The Hohwald Waterfall and the Andlau Valley

From Le Hohwald, take the D130 then the D214 towards Champ du Feu. Park at the Crête des Myrtilles car park.

Red Disc signposting

(S/E) From the Crête des Myrtilles car park, cross the road and take the path leading down into the forest opposite. At each junction, continue straight ahead until this is no longer possible.

Markings:^GR®, Blue Triangle, Red Rectangle and Blue Rectangle

Then turn sharply right. Keep left at the junction with the track, then right at the next one.

Signposting: Blue Triangle

At the crossroads, leave the^GR® by turning left. Continue straight on at the next junction until you reach an X-shaped junction.

Red Rectangle signpost

(1) Take the first path on the right. At each junction, continue straight ahead along the path until you reach the edge of the forest.

Blue Saltire Sign

(2) Then turn off onto the path leading down to the left and cross a clearing. Carry on straight ahead at every junction until you reach the first four-way crossroads (Hochfeld Forest Road). Head straight on and keep going until you reach the edge of the forest near the Chaume des Veaux refuge. Once past the edge of the forest, carry on straight ahead, then turn right to reach the road.

Red Disc markings

(3) Turn left onto the road and follow it to the next junction.

Blue Saltire sign

Take the path leading down to the right. At the second road, turn right and cross a stream straight away.

Blue Cross signpost

Stay on the descending road. Continue to the Col du Kreuzweg.

(4) Carry on straight ahead twice to continue along a forest track. Then take the first track on the left, then left again onto the path. Keep going straight on until you reach the path marked with a Red Cross coming from the left.

(5) Keep going straight ahead until you reach the road. Then carry on straight ahead again towards Witterthalhof. Follow the road to the first junction.

(6) Turn left onto the Cherry Tree Trail. Turn right when you reach the road, then cross the Andlau to reach Rue de la Mairie in Hohwald.

Red Disc markings

(7) Turn left onto the street. Walk past the school and the Protestant church (ignore the path branching off to the right in front of the church). When you reach a gate, follow the path on the right. This leads to the district road.

(8) Turn left with care onto the D425, then right at the first junction. At the car park, before the stream, follow the path running alongside it to the Andlau Waterfall.

(9) Take in the view from the viewing platform.

Red Rectangle markings

From the upper viewing platform at the waterfall, turn left then right. Then cross a forest track to reach a second one.

(10) Head straight ahead. Carry on straight when you reach the third forest track. After this, in the bend, pass close to the Source de l’Andlau.

(11) Continue along the path to the junction at the start of the circular route.

(1) Turn right and return to the starting point by following the route in reverse (S/E).

Walking shoes, drinks, and suitable clothing and protective gear depending on the weather.

Find more walking routes on rando-bruche.fr, the Bruche Valley Tourist Office’s walking website.

• The lords of the Val de Villé, the Habsburgs, aimed to settle the highlands. They brought in settlers from Switzerland, who built dairy farms and developed cattle farming. These pastures were therefore used for this purpose for a long time, as their names still attest: the “Chaume des Veaux”, also known in the past as “Altmelkerei” (meaning ‘old dairy’ in German), the “Hochfeld” (meaning ‘high field’ in German), etc.

• (7) The village of Hohwald was officially recognised as a municipality in 1867, making it a relatively young village. Long dependent on livestock farming and forestry, the village enjoyed a golden age during the interwar period as a holiday and spa destination.

• Relax with a visit to the Hohwald ‘foot bath’. Based on the philosophy of Father Kneipp in the 19th century,

using the footbath after physical exertion (hiking, running, cycling, etc.) is said to be very beneficial for the body.

• (9) The Hohwald Waterfall, or Andlau Waterfall (named after the Andlau stream), rises below the Champ du Feu and is nearly 15 metres high. At the foot of the waterfall, a platform has been set up with tables and benches for picnicking and admiring the view.

• The name ‘Andlau’ is of Celtic origin, deriving from ‘Andon’. It took the form ‘Andelhoha’ around the year 1000 before becoming its current form, ‘Andlau’. Starting as a stream rising at an altitude of 1,000 metres, it then becomes a river, flowing for 42 km before joining the Ill 850 metres lower down, near the village of Fegersheim.