Sundgau route: Hagenthal-Neuwiller

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.

Details

179827
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.11 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 211 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 206 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 451 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 332 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park near the town hall, the post office and the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Hagenthal-le-Bas, built in 1869.

The hike is marked with green discs throughout. Other colours may be seen, but it is easiest to stick to the green discs.

(S/E) Go to the crossroads. Head opposite (north-east) towards Hégenheim. Then turn right towards Neuwiller. Next, turn left onto Rue des Prés, still heading towards Neuwiller, and go to the Jewish cemetery.

(1) After passing the cemetery, continue right on the road and then on a path, heading east.

(2) Follow the small road to the right.

(3) Cross the D16 departmental road, walk a few metres to the left and descend the marked path on the right (east) to Neuwiller.

(4) In the village, when you reach the road, continue left along Rue Principale. At the crossroads (5), continue straight ahead, then turn left and head for Neuwiller church.

(6) Retrace your steps and turn right onto Rue Principale. At the crossroads (5), turn right onto Rue d'Oberwil.

(7) Further up, turn right (south) onto Rue des Bonnes Gens towards Biel-Benken. Further on, the street gives way to a path that enters the forest. Ignore a path on the right and then one on the left.

(8) At a fork, leave the forest and descend to the right.

(9) When you reach the road, take the second street on the left, Rue de Leymen. Cross a stream and stay on the marked route, which soon turns west-southwest.

(10) Before the path bends to the right, turn left at a right angle.

(11) A few boundary markers mark the French-Swiss border, which you cross through fields. A few dozen metres further on, continue to the right on a beautiful path. At the next crossroads (again on the border), go up to the left.

(12) Continue to the right (west). Continue towards Leymen. On the descent, stay on the left-hand path towards Leymen. You will pass a farm before reaching the first houses in the village.

(13) Stay on Rue des Vignes, followed by Rue du Ruisseau on the right to reach the departmental road. Take the street opposite and stay on the marked route to reach the Chapel of Heiligenbrunn.

(14) Enter the forest and, 50 metres further on, take the marked route on the right. At the next crossroads, continue straight on towards Hagenthal-le-Haut until you reach the village. When you arrive at the town hall square, head for the car park (S/E) by following the signs for Hagenthal-le-Bas.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 360 m - Town hall car park. Towards - Augraben (rivière)
  2. 1 : km 0.63 - alt. 360 m - On the right after the Jewish cemetery.
  3. 2 : km 1.11 - alt. 399 m - Small road
  4. 3 : km 1.85 - alt. 414 m - Crossing the D16
  5. 4 : km 3.23 - alt. 348 m - Arrival in Neuwiller
  6. 5 : km 3.32 - alt. 352 m - Rue d'Oberwil
  7. 6 : km 3.44 - alt. 351 m - Neuwiller Church
  8. 7 : km 3.68 - alt. 359 m - On the right, Rue des Bonnes Gens
  9. 8 : km 4.16 - alt. 376 m - Towards the ancient thermal baths
  10. 9 : km 4.43 - alt. 355 m - Rue de Bencken junction
  11. 10 : km 5.46 - alt. 383 m - Elevation 382
  12. 11 : km 5.73 - alt. 367 m - Cross the border.
  13. 12 : km 6.36 - alt. 396 m - Fork in the road on the border
  14. 13 : km 8.19 - alt. 338 m - Stay on Rue des Vignes.
  15. 14 : km 10.62 - alt. 418 m - Heiligenbrunn Chapel
  16. S/E : km 13.11 - alt. 360 m - Town hall car park

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 8 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
Blaireau421
Blaireau421

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 05, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike, but pay close attention to the markings, even though they are standard practice. It is not well marked at point 11; take the Swiss shortcut to point 12. At point 14, stay on the green circular path; do not take the path on the right as indicated, as it is not maintained. Otherwise, it is a beautiful and very pleasant hike in the Sundgau region.

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Vtt1664
Vtt1664

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The autumn landscapes are magnificent!

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Daniel V
Daniel V

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 31, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

One small criticism concerns the path that runs along the border. Why send walkers along a narrow, poorly maintained forest path (just before point 12) when there is an easier path running parallel to it on Swiss territory?

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Ronald O
Ronald O

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 07, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We had a lot of fun exploring this region.
We just got a little lost leaving Neuwiller, turning left into the forest, but we found our way back before Biel-Benken.
A very beautiful hike.
It took us four hours, including a half-hour break for a picnic.

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apap90
apap90

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 26, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A lovely walk on very good paths.

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CHOQUET
CHOQUET

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 16, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A pleasant walk even in winter.

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senne
senne

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 08, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Hello
We just did the hike today, but in the opposite direction, as we had lunch at the Auberge de Neuwiller.
I prefer to go via the Heigenbrun chapel to reach Neuwiller. It's a very beautiful, fairly easy hike that can be done all year round. We saw deer in the fields three times.
Personally, I would like to see the restaurants along the route marked on the map for reference.
Another thing:
With your software, when creating a route on the IGN map, is it possible to add markings for existing paths, e.g. yellow diamond or green circle, etc.?
Thank you and see you soon
Senne B.

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trekking16
trekking16

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 14, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Hello,
A beautiful and easy hike possible in March.
View of Landskron Castle and passage through Swiss territory.

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