The Île du Rhin to the north of the Kembs bottleneck

To reach Le Bouchon, after passing the hydroelectric power station, cross the canal in front of the large locks and then head downhill to the left (the surface is in poor condition for the last 300 metres).
See Practical Information.

(S/E) From the car park, head towards the Old Rhine by going down the few steps leading to the riverbank. Enjoy the view of the islets and the Rocher d’Istein.
Head back up towards the car park and follow the track that runs alongside the Grand Canal.

(1) After about 200 m, leave the turn-off to the Old Rhine bank on your right and continue along the canal until you reach the^first cross-path.

(2) Turn right to reach the bank of the Old Rhine and the old towpath.

(3) Head straight north, enjoying the vegetation and spotting waterbirds. See practical information. After about 2.5 km, you’ll reach the^second cross-path.

(4) Turn left to reach the bank of the Grand Canal d’Alsace at its junction with the Rhône–Rhine Canal. Continue north on the right for about 300 m, then take the path branching off to the right.

(5) Enjoy the view of the junction of the canals. See practical information.
Ignore the path on the right (dead end) and continue along the canal to the^third crossroads.

(6) Turn right to rejoin the Old Rhine near the small German town of Rheinweiler. Turn right towards the technical installations of the old cable ferry, which still appear to be in perfect condition.

(7) Continue along the riverbank. The path enters the ‘Petite Camargue Alsacienne’ nature reserve and joins the^second cross-channel.

(4) Turn right onto the Grand Canal and follow its bank due south. The path splits; take the left-hand branch near the forest so as not to miss the small track leading to the birdwatching station hidden amongst the trees; it is located near a jetty visible on the opposite bank.

(8) The birdwatching chalet looks a bit neglected and the wooden shelter to its right is in poor condition, but it’s good enough for shelter or a picnic break.
Head back south along the path. You can make out the town of Kembs on your right.

(2) At the junction with the^first side road, turn left towards the Old Rhine. At the barrier, turn right, heading due south. After passing two more barriers, you’ll reach the Grand Canal and then the ‘Bouchon de Kembs’ (S/E).

This walk is best undertaken in dry weather between November and May, when the foliage is not too dense.
There are two other car parks available on either side of the locks, about 1 km from the start.

(S/E) There’s no risk of getting lost; there are only two paths running north-south – one along the bank of the Grand Canal and the other along the bank of the Old Rhine – with a few rare cross-paths to move from one to the other or provide a shortcut.

(3) To the east, the German motorway runs between 200 and 1,000 metres from the banks of the Rhine; if the wind is blowing from the east, you’ll have to put up with some unpleasant background noise, though this is fortunately offset by the beauty of the landscape and the chance to spot waterbirds.
Every winter, the Rhine welcomes large numbers of birds from Scandinavia or Eastern Europe, which find refuge on the Île du Rhin.

(5) Under the bridges linking Kembs to Niffer, just above the junction, you can see the small-vessel lock designed by Le Corbusier, which provides access to the marina and the Huningue Canal; and further to the right, the large-vessel lock for passage to the Rhine–Rhône Canal.

The Heritage Centre: Wednesdays 2 pm to 6 pm and the first Sunday of the month from 10 am to 12 noon.
It provides information on the history of Kembs, which is closely linked to that of the Rhine, and offers a wealth of details on the construction of the Grand Canal d’Alsace, the development of hydroelectric power, as well as the flora and fauna of the Petite Camargue Alsacienne.