The Doller Valley from Sentheim to Masevaux via Wolfenloch

This hike takes you mainly through forest from Sentheim to Masevaux via the Wolflenloch discovery trail. The return route follows the Doller river, passing the Hohenstein Cave and Sainte-Anne Chapel.

Details

n°80112938
Creation:
Last update:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.47 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 856 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 837 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,801 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,165 ft

Description of the walk

Car park located near St George’s Church in Sentheim.

(S/E) Cross the Grand Rue with care and, via Rue de l’Église and then Rue de Kattenbach, make your way to the bridge over the Doller and cross it.

(1) After the bridge, turn left onto the Discovery Trail.

(2) When you reach a three-way junction, turn left and cross the Silbach.

(3) Follow the shaded path which leads to the entrance to the Wolfenloch Cave. NB: the cave can only be visited by contacting the Maison de la Géologie in Sentheim. Then continue along the Discovery Trail. Follow this path, turning right through the hamlet of Steingrube, until you reach a metal staircase leading to a path marked with a Yellow Disc.

(4) Follow the Yellow Disc markings to the left as far as the hamlet of Gros Chêne, ignoring all other paths, whether signposted or not.

(5) At the crossroads in the hamlet of Gros Chêne, continue along the path marked with a Yellow Disc and head towards two ponds.

(6) Continue along the Chemin du Simmerstoeckle, which leads to Masevaux. Turn right onto Rue de l’Abattoir and head towards Route Joffre.

(7) Turn left onto it. Walk to Place Clémenceau, cross the River Doller, pass the town hall of the community of communes and reach the ruins of the former abbey church.

(8) Go round the Cour du Chapitre on the left, then take Rue Paul Burgy to reach the Joseph Vogt Vocational College.

(9) Go round the school on the right and join the ‘Red Ring’ signposted route on the left. Continue to the D 110 and cross it carefully. Keep following the ‘Red Ring’ signposted path.

(10) At the junction, carry straight on along the path with the same markings. Cross the Talungrunzbach stream and rejoin the D 110.

(11) Walk alongside the D110 for about 200 metres, then, at the bend, follow the path marked with a Blue Triangle which branches off to the left towards Lauw.

(12) Turn left onto Rue du Château, then right onto Rue de Mortzwiller, and continue to follow the Blue Triangle markings. This takes you round Lauw to the south and leads to the Hohlenstein Cave.

(13) Carry on to the right, following the Blue Rectangle markings, until you reach the second turn-off on the left. Then leave the Blue Rectangle markings and turn left to reach the Sainte-Anne Chapel, following the Green Ring markings.

(14) Carry on following the Green Ring signposts.

(15) As you approach Sentheim, head down Rue des Charbonniers on the left, then take Rue de la Forêt. At the junction, turn right and then immediately left onto Rue Saint-Georges to reach the car park (S/E) near the church.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,178 ft - Car park near St George’s Church.
  2. 1 : mi 0.36 - alt. 1,191 ft - Discovery Trail - Source de la Doller
  3. 2 : mi 0.74 - alt. 1,204 ft - Silbach
  4. 3 : mi 1.23 - alt. 1,293 ft - Wolfenloch Cave
  5. 4 : mi 1.65 - alt. 1,348 ft - Staircase
  6. 5 : mi 2.99 - alt. 1,801 ft - The Great Oak
  7. 6 : mi 3.72 - alt. 1,378 ft - Ponds
  8. 7 : mi 4.17 - alt. 1,335 ft - Joffre Road
  9. 8 : mi 4.48 - alt. 1,339 ft - Ruins of the Abbey Church
  10. 9 : mi 4.91 - alt. 1,453 ft - Vocational College
  11. 10 : mi 5.73 - alt. 1,526 ft - Crossroads
  12. 11 : mi 6.55 - alt. 1,378 ft - D 110
  13. 12 : mi 7.54 - alt. 1,257 ft - Rue du Château
  14. 13 : mi 8.22 - alt. 1,227 ft - La Grotte du Hohlenstein
  15. 14 : mi 8.73 - alt. 1,217 ft - St Anne’s Chapel
  16. 15 : mi 9.11 - alt. 1,220 ft - Rue des Charbonniers
  17. S/E : mi 9.47 - alt. 1,178 ft - Car park near St George’s Church.

Notes

Places to eat in Masevaux.

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 3 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
GRP2016DABO
GRP2016DABO

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 26, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk. The signposting at Wolfenloch could do with a review. There are small paths branching off in all directions. You can have a picnic at Gros Chëne. The ponds are private and fenced off, so they’re not accessible. The walk through Masevaux is pleasant; it’s a tourist town and you’ll pass the tourist information office, which is open on weekdays. You’ll receive a warm welcome there. You can stop for a break on the terrace on Place Clemenceau. Masevaux is well worth a visit and is a pleasure to explore.
The blue lake is private. Then there are cultural information boards about Lauw’s past, which are very interesting, as are the Hohlenstein Cave and the old railway bridge. It is possible to walk the route in the opposite direction, but the climb up to the ponds towards the Gros Chêne is steep.

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guy marianne
guy marianne

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike, but with one small drawback. The crossing through MASEVAUX is not very pleasant.
A bit too much tarmac for my taste.

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kristianbdr
kristianbdr

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful route, suitable for all types of hikers and walkers.
Can be done in either direction, in all seasons.
The directions are clear.

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