The Maginot Line and Fort Schoenenbourg in Hunspach

This magnificent route allows hikers to discover Hunspach, ranked among the "most beautiful villages in France", and the Maginot Line with the Fort de Schoenenbourg.

Details

4779537
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.23 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 71 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 62 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 206 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 154 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Hunspach (67250)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 48.950625° / E 7.941849°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3814ET, 3914OT
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the car park of the Salle des Fêtes de Hunspach, Rue de Hoffen.

(S/E) Turn left towards the village heading north-west.

(1) Turn right and walk past the Tourist Office. Turn left onto Rue Principale and follow the yellow diamond markings.

(2) Turn right onto Rue Saint-Paul and, at the end, turn left onto Rue du Docteur Albert Schweitzer. Then turn right onto Rue des Vignes and follow the path through the fields (yellow diamond markings). You will see blockhouses hidden behind the undergrowth on your right.

(3) Cross the D264 with caution and follow the yellow diamond signs to an intersection where you will turn right.

(4) Turn right, then right again after about 300 metres.

(5) When you reach the top, turn left to go around the field with the domes on your right (yellow ring). You can easily approach the turrets. Then follow the triple markings (yellow diamond + red and yellow rings) at the edge of the woods.

Take a detour to the right to reach an extraction well and its slag heap, located about 50 metres to the right.

(6) Return to the path and continue to the right. At the next intersection, keep to the right and stay on the path marked with a yellow diamond and yellow ring.

(7) Pass the entrance to Fort Schoenenbourg and stay on the Yellow Diamond route to reach the D249, which you should follow straight ahead until the next intersection on the right with the Red Ring. Turn right and continue along the path through the forest until you reach the intersection with the Yellow Ring marked path.

(8) Turn left onto the unmarked path that will take you to the D249. Once you reach the road, immediately take a small path on the right to avoid walking on the tarmac. Turn left and join the D294, which you should follow carefully to the left until you reach a wayside shrine.

(9) Cross over to take the path opposite the oratory, marked Anneau Rouge. Follow this path to the orchards and take the first path on the right, then left.

(10) Pass in front of the blockhouse and, at the next intersection, leave the Anneau Rouge markings on the right and continue straight ahead. Then turn left and follow the Anneau Vert markings until you reach the crossroads near the Tourist Office.

(1) When you reach Rue de Hoffen, continue straight ahead to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 154 m - Hunspach Village Hall car park
  2. 1 : km 0.19 - alt. 156 m - Crossroads of the circular
  3. 2 : km 0.68 - alt. 161 m - Rue Saint-Paul
  4. 3 : km 2.1 - alt. 178 m - D264
  5. 4 : km 2.83 - alt. 186 m - Turn right at the fork
  6. 5 : km 3.4 - alt. 193 m - Crossroads, on the left
  7. 6 : km 4.13 - alt. 196 m - Extraction well
  8. 7 : km 5.02 - alt. 200 m - Museum - Fort de Schoenenbourg
  9. 8 : km 5.92 - alt. 192 m - Unmarked path on the left
  10. 9 : km 6.9 - alt. 181 m - D264, oratory
  11. 10 : km 7.59 - alt. 166 m - Blockhaus
  12. S/E : km 9.23 - alt. 154 m - Hunspach Village Hall car park

Notes

Ask at the Tourist Office in Hunspach for information about visiting Fort Schoenenbourg, which is a must-see.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 15 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
User 18429345

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike

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nadine & christian
nadine & christian

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A perfect complement to the visit to the fort

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nadine & christian
nadine & christian

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A walk that perfectly complements the visit to the fot

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SPINNEWYN
SPINNEWYN

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

An easy walk through countryside and forest. It's also very interesting from a historical point of view, as it takes in the forts and turrets of the Maginot Line.

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Joelae
Joelae
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I love this typical village, it's so beautiful. Interesting visit to the Schoenenbourg fort.

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nadine & christian
nadine & christian

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

This walk can be done before or after the visit to the Schoenenbourg fort, or combined with it (although you should allow 2 to 3 hours for the visit to the fort). It allows you to visit the beautiful village of Hunspach and to see over the fort, giving you a better understanding of the Maginot Line.

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grosmollets
grosmollets

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We set off from the Schoenenbourg fort.
Visit to Hunspach, with its small Christmas market. It's a beautiful, typical village with white half-timbered houses and a very friendly welcome. We visited the fort after the hike; it's very impressive and well worth a visit.
No problems with the description and route of the tour, thank you.

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Meumeu1955
Meumeu1955

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Visit the remarkable fort.

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Nanou31
Nanou31

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

What a surprise when we arrived at the fort, we were able to visit the Maginot line (2h) at 12°C (fortunately they lend you blankets), outside it was 30...
Superb hike

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CEL
CEL

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very nice tour, everything was well signposted and a very nice visit to the fort.

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tchequemat
tchequemat

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A fine route but one to be avoided after rainy days.
Some paths are used by tractors and are therefore muddy.

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tigrou18
tigrou18

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 13, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A route suitable for those returning to hiking ... take the opportunity to visit the Schoenenbourg fort along the way.

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Chrichri67
Chrichri67

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 05, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful walk combining countryside, forest and the historic fortress ...

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Jean-Georges COTTIN
Jean-Georges COTTIN

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

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

Pleasant in fine weather

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SM BISCHE
SM BISCHE

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 17, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pretty walk, starting with the main street of Hunspach, with its many well-restored half-timbered houses.
About 500m after point 7 (i.e. after the Schoenenbourg fort), I recommend a short diversions to pass another structure (the Graserloch shelter), following the 'yellow circle' signs. This diversions (barely 500m) ends at point 8, where you catch up with the proposed route.
Apart from a few people living in HUNSPACH and some woodcutters working in the forest, we didn't come across anyone.

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