point out that there are gradients of 8% in some places.

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.

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.

This is a small nature trail made by the city of Saint-Louis. It passes through the 3 of drinking water catchment points in the city where 535 cubic metres of water are pumped every hour and then stored in a 6000-metre-cubed tank. The trail has a dozen panels explaining the difficulties of supplying drinking water and the surrounding environments.

This nine-day route allows you to discover different aspects of the southern Black Forest.Starting from Steinen in the Kleines Wiesental, you will cross beautiful forests to reach the pretty village of Kandern. Then, for four days, you will follow the Schwarzwald Westweg trail, passing through the highest peaks of the Black Forest: Belchen, Feldberg and Herzogenhorn.You will also stop off at Titisee, a pleasant lakeside resort. The second part of the route is devoted to the Albsteig, a trail that follows the River Alb from its source at the foot of the Feldberg to Albbruck, where the River Alb flows into the Rhine. On the way, you will stop at Sankt Blasien, a remarkable town with a magnificent cathedral and cloister.

This first stage will take you from Steinen to Kandern. Starting from Steinen in the Kleines Wiesental, you will cross beautiful forests to reach the Black Forest trail: the Westweg Schwarzwald in the pretty village of Kandern.

This stage will take you from Lüderenalp to Langnau im Emmental. Langnau is in the heart of this valley famous for its cheese with holes. The route follows a ridge with alternating panoramic views of the Bernese Alps and alpine pastures. In good weather, you will see famous peaks such as the Mönch, Eiger and Jungfrau.

The walk leads to the heart of the Glaserberg massif, above Winkel. You will cross the Saint-Pierre State Forest to Neuneich, where you can enjoy sweeping views of the Alsatian Jura.

A beautiful area for spending the night in a van or camping serves as a car park. The hike starts through a free zoo, then you can cool off in the gorges before returning via the heights of the city. A great route when it's hot, which you can listen to to avoid the heat of the city on the last kilometre...

A national nature reserve, the Petite Camargue Alsacienne now covers 904 hectares, including nearly 200 hectares of water. Originally, in 1982, it covered 120 hectares around the buildings of the Imperial Fish Farm (1852). It is here, in the wild heart of the Au wetland plain, that you can walk along some of its most beautiful paths and discover the exceptional flora and fauna of this marshland landscape, thanks to the groundwater.

Tenth stage From Les Rousses to Lake Constance via the Jura ridges. From Frinvillier, the route begins with a beautiful climb through fields and old solitary trees to Sur le Chables, the last French-speaking stop in Switzerland. The landscape then changes: a clearing opens onto a dense forest lined with ferns, leading to Wäsmeli. After a paved section between Unterer Stierenberg and Grenchenberg, short climbs take you up to the Stallflue plateau. There, you are treated to a breathtaking panorama: the Alps, the Swiss Plateau and the meandering Aare River, before arriving at Weissenstein.

Family walk around Brestenberg hill between Bartenheim and Brinckheim, passing through sunken lanes typical of the Sundgau hills. Enjoy the forest and the view of the Vosges mountains and the Black Forest.

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 stage will take you from Napf to Lüderenalp. You will follow a scenic trail with a variety of landscapes. You will alternate between woods and the alpine pastures of the Emmental, a valley renowned for its cheese. Lüderenalp, like Napf, is very popular with holidaymakers. Here again, you will enjoy panoramic views of the Jura and the Bernese Alps.

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

This stage will take you from Wolhusen to Napf. The route climbs fairly quickly and offers several panoramic viewpoints. You will discover the important peaks of the Bernese Alps. Napf enjoys a privileged position offering a panorama of the Alps to the south and the Jura to the north. Shortly before Napf, at (15) exactly, you will leave the Canton of Lucerne and enter the Canton of Bern.

This stage will take you from Langnau im Emmental to Münsingen. Starting from the Emme Valley, you will descend towards the Aare Valley. The route offers more panoramic views, particularly at Blasenfluh, the highest point of the day. Despite the loss of altitude, there is enough distance to still see the giants of the Bernese Alps.

Before the construction of the Canal of Alsace (1928), the Rhine extended its arms east of the Huningue Canal (1806) over a wide area of 1km to 2km. From the Rhone Canal on the North Rhine to the Barre d'Istein on the Old Rhine, along paths and trails often in the protected areas of the "Little Alsatian Camargue.", you'll discover numerous natural and industrial sites related to the history of the Rhine. Begin with a stroll between the drawbridge of Kembs (1831) and l'Ecluse Le Corbusier (1961).

This second stage will take you from Kandern to the Haldenhof Inn. The route follows the Westweg Schwartzwald. Along the way, you will discover Sausenburg Castle. The highest point of the day is at Blauen, which offers a panoramic view of the Black Forest.

An entertaining walk to get a first impression of the town of Zell im Wiesental.

This version of the Albsteig (Black Forest) takes you on a 112-kilometre journey through the Alb Valley along the river from Albbruck to the Feldberg, the highest peak in the southern Black Forest. The first stage takes you upstream from Albbruck through and along the picturesque Alb Valley and, towards the end, through the Höllbach Valley up to Göhrwihl.

This variant of the Albsteig (Black Forest) takes you through the Alb Valley along the river from Albbruck to the Feldberg, the roof of the southern Black Forest, covering around 111 kilometres. Along the route, the Albsteig crosses two other long-distance hiking trails, the Schluchtensteig near St. Blasien and the Westweg on the Feldberg. The multi-day tour described here takes you along the western route to the Feldberg and back down to Höchenschwand via the eastern route. From there, the Wolfssteig (23 km) takes you down to Waldshut-Tiengen and finally by train back to the starting point in Albbruck.

This ninth stage will take you from Görwihl to Albbruck. The route follows the Albsteig Schwartzwald. You will enjoy the pretty waterfalls of the Höllbach and follow the Alb to its confluence with the Rhine. Once you arrive in Albbruck, the end of the hike, you can choose between Albbruck or Laufenburg, a beautiful German-Swiss village, for your overnight stay.

This variant of the Albsteig (Black Forest) takes you on a 112-kilometre journey through the Alb Valley along the river from Albbruck to the Feldberg, the roof of the southern Black Forest. Stage 2 takes you from Göhrwihl back down into the Alb Valley, then over the Dachsberg, to the Albstausee reservoir and up to Häusern.

A wooded hill separates the Ill and Thalbach valleys. As you walk along it, you will discover an old vineyard, a quarry marked by tragedy, a botanical trail and the story of an unfortunate general. When you reach the Emlingen lime kilns, the 19th century suddenly springs to life, frozen in stone and iron.

This short stage will take you from Malters to Wolhusen. You will walk along the banks of the Petite Emme before arriving in Werthenstein. At the entrance to this village, you can admire the imposing cloister, a major pilgrimage site on the Via Jacobi.

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.