Rouffach – Turckheim

Wine-growing is an integral part of the Alsatian landscape. There is also a route named after it. This route is the third stage of the ‘Traversée des Vignes’ and links Rouffach to Turckheim. There are numerous vantage points, indeed they are almost everywhere outside the villages. The villages themselves are very traditional, with pretty half-timbered houses, and possess an undeniable charm. The region’s heritage is equally well represented.

This walk is part of a multi-day hike: La traversée des vignes d'Alsace

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 14.19 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 7h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: No
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,375 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,250 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,224 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 666 ft
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Rouffach (68250)
  • ⚑
    Start: N 47.960295° / E 7.31261°
  • ⚑
    End: N 48.085834° / E 7.280016°
  • Accessible from the train station Gare de Rouffach.
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3718OT, 3718OTR, 3719OT, 3719OTR
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Description of the walk

The route starts opposite Rouffach station. There is a car park on the other side of the tracks.

No signposting

(S/E) With your back to the station, take the path straight ahead to the roundabout. Go round the roundabout on the left, following the cycle path. Pass under the four-lane road. Enter Rouffach and pass the cemetery on your right. Continue along the road until the second junction. Turn left towards the Tourist Office and head for Notre-Dame Church.

(1) At the car park at the foot of the building, turn right. Then carry on straight ahead until you can go no further at Rue Bellevue.

(2) First turn right then left. Ignore a track on the left to reach a crossroads.

Discovery trail

Turn left, then right. Stay on the first track on the right; at its end, carry on almost straight ahead until you reach a Fork in the road.

Unmarked

Keep going straight on. Keep to the right of the road until you reach the orientation table.

Red Cross signposting

(3) Follow the road down to the first track on the left.

No signposting

Carry on to the left until you reach a building.

Green Ring markings

Carry on along the track until you reach the next path.

No signposting

Take the path going uphill, then go straight on. Immediately ignore a track on the right and take the second one. Keep to the right at the end of this path to reach a tarmac road.

(4) Keep to the left. Continue along the tarmac path that extends from it. Pass another path coming from the left, then at the next junction, keep to the left. Continue to the end of the path.

Nature trail

Turn right, then follow the path downhill. You’ll reach the houses in Pfaffenheim. Take the first street on the left. Keep to the right at the end of the street to reach the town hall. Turn left onto the street running past the town hall, heading due north to reach Saint-Martin’s Church.

(5) Continue to the bend. Turn left onto the uphill street (Rue du Vignoble) and follow it to the edge of the village.

No signposting

Keep to the right at the cross. Ignore a path leading downhill to the right (Rue du Tokay) and continue along the track. Ignore one Fork in the road and you’ll come to a second fork amongst the vineyards.

(6) Keep going straight on. Take a left-hand bend, then a right-hand bend. Carry on straight ahead until you reach the road. Follow it to the right as far as the Osperling Fountain.

(7) Continue straight on towards Guebershwihr. Just past a house, take the path leading down to the right, then, shortly afterwards, a track to the left. Stay on this side until you rejoin the road. Head uphill until you reach one of Guebershwihr’s main streets (Rue Basse). Follow it to the right until it ends. Turn left to see Saint-Pantaléon Church.

Yellow Cross signposting

(8) Return to the previous junction and turn left. At the cemetery, go round it on the right. Then continue straight ahead along a track. Pass the first path leading downhill to reach a second one.

No signposting

(9) Follow this track, leaving it at the first track on the left. Keep to the right at a tree, then continue straight ahead three times. You’ll reach a fourth junction.

(10) Head up to the left until you reach the end of the track. First turn left then right to join another track. This track leads to a viewpoint with an orientation board.

Discovery Trail

(11) Keep left until you reach the junction before a cross.

Unmarked

Turn right. Keep to the right until you reach Obermorscwihr. Cross the road and turn right towards the Church of Saints Philip and James.

(12) Carry on and go down the steps towards the town hall. At the town hall and a fountain, turn left. Ignore a road on the left to reach a cross.

Nature trail

Turn left, then right onto a track. Follow it to the end.

(13) First turn right then left. Continue to the end of the path and its junction.

Yellow Ring markings

(14) Head downhill, then turn left. Continue to the Langgraben stream.

(15) Keep going straight on. Ignore six paths.

No signposting

Immediately after the seventh path, turn right towards Éguisheim. Head towards the village houses. On reaching the village, turn right to reach a street.

Blue Ring signposting

First turn left then right to reach the main street in Éguisheim.

No signposting

Keep left twice to reach a striking, very narrow house.

(16) Walk past it. At the junction, turn right towards the church.

(17) Continue to the main street. Turn left and keep going until you reach the cross. Head up to the farm track on the right.

Blue Cross signposting

Take this track. Then keep left and then right to reach a path.

No signposting

(18) Cross over. Then carry on straight on until you reach the next road. Go straight ahead twice and reach the end of the path at Wettolsheim.

(19) Head almost straight ahead and leave the village through the vineyards. Continue to the end.

Green Ring signposting

Turn left, then start climbing to the right. First turn right then left to reach some Roman ruins.

(20) Continue uphill. Keep left twice, then turn right onto the steep track. Continue uphill along a narrow path on the left which leads to a pass. You can visit the Chapelle des Bois on the left.

Blue Cross signposting

(21) Head down the road opposite. At the bend, take the path on the left which descends into the forest. Cut across a track and follow a few hairpin bends. Continue straight ahead, then follow the road until you reach the third track on the left.

Red Triangle signpost

(22) Carry on to the left. Do the same at the next junction, then turn right and continue to the start of the tarmac road.

No signposting

Turn right, then right again at the end of the track until you reach the chapel.

(23) Turn left, then at the bend, cross the bridge. Turn left straight away along the road, then take the first track on the right. Keep left at the road. You’ll reach a junction.

(24) Go straight ahead. Keep to the left all the way until you reach the cycle path. Follow it, crossing a river. At the end, turn left to reach Turckheim station (E).

Waypoints

  1. S : mi 0 - alt. 673 ft - Rouffach station - La Lauch
  2. 1 : mi 0.63 - alt. 666 ft - Église Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption (Rouffach)
  3. 2 : mi 1.09 - alt. 702 ft - Rue Bellevue
  4. 3 : mi 1.86 - alt. 958 ft - Viewpoint
  5. 4 : mi 2.83 - alt. 869 ft - Tarmac path
  6. 5 : mi 3.61 - alt. 758 ft - Église Saint-Martin (Pfaffenheim)
  7. 6 : mi 4.03 - alt. 866 ft - Fork in the vineyards
  8. 7 : mi 4.65 - alt. 843 ft - Fontaine Osperling (Gueberschwihr)
  9. 8 : mi 5.37 - alt. 879 ft - Église Saint-Pantaléon (Gueberschwihr)
  10. 9 : mi 5.78 - alt. 853 ft - Junction with a descending path
  11. 10 : mi 6.27 - alt. 712 ft - Junction
  12. 11 : mi 6.69 - alt. 856 ft - Viewpoint with an orientation table
  13. 12 : mi 7.14 - alt. 886 ft - Église Saints-Philippe-et-Jacques
  14. 13 : mi 7.54 - alt. 981 ft - End of the trail through the vineyards
  15. 14 : mi 7.81 - alt. 951 ft - Crossroads
  16. 15 : mi 8.24 - alt. 797 ft - Langgraben
  17. 16 : mi 9.27 - alt. 679 ft - Very narrow house
  18. 17 : mi 9.42 - alt. 692 ft - Église Saints-Pierre-et-Paul d'Eguisheim
  19. 18 : mi 10.1 - alt. 906 ft - Route
  20. 19 : mi 10.83 - alt. 761 ft - Wettolsheim
  21. 20 : mi 11.3 - alt. 899 ft - Gîte d'étape romain de Wettolsheim
  22. 21 : mi 11.67 - alt. 1,224 ft - Col
  23. 22 : mi 12.47 - alt. 797 ft - Crossroads
  24. 23 : mi 13.18 - alt. 781 ft - Chapel in Wintzenheim
  25. 24 : mi 13.82 - alt. 791 ft - Junction. Towards the - Source de la Fecht
  26. E : mi 14.19 - alt. 778 ft - Gare de Turckheim

Notes

To return to the starting point: take the train to Colmar. Get off at the terminus, then take the train to Mulhouse and get off at Rouffach.

The route is almost entirely open: make sure you bring sun protection.

Worth a visit

-Churches in Rouffach (1), Pfaffenheim (5), Gueberschwihr (8), Obermorschwihr (12) and Eguisheim (17).
-Osperling Fountain (7).
-The Witches’ Tower in Rouffach (near (1)).
-Viewpoints at (3) and (11).
-Roman ruins at Wettolsheim (20).
-Chapelle des Bois (21).
-Visit Rouffach (1) and Turckheim (E).
-Enjoy the many panoramic views.

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 3 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
3.7 / 5
ABovard
ABovard

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 01, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A lovely second stage of this “wine route”. That said, the succession of vine-covered hills does feel a little monotonous. Fortunately, the villages along the way are full of magnificent half-timbered houses and are very picturesque.
Don’t hesitate to stock up on plenty of provisions; whilst the villages are beautiful, they are mostly devoid of shops and pubs (which is a bit of a shame in the middle of the vineyards ).

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Nature57
Nature57

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, long walk offering the chance to explore the Alsatian vineyards and the charm of the small villages along the way. There are some lovely views of Colmar and the Alsace plain at the end of the walk.

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Bil Ginkgo
Bil Ginkgo

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk through the vineyards and villages at the foot of the Vosges. Perhaps one to do again when the autumn colours are at their best.
You can vary the route almost endlessly, given the multitude of paths available.
The only challenge is the length of the route.
It’s also a chance to experience the RER.

Machine-translated

Orando974
Orando974 ★

Hello,

Yes, it is possible to return by train. I’ll add that to the description

From Turckheim, you need to take the train to Colmar, then from Colmar take the train to Mulhouse and get off at Rouffach.

Enjoy your walk,

Orando974

Machine-translated

virgule
virgule

Hello,

Is it possible to return by train?

Machine-translated

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