Kembs walks

Before the construction of the Canal of Alsace (1928), the Rhine extended its arms east of the Huningue Canal (1806) over a wide area of 1km to 2km. From the Rhone Canal on the North Rhine to the Barre d'Istein on the Old Rhine, along paths and trails often in the protected areas of the "Little Alsatian Camargue.", you'll discover numerous natural and industrial sites related to the history of the Rhine. Begin with a stroll between the drawbridge of Kembs (1831) and l'Ecluse Le Corbusier (1961).

Between the marina and the Ferme du Moulin, this unpretentious little walk allows you to enjoy the tranquillity of the banks of the Canal de Huningue, the Grand Canal d'Alsace and the Augraben, which still feature a few oxbow lakes and ponds, natural remnants of the old bed of the Rhine.

A circular route that mainly follows cycle paths. The route, running alongside the water, allows you to discover the local flora, fauna, history and industry between Kembs-Loechlé and Kembs

A walk in the Haut-Rhin starting from Niffer and its lock. Along the Rhône-Rhine Canal, then across the plain facing the Black Forest, and back via the Grand Canal d’Alsace (the canalised Rhine).

The Plaine de l’Au is this wetland region on the Rhine’s floodplain in the Land of the Three Borders, where the river, before its course was straightened by dykes (19th century) and then channelled (early 20th century), spread out into multiple branches.Between the Kembs hydroelectric power station to the north and the Grand Marais trail to the south, water accompanies us throughout this route, where biodiversity and human activities strive to coexist harmoniously.The time given does not include stops at the five observation points and other points of interest along the route.

Two centuries ago, the Rhine flowed in braids. From 1842, with the construction of dykes by Tulla, then around 1930 with the construction of the Grand Canal, the river was brought back into a single channel and the Rhine ecosystem was profoundly altered. Today, there is a stark contrast between nature, which is becoming re-vegetated and adapting to the drying up of the river with diverse and unique flora and fauna, and the intense industrial activity surrounding navigation and hydroelectric power.

Walk from the car park near the turbine roundabout in Kembs, towards Rosenau Sud along the Rosenau Stream, through Rosenau to the Huningue Canal, then back to the starting point along the towpath.

A Way of the Cross, a golf course, a chapel, viewpoints, vineyards, a village, a campsite – this is what this trail, which is signposted all the way, has to offer. We will walk along the Wiiwegli (Red Diamond with a yellow bunch of grapes) and the Way of St James (yellow shell on a blue background), following a Way of the Cross (Stationenweg) on the way there. At the Maria Hügel pilgrimage chapel, we will stop to admire the view over the Rhine plain and the Vosges. There are plenty of benches, and a flight of steps leads to a shelter and picnic tables. The return journey will follow a marked local path. The walk passes through the charming village of Bamlach and its campsite.

A very beautiful short hike through vineyards and orchards with breathtaking views of the Alps, the Jura, the city of Basel, the Alsatian villages of Sundgau, the Rhine Valley and Kembs just opposite on the way there, and the Black Forest and Blauen on the way back. In the first half of the route, follow the Wiiwegli (wine trail) markings, red diamond with a yellow bunch of grapes, towards Blansingen. The markings are present at each fork. However, you will need to be vigilant at the start of the route and look out for the markings so as not to give in to the temptation to continue straight ahead on a more visible path. Our path branches off twice to the right between the orchards and then twice with a left-right turn on grassy paths.

The route is mainly open, winding through the vineyards. There are stunning views throughout the route of the villages in the Rhine Valley, the Jura, the Vosges and Istein. There are numerous benches and picnic tables along the route. Information boards (in German) on wine, history and geology are dotted along the route. From the car park, information boards and the Saint-Vit Chapel opposite, set in the rock, herald the richness of the route, which is “to be savoured”.

In the heart of the Au, the alluvial terrace of the Rhine between Huningue and Kembs, the history of Rosenau is closely linked to that of the Rhine. Throughout this route, between the Grand Canal d’Alsace and the Huningue Canal, by a pond or a lock, on the banks of canals or streams, water is ever-present.

A short walk between the wild Old Rhine and the tamed canal, with its array of industrial installations: the locks, the German motorway which you cannot see but can hear, the high-voltage power lines you pass under at the start of the route, as well as its natural beauty: the winding, sand-filled Rhine, exposed at the Barre d’Istein. To make the most of the views of the Rhine, the route is best enjoyed in winter when the trees are still bare.

A pleasant, uneventful walk that starts in Sierentz and passes through fields and the Hardt Forest. The route is mostly on flat ground, part of which consists of tarmac paths for pedestrians and cyclists.

Do you live in the urban area of the three borders and want to get away from it all without travelling dozens of kilometres? Come and discover the Petite Camargue to get some fresh air and observe many species of birds and plants in a well-preserved area. Leaving from the pretty village of Rosenau, you'll find it hard to believe that you're only 4 kilometres away from the airport as the crow flies.

A national nature reserve, the Petite Camargue Alsacienne now covers 904 hectares, including nearly 200 hectares of water. Originally, in 1982, it covered 120 hectares around the buildings of the Imperial Fish Farm (1852). It is here, in the wild heart of the Au wetland plain, that you can walk along some of its most beautiful paths and discover the exceptional flora and fauna of this marshland landscape, thanks to the groundwater.