From the Flaxlanden Cave to the Zillisheim Cannon

Departure from the crossroads of Faubourg de Mulhouse and Rue de la Montagne, where the bus stop is located: Saint-Hubert. Parking is available along Faubourg de Mulhouse.

(S/E) Take Rue de la Montagne and follow the red ring markings until further notice. After the tarmac gives way to a dirt track, ignore the two paths that branch off to the left and continue diagonally to the right. At the top of the path, where there is a bench at the foot of a tree, ignore the Sentier de Flaxlanden on the left and continue straight downhill. Pass the viewpoint on Palmenhart hill, where there is an information board. Ignore a final unmarked path on the left and continue until you reach the village of Flaxlanden.

(1) As soon as you reach the tarmac road again, you will see the Grotte de Lourdes on your left, with benches. Then go down to the right, along a very narrow path between two properties, towards Flaxlanden-Centre. At the bottom of the path, continue to the end of the small street and then go down to the right. At the Y-junction, where there is an information board about the 17th-century Maison Vigneronne, leave the Red Ring trail and continue straight ahead until you reach a T-junction with a large fountain.

(2) Turn right and follow the red diamond markings. When the road splits into three, take Rue du Corps de Garde, which goes up on the left-hand side. At the end of this street, turn left and walk past the village hall. Once you have passed the building, go down the few steps and continue straight ahead along Rue de Bruebach. Cross the road carefully and, at the calvary, turn right into Rue du Repos, towards the cemetery.

(3) Just before you reach the cemetery, turn right onto Rue Steinberg towards Zillisheim, then, after barely 50 metres, turn left onto Rue Marcel Zwiller. The road turns into a dirt track. Ignore a tarmac road on the right and continue straight ahead. After 100 metres, ignore another path on the right and continue straight ahead towards the large cannon. At the top of the path, at a T-junction where there is an information board about the Geissberg, turn left towards the Grand Canon. At the next crossroads, continue diagonally to the right.

(4) Just after the crossroads, leave the red diamond markings and take a discreet path on the left, with a barrier at the entrance and marked with a bird symbol. Follow this winding path, marked with small bird drawings and information signs, until you reach a crossroads with a large tree stump. There, turn right and walk past a bench.

(5) Immediately after the bench, descend to the left and follow the green ring markings. At the bottom of the path, continue to follow the markings to the right. After a few hundred metres, at a crossroads with a bench, turn right and exit the forest. Ignore a path on your left, then at a T-junction, turn left and pass in front of a large house. Finally, turn left, still heading towards the Grand Canyon. At the end of the path is the entrance to the Grand Canyon platform site

(6). Pass under the arch at the entrance to the site and continue along this winding path to the platform (the large semi-circular basin). Facing the platform, turn left until you reach the main path. Turn right. After about 200 metres, just after the remains of an ammunition store, turn right. Continue along this path until you leave the forest. At the top of the path, leave the Green Ring trail and follow the Red Disc trail straight ahead towards Zillisheim. When you reach a barn, the path descends and enters the forest again. At the bottom of the path, at the T-junction, turn left towards Zillisheim.

(7) Just before the path descends steeply, climb diagonally to the right towards the Glorenhagweg discovery trail and follow the Blue Cross markings. On this path, continue straight ahead, ignoring any unmarked trails. Pass an information board with a beautiful view of the Vosges mountains, then, as the path descends, pass small signs with drawings of various plants. Back in the village of Zillisheim, continue straight ahead. Ignore Rue du Panorama on your left and go to the end of the street, to the second stop sign. At the T-junction, turn left.

(8) Take the first street on the right, Rue du Capitaine Pilleux. Follow this street, which has many small bends. Rue du Capitaine Pilleux becomes Rue de Chambéry. At house number 8, turn left. At the end of this street, turn left and, at the traffic lights, turn right into Faubourg de Mulhouse. You will return to your starting point a few hundred metres further on (S/E).

The route passes through some very steep paths. Depending on weather conditions, if the ground is wet, the paths can be very muddy. Wear good walking shoes.

At (1) is a Lourdes Grotto, inaugurated on 15 August 1958 to celebrate the centenary of the apparitions at Lourdes. The grotto was cleaned and restored in 1990.

At (2) there is a typical winegrower's house with a large semi-circular arched door and stone floors dating from 1629.

Between (4) and (5) is a nature trail dotted with signs illustrating birds and trees, accompanied by some information.

The (6) marks the entrance to the Grand Canon platform site. A short marked route with information panels helps visitors understand the layout of the site and its historical context.

The (7) marks the start of the Glorenhagweg Trail, which offers a beautiful view of the Vosges mountains and is dotted with panels illustrating the surrounding vegetation.