Circular Winterberg to Birenberg and Insect Trail in La Petite Pierre

A lovely, undulating walk through the woodland, not particularly difficult, between Rocher Blanc and Rocher du Corbeau, returning via the Chemin des Insectes.

Details

49178593
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.82 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 771 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 761 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,289 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 722 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the Rue des Bergers car park near the Salle des Fêtes in La Petite Pierre.

(S/E) Head down Rue des Bergers, then turn right after about 100 m onto Chemin Winterberg.

Signposting: Yellow Rectangle with a white cross

Continue down Chemin Winterberg until you reach Rue du Lavoir. Turn right onto this street and continue to the sharp left-hand bend.

(1) Take the forest track on the right and continue through the woodland for about 1.5 km.

(2) As you come out of the bend, leave this forest track and take the narrow path on the right. Follow several hairpin bends uphill to reach the Belvédère du Rocher Blanc (bench).

(3) Retrace your steps and rejoin the forest track by turning left. Continue to the forest road and turn left.

No signposting

(4) Take the hairpin bend to the left and follow the unmarked forest road until you reach a multi-way junction.

Yellow Rectangle Markings

(5) Turn right, pass close to the pumping station on the left and join Rue du Lavoir.

No signposting

(6) Turn right and pass close to the ponds. Continue downhill until you reach a stone house.

(7) Turn right onto the forest track towards Birenberg and continue until you reach a picnic area.

Red Rectangle Signpost

(8) Follow the winding path on the left, which is quite steep, to reach the Rocher du Corbeau viewpoint (bench) after crossing two forest tracks.

(9) Continue along theGR®®53forest track until you reach the start of a gently sloping stony path on the right known as the Chemin des Insectes.

No signposting

(10) Continue along this forest path, which winds through a meadow, passes close to mobile phone masts and joins the Chemin de l’Altenbourg. Carry straight on to reach the access road to the car park at La Petite Pierre Castle.

Red Diamond markings

(11) Turn right onto the access road to the château, pass in front of the town hall, then continue left along Rue Principale de la Petite Pierre to reach the Salle des Fêtes (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,152 ft - Village Hall
  2. 1 : mi 0.37 - alt. 978 ft - Turn, forest track on the right
  3. 2 : mi 1.23 - alt. 1,030 ft - Path on the right
  4. 3 : mi 1.52 - alt. 1,079 ft - Rocher Blanc viewpoint
  5. 4 : mi 2.26 - alt. 1,093 ft - Sharp left-hand bend
  6. 5 : mi 3.01 - alt. 932 ft - Multi-directional junction
  7. 6 : mi 3.23 - alt. 820 ft - Junction with Rue du Lavoir.
  8. 7 : mi 3.84 - alt. 771 ft - Stone house
  9. 8 : mi 4.85 - alt. 728 ft - Picnic area and fork in the road
  10. 9 : mi 5.32 - alt. 1,152 ft - Viewpoint at - Rocher du Corbeau (Altenburg)
  11. 10 : mi 5.85 - alt. 1,217 ft - Junction with Chemin des Insectes.
  12. 11 : mi 6.32 - alt. 1,155 ft - Access road to La Petite Pierre Castle.
  13. S/E : mi 6.82 - alt. 1,155 ft - Village Hall

Notes

About a hundred metres from marker (2), there is shelter available at the picnic area.

Worth a visit

The Rocher Blanc (3) and Rocher du Corbeau (9) viewpoints.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 4 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
saverne67th
saverne67th

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : May 08, 2026
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We went for a walk today in sunny but not too hot weather. There weren’t many people on the trails, but we set off quite early. I didn’t use the route description, just the GPS guidance.
It was a fairly easy route, the only difficulty being the climb up to the Rocher du Corbeau.
However, we didn’t follow the whole route as, from point 4 to point 7, we took a detour via the Grand Chêne and the Rocher des Païens, which was much more interesting in my opinion. This detour doesn’t make the route any longer or add any difficulty.
Thank you in any case for this suggestion.

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Giffe
Giffe

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Difficulties following the hike, because despite the explanations, which sometimes proved to be insufficiently detailed, it was unclear whether the path to take was the right one.

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Jym57
Jym57

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely route with no major difficulties

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jeanjacschaeffer
jeanjacschaeffer

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk through La Petite-Pierre Forest with some beautiful views. The White Rock is currently closed due to nesting.

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