Basel walks

A short, peaceful stroll in Basel along the Rhine. Start and finish on the forecourt of Basel SBB station. It is a superb walk with the Rhine as its central feature. There are plenty of benches along the route where you can rest and enjoy the magnificent Basel landscape.

A short, picturesque and exotic route from Weil am Rhein to the Wiese (in Switzerland) via the Dreiländergarten.

This short walk takes you through three countries on foot and enriches the mind as you read the texts by French, Swiss and German poets displayed on the boundary stones.You will pass from France to Switzerland and then back through Germany.No need to take your passport to travel, an identity card will suffice.

Departure from Vitra Campus Weil am Rhein. The route connects the Beyeler Foundation in Switzerland through the vineyards. Round trip itinerary

Discover the southern tip of the Black Forest, with the hill overlooking the beginning of the Alsace plain to the west, the town of Lörrach and Germany to the east, and the city of Basel and Switzerland to the south. You can also visit the magnificent Burg Rötteln, a 14th-century fortified castle, the most south-westerly in Germany.

A pleasant little route through the forest, going from Obertüllingen to the Daur Hütte and back. Magnificent panoramic views from the car park over Basel, the Jura, the Alsatian villages and the Kembs-Loechlé lock, the Vosges... On the way back, views of the villages of the Black Forest foothills, Lörrach, Rötteln Castle, the Wiesental, Riehen and St. Chrischona with its tower and, depending on the weather, a few Alpine peaks can be seen to the east through the gap in the hills.

Partly in the forest and partly in open countryside, this route will allow you to discover the forest and countryside to the west of Hésingue: the passage over and under the D105, the Fichtag discovery trail with its numerous informative and entertaining displays and panels, the Liesbach passage with its beautiful wooden footbridges, the Finnish track, the tranquillity of the forest, the beauty of the countryside and the views towards the Black Forest.

Discover the Ruschbachtal (Nature Reserve) with its pretty wild stream and waterfalls to reach Saint-Chrischona, a small hamlet in the Swiss canton of Basel-Stadt. It is situated at the highest point in the canton, 522 metres above sea level, and is home to Switzerland’s tallest television tower (250 m). From there, you’ll have a superb view of the Jura and the Alps.

The vast renaturation project on the Rhine Island, which began in 2013, is nearing completion. A new river, the Little Rhine, has appeared between the Grand Canal and the Old Rhine. The land and water around it has been completely transformed, allowing many plant and animal species to return or remain. This walk takes place in a rapidly changing natural environment, where everything is set to change for the greater benefit of biodiversity.

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.

The landscapes are very varied as you walk along the Rhine and then the Kander, passing through Eimeldingen. They are urban but also bucolic: the village of Märkt, the bridge over the A5 motorway, the gravel pit, the path along the Rhine, the mouth of the Kander, the path along the Kander with two small bridges, the fish pass and the forest.

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.

A route allowing you to see the heights of Arlesheim via several castles, the Kirschenland (cherry country), the Schartenflue (with its panoramic tower) as well as the Goetheanum and quaint picturesque houses in Dornach.

On the itinerary: a panoramic view, the highest point in the canton of Basel-Stadt, the tallest tower in Switzerland, an evangelical mission, two restaurants, the countryside and tranquillity close to the city. We first descend through woods and fields before climbing back up to the charming Bettingen district of Sankt Chrischona, at an altitude of 522 metres. Numerous paths and benches invite us to stroll around and discover this peaceful spot.

A pleasant little stroll through Inzlingen, going round the castle and then up towards the Eiserne Hand with a snack break in the shelter of the Buttenberg. Return via the Erstelweg and the sports facilities on the heights of Inzlingen.

The route starts at the car park by the church in Wentzwiller, a pretty little village typical of the Sundgau, a region in southern Alsace. A lovely walk with beautiful views over the Rhine Valley and Basel.

The entire route is open country through vineyards with beautiful views of Basel, the Jura, Alsace, the Vosges and the Piedmont hills of the Black Forest. The outward journey is mostly along the Wiiwegli (wine trail), while the return journey is mostly along a local trail marked with yellow diamond signs.

The Eptingen family, who had already settled on the edge of the Sundgau region in the 14th century, owned both Hagenthal and Neuwiller, where they lived in comfortable castles. This walk crosses their former seigneury and passes through a one-kilometre-wide bottleneck between the borders, as Neuwiller forms a sort of French peninsula on Swiss territory. Text by Marc Glotz taken from the Sundgau hiking guide.

A pleasant walk entirely through the forest on wide, shaded paths. There are numerous benches along the Moosweg. Beautiful views from the Fohrenbuck car park towards Lörrach, as well as from points (2) and (4) over the Alsatian villages of the Sundgau and the Rhine plain.

This walk crosses the vineyards between Hartberg and Hummelberg, follows the ridge line between the vineyards and the plain, runs alongside the Läufelberg and the Reckholder, skirts around Fischingen and finally leads to a meal at the Fünfschilling inn. Beautiful views along the route towards Alsace, the Jura and the Black Forest.

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.

Do you live in the urban area of the three borders and want to get away from it all without travelling dozens of kilometres? Come and discover the Petite Camargue to get some fresh air and observe many species of birds and plants in a well-preserved area. Leaving from the pretty village of Rosenau, you'll find it hard to believe that you're only 4 kilometres away from the airport as the crow flies.

A pleasant walk, mainly through the forest. Panoramic view from the castle, which is open to visitors: see § practical information. Restaurant, terrace in good weather. Rötteln Castle car park, 120 spaces.

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.

A lovely and varied circular walk starting in Efringen-Kirchen, first through the village, then through a small wooded area and along the Old Rhine. From there, the route takes you to the Isteiner Klotzerfelsen rock formation with the St Veit Chapel, which is situated in a rock niche. The rest of the walk takes you through vineyards, offering frequent beautiful, sweeping views of the surrounding mountains.

On the heights of Blotzheim, the Grand and Petit Schneckenberg (snail hills) form a wooded area close to its natural state, criss-crossed by streams and surrounded by fields, copses and a few vineyards.A multitude of trails and paths offer beautiful walks in the hills, where you can enjoy the peace and quiet and a few views of the neighbouring mountain ranges, the Vosges, the Black Forest and the Jura.Two versions are available, 10 or 13 km.

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.

Overlooking the Rhine’s alluvial plain—a barren landscape where the Hardt Forest struggles to survive—the hills of the Bartenheim heights enjoy very rich soil. Set upon this fertile silt, on either side of the ridge between Helfrantzkirch and Bartenheim, lies the most beautiful forest in the Sundgau: the Schneckenberg Forest (see Practical Information). A short walk through the forest or along the forest edge for tree lovers.

A marked route of around 80 km (4 days / 3 nights) that crosses the Sundgau region of the Jura, passing by its three main castles: Leymen, Ferrette and Morimont.Four days of walking, far from the hustle and bustle of the cities, offering the perfect opportunity to fully recharge your batteries.The Sundgau Jura, despite its relatively low altitude, offers plenty of points of interest and beautiful views; it awaits you.Accommodation is available in each town/stage.

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.

A short walk between the wild Old Rhine and the tamed canal, with its array of industrial installations: the locks, the German motorway which you cannot see but can hear, the high-voltage power lines you pass under at the start of the route, as well as its natural beauty: the winding, sand-filled Rhine, exposed at the Barre d’Istein. To make the most of the views of the Rhine, the route is best enjoyed in winter when the trees are still bare.

In the heart of the Au, the alluvial terrace of the Rhine between Huningue and Kembs, the history of Rosenau is closely linked to that of the Rhine. Throughout this route, between the Grand Canal d’Alsace and the Huningue Canal, by a pond or a lock, on the banks of canals or streams, water is ever-present.

A short walk in the hills of Basel-Landschaft, starting with a climb up the Chälegraben stream, then along the ridge to the Blauepass to take in the view of the Alsace plain on one side and the Swiss Jura hills on the other.

The hike alternates between fields, forest edges and villages. Go through the fields of Bartenheim and Brinckheim, passing the small village of Kappelen. The return journey is through the fields of Kappelen and Brinckheim, then HochaLoch along the Muehlgraben.

The hike alternates between fields, forest edges and villages. Go through the fields of Bartenheim and Brinckheim, pass the small village of Stetten to reach the Gros Chêne. The return route is via the village of Helfrantzkirch, the fields of Kappelen and Brinckheim, and the HochaLoch along the Muehlgraben.

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

A short, unpretentious hike. Starting at the ACL foyer in Bartenheim, the outward journey takes you through the fields of Bartenheim and Brinckheim, and the return journey takes you through Hochaloch along the Muehlgraben.

Set amongst deep forests, clearings, sun-drenched pastures, streams and ponds, this route offers varied and contrasting landscapes. The paths are wide and signposted, except for the picturesque trail along the Soormattbach stream, between the start and the point (1). This walk is best undertaken in dry weather, as the Soormattbach stream, which we will follow, sometimes to the right, sometimes to the left, can burst its banks during rainy or stormy periods. To cross the village and reach the Schützenhaus restaurant as well as the Hauingen shooting club’s premises in the middle of the forest, we will walk along tarmac roads.

Walk from the car park near the turbine roundabout in Kembs, towards Rosenau Sud along the Rosenau Stream, through Rosenau to the Huningue Canal, then back to the starting point along the towpath.

Two centuries ago, the Rhine flowed in braids. From 1842, with the construction of dykes by Tulla, then around 1930 with the construction of the Grand Canal, the river was brought back into a single channel and the Rhine ecosystem was profoundly altered. Today, there is a stark contrast between nature, which is becoming re-vegetated and adapting to the drying up of the river with diverse and unique flora and fauna, and the intense industrial activity surrounding navigation and hydroelectric power.

The Plaine de l’Au is this wetland region on the Rhine’s floodplain in the Land of the Three Borders, where the river, before its course was straightened by dykes (19th century) and then channelled (early 20th century), spread out into multiple branches.Between the Kembs hydroelectric power station to the north and the Grand Marais trail to the south, water accompanies us throughout this route, where biodiversity and human activities strive to coexist harmoniously.The time given does not include stops at the five observation points and other points of interest along the route.