Circuit du Sundgau: The Etangs de Bisel walk

Speaking of this part of the Sundgau, André Gide wrote:"One is constantly surprised, as one crosses the forest, to find oneself in the presence of an unsuspected sheet of water, mysteriously asleep in the shelter of the beech forests; rushes adorn narrow sandy beaches at the edge of large fields of water lilies. There are also several reminders of the First World War and the front line that separated Largitzen from Bisel.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.74 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 30 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 30 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 431 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 403 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Bisel (68580)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 47.535719° / E 7.216971°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3621ET
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Park at the Bisel town hall (population 564 in 2012).

The entire route is signposted with a red disc. Follow the signs carefully.

(S/E) Head towards Altkirch D10B via Rue de Heimersdorf (north-north-east) as far as the village exit. At the calvary, take the left-hand path.

(1) At the access road to the Grossbersigweiher pond, managed by the Conseil Départemental, go straight ahead. Go through the forest, following the signs and leaving all the paths on the left and right. On leaving the forest, you will see a detached house opposite.
Continue along the signposted path, which bends to the right to reach the Frau Anna Weiher ponds.

(2) Pass between two ponds, turn right and reach a T-junction.

(3) Turn right and stay on the straight path. Pass between the Krummwieher and Bersigweiher ponds, then turn right near the Erlenweiher (0.95ha) without going there. Join the D10b.

(4) Cross the road and continue straight ahead to the right, following the red disc signs. Follow the Buergerweiher pond to reach the Herrenneuweiher.

(5) Turn left and then right after 100m. Walk along the pond on the left and continue along the
signposted route. Continue straight ahead.

(6) Follow the Brudungsweiher and then the Stoffelsweiher, again on the left. At the end of the Stoffelsweiher, take the forest track that climbs to the left.

(7) When you reach a track, continue along the path opposite and join the D463. Take the road on your left for about fifty metres, then continue on the track that goes off to the right and stay on the signposted route back to the right.
follow the signposted route back to the main road after a wide right-hand bend.

(8) Do not go onto the road but turn left at an acute angle. Continue straight ahead on the signposted route, leaving the paths to your left and right.

(9) Don't miss the path on the right that leads to a crossroads and then to the Chapel of the Fourteen Saints (Pfifferkapelle) by turning 90° to the right.

Head north-west towards Bisel, then turn right at the next crossroads and follow the path to Rue de Moernach. Turn right onto this street and join the Rue Principale.
Turn left to find the town hall (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 407 m - Bisel Town Hall
  2. 1 : km 1.21 - alt. 409 m - Access road to Grossbersigweiher, straight ahead
  3. 2 : km 2.58 - alt. 406 m - Frau Anna Weiher
  4. 3 : km 2.95 - alt. 406 m - T-junction, turn right
  5. 4 : km 4.37 - alt. 413 m - D10b, opposite, slightly to the right - Buegerweiher
  6. 5 : km 5.09 - alt. 411 m - Herrenneuweiher, turn left
  7. 6 : km 5.91 - alt. 414 m - Brudungsweiher
  8. 7 : km 6.54 - alt. 427 m - Crossroads, take the path opposite
  9. 8 : km 8.22 - alt. 428 m - D463, do not go onto the road, turn left
  10. 9 : km 9.41 - alt. 422 m - Fork right towards Chapelle des 14 Saints
  11. S/E : km 11.74 - alt. 407 m - Bisel Town Hall

Notes

Sunday outings between November and March: check with the town hall if there is no hunt planned.
Some muddy sections in wet weather. Wear good footwear.

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 57 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
JOSETTE25
JOSETTE25

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Perfect signposting, with no difficulties whatsoever. Very little change in altitude and magnificent ponds along the way (passing 17 ponds). There are always picnic spots around the ponds.
Magnificent walk. Very few people.

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cocomag
cocomag

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Magnificent tour, no difficulties whatsoever. We had a great time and so did our 2 dogs.
Great route to do in good weather.
A fallen tree, which we managed to get round.
The only little snag was the sign at the start, which said to turn right in front of the town hall. We should have taken the street opposite the town hall. But the GPS guided us very well.
We'll definitely be doing it again.

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Argera
Argera

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Nice walk with lots to discover

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anniz
anniz

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 08, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

It's a lovely loop with no difficulties, providing plenty of fresh air.

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mulot
mulot

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 29, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Ponds to discover, pleasant paths, lovely shady areas

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clo25
clo25

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 07, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

Many ponds are not maintained.

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Girardin  Jean  François
Girardin Jean François

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 22, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Discover several ponds in the Sundgau. Ideal for the whole family as there are no difficulties. Ideal on hot days, as it is partly shaded.

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Harmo Dan
Harmo Dan

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 20, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk, but a little short.

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magory
magory

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 08, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An easy, pleasant walk through woodland and ponds

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arromase
arromase

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful trail, a feast for the eyes all along these ponds, the vegetation and the works of Benoit Brissinger, no difficulty, hiking boots recommended, the paths are muddy in places.

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jicémal
jicémal

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 28, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice tour.

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kiha68
kiha68

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

very pleasant; with some surprises in store: on the last stretch back to Bisel, it's better to cut left across the fields, instead of taking the tarmac road.

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Lameijegr
Lameijegr

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 25, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The route was taken in glorious autumn sunshine, with the trees in beautiful vivid colours, shimmering on the water of the ponds. But also incomparable light coming through the foliage in the undergrowth.
And as a bonus, some fun mushrooms.
It's a shame that some of the ponds are dry: Buergerweiher, Brudungsweiher.
We did, however, meet a few other hikers along the way (Sunday and fine weather).

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CHOQUET
CHOQUET

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 12, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Great hike, pleasant, easy, peaceful.
The weather was fine too, so we had a snack by a pond.

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mouk
mouk

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 10, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

top-class balissage thank you

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