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Park in car park P1 at Mont Sainte-Odile near the entrance to the abbey.
(S/E) With your back to the basilica, turn right, cross the D33, take the west staircase and go down to the Grossmatt crossroads. Cross "le grand pré" and follow the red and white rectangle markings towards the Stolhaffen crossroads, Sentier des Merveilles, Châteaux d'Otrott, until you reach the Oberkirch viewpoint rock (Saufelsen).
(1) Follow the yellow signposts, Mur des Païens Nord route via Hagelschloss, to the Stollhafen crossroads about 300 m further on.
(2) Turn right towards Sentier des Merveilles (yellow and blue signs). The path is lined with rock formations and the remains of the northern pagan wall until you reach the Étichon cave, located about ten metres to the left of the path.
(3) Continue along this magnificent trail (yellow sign), featuring numerous wooden sculptures of forest animals and bordered on the left by the enormous Rochers des Géants (Giants' Rocks) , until you reach the end of the Sentier des Merveilles. You will arrive at the intersection with a trail marked with a yellow triangle.
(4) Turn left, then immediately leave the trail on the left and keep to the right, following the blue easel markings. The trail descends and joins the red and white rectangle marked trail coming from the left. Continue to the right towards the Club Vosgien du Elsberg shelter, which offers a beautiful view of Ottrott and the surrounding area.
(5) Take the forest path on the left marked with a red and white rectangle, towards the Maison Forestière and the Ottrott Castles. The winding descent leads to the intersection with the Sentier des Chasseurs marked with a yellow disc. Go left to the Maison Forestière, go around it on the right to find the access to the castles.
(6) Climb the stairs at the crossroads to reach the plateau, then follow the small path that winds between the two castles, which are accessible when volunteers are working there. Don't hesitate to explore Lutzelbourg-Ottrot Castle as you stroll among its old stones steeped in history and its small medieval garden.
(7) Retrace your steps, passing by Rathsamhausen-Ottrott Castle and its neighbouring medieval garden, which can be accessed via the same path.
(8) After your visit, return to the steps and head for the Maison Forestière crossroads.
(6) Turn right onto the uphill forest road (Chevalet Bleu) towards the ruins of Koepfel Castle. Reach it via a small path on the right. Beautiful view of the keeps of the two castles of Ottrott.
(9) Return to the forest road (Chevalet Bleu) and continue, keeping to the right, until you reach the intersection with the marked Croix Rouge path.
(10) Take this path to the left towards the Hagelschloss castles (large and small). The last section before reaching the ruins is very steep. The ruins of the large Hagelschloss, on the right as you climb, feature a beautiful archway overlooking a fault line.
(11) Head towards Mur Païen Nord, marked Chevalet Jaune, along the pleasant path running alongside Mur Païen, and reach the Koeberlé gate.
(12) Continue straight ahead, taking the right-hand bend that follows, and at the crossroads continue to the right on the path marked with a red trestle, then turn right where a sign indicates the direction of Châteaux de Dreistein. The path descends steeply and quickly leads to the left to Grand Dreistein (which you can walk around) and Petit Dreistein.
(13) Return to the access trail to leave the site and turn left onto the Chevalet Rouge marked trail, which descends towards the Saegmuehlmaettel car park and Birkenfels Castle via the Herzthal crossroads.
(14) Continue down Herzthal to the Saegmuehlmaettel car park (Chevalet Rouge).
(15) From the car park, cross the D426, turn left and, after about 50 metres, turn right onto the tarmac forest road that leads to the Willerhof Forest House (private passage). After about 100 metres, at the small wooden bridge, a path branches off to the left.
(16) Take this path, marked with a yellow ring, towards Birkenfels Castle and Mont Sainte-Odile. It heads south and climbs to the Birkenfels crossroads.
(17) At the crossroads, head towards Birkenfels Castle. The Club Vosgien shelter is located a few metres to the right. Reach the castle,a 13th-century stately home.
(18) Return to the path that leads back to the Birkenfels crossroads.
(17) Follow the stony, fairly flat forest road to the left (marked with a blue cross) towards Mont Sainte-Odile. At the fork, continue to the left, after the junction with a path coming from the left, until you reach the intersection with a path on the right.
(19) Follow this narrow, uphill path marked with a blue cross and running alongside the D422. Continue to the intersection with the path on the right towards the Merovingian tombs located about a hundred metres away.
(20) Continue along this path towards Mont Sainte-Odile. Cross the D426; the path runs alongside the road. Just before the lower car park entrance, continue along the path that runs alongside the access road to the mountain. It is marked with a blue cross and yellow ring and joins the magnificent Way of the Cross with its ceramics adorning the rock faces. Reach the east staircase that leads back to the abbey (S/E).
Visorando member
Easy 
