Country:
District:
Departure from Saint Hippolyte, car park at the village hall. Leave the wine route and take the RD1B1 towards Haut-Koenigsbourg. The car park is on the right.
(S/E) With your back to the car park entrance, take Rue du Parc opposite, between the village hall and the Le Parc hotel-restaurant. When you reach a small square with containers, continue along Rue du Parc, which turns right. At the end of the tarmac road, at the fork, take the right-hand road towards Schaentzel (Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle will come into view opposite). A little further on, rejoin the road and continue straight ahead facing the castle (signposted towards the lake). Leave the first path on your right and continue along the road. Further on, leave another path on your right (towards Rocher du Sanglier).
(1) Immediately take the next path on the right, marked Anneau Rouge towards Vallon des Moulins. (marked Muehlreben on the IGN map). A little further on, at the Y-junction, stay on the left-hand path (follow the signs). See the information boards about the ruins of two old mills.
(2) When you reach a crossroads with several paths, continue to the right, still following the red ring markings towards Ermitage, then after 150 m take the path on the left uphill.
(3) Further up, leave this path and turn right onto a path leading to the ruins of a small chapel, Tombe de l'Ermite. The path continues slightly downhill and then climbs back up to Roche des Fées.
(4) After 5 minutes, the path turns left and climbs up to Schaentzel. When you reach the road (RD42), turn right.
(5) At Schaentzel, cross the crossroads and take the path on the right, passing in front of the buildings. Continue straight ahead, following the red rectangle signs for Haut-Koenigsbourg. At the first Y-junction, take the left-hand path. At the next two junctions, stay on the right-hand path. Cross the road twice and continue straight ahead. Continue to the Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg.
(6) At the foot of the castle, take the hairpin bend to the left onto the path marked with a red ring, the circular walk around Oedenbourg, the ruins of another castle.
(7) After completing the loop around the castles, return to the road, where you will find a platform with public telescopes offering views of the Alsace plain. Descend to the right of the small building called "Pavillon du Haut-Koenigsbourg" via a fairly steep stone staircase. The trail forms a loop. At the next intersection, continue straight ahead, following the red-white-red signpost towards Orschwiller. Further down, the trail turns sharply to the right.
(8) Pass a fountain. Cross the road and continue along the path, following the yellow diamond signs.
(9) Return to the road and follow it to the right and then right again to arrive at a place called Schaflager (hotel-restaurant). Take the path that passes in front of the building.
(10) Further on, leave the forest path and take a trail on the right, still following the yellow diamond markings towards "Saint Hippolyte par le Langenberg". After a long while, take a right turn towards an orientation table.
(11) Continue east. Further down, follow a fence separating the forest and vineyard.
(12) When you reach an opening in the fence, turn right towards Saint-Hippolyte, following the yellow diamond signs (downhill path, parallel to the rows of vines).
Before a fence with a metal gate, turn completely left onto a grassy path, facing the large antennas of Sélestat. (Alternatively, you can return directly to Saint Hippolyte by going through this gate and continuing straight ahead).
Go through a gate, turning right and then left, find the blue triangle sign and follow the path along the hillside.
Pass through a small wood with steps to reach Orschwiller.
(13) Just before the road, turn right onto a gravel path (glass recycling bins) and climb a small hill with an orientation table, above the church and cemetery.
Continue south-west through the vineyards towards Saint-Hippolyte, following the yellow-white-yellow rectangular signs.
Then, at the entrance to the village, continue right until you reach the car park (S/E).
Association or club
