The Urbeis Heritage Trail and Bilstein Castle

Departure from Urbeis, Main Street near the church, in the centre of the village. Parking area along the D39, on the left-hand side coming from Villé (opposite house no. 47 Main Street).

The first part of the hike follows the heritage trail, marked with mining tools.

(S/E) From the car park, go to the traffic island with a fountain, opposite the church: see the heritage trail sign entitled "Une histoire de temps" (A story of time). With your back to the church, walk up Rue des Aviats. After 50 m, at a three-way junction, stay on the right-hand side of the street.

(1) At the top of the street, first turn right then left to take a grassy path running alongside the last house on your left. This path then turns left, passing above the houses. Further on, continue straight ahead along a path crossing a pasture where you will have to go through two gates (making sure to close them behind you). When you reach a wooden pontoon, turn left onto the downhill street (Rue du Schnarupt). Return to the main street, cross carefully and turn right.

Look for and enter the miner's house (the sign is slightly hidden in a hedge between houses nos. 13 and 15).
Continue along the country road to the bottom of the village. (See the sign "La maison, reflet du paysage" at the junction with Rue des Cruses)

(2) After the last houses, turn sharply left onto a path marked with a blue triangle. After a few metres, at a three-way junction, keep to the right. You will then come to the sign for "Envahissante forêt" (invasive forest) on a bend: be careful here, as the markings are not very visible...

(3) Turn right, then immediately afterwards, take a path going up to the left behind you (the markings are only visible on a tree above). The path will then zigzag upwards. At an intersection, continue along the path to the right (still following the blue triangle) for a few metres, then turn left uphill. Further on, turn left onto a flat path towards a clearing with a view of the castle. Continue straight ahead (ignore the yellow easel signpost on the right).

(4) After a few metres, descend to the left towards the Théophile Mine (sign not very visible at the start). See the sign about the history of this mine.

(5) Set off again along a small path above the mine (protective barrier on the right), with an arboretum. Find the forest path marked with yellow signs and follow it to the left towards the castle. Further on, ignore the direct descent to Urbeis (here you leave the heritage trail) and continue straight ahead. After passing above a house ("Les Murailles"), continue along the path until you reach the sign indicating the entrance to the castle.

(6) Go down the small path, which then turns left and runs along the rocky outcrop on your right.
When you reach a wooden footbridge, climb the steps carved into the rock (secured by a metal handrail) to reach the ruins of Bilstein Castle.

(7) Retrace your steps.

(6) Take the path to the left. At the next intersection, continue following the yellow signposts (ignore the path leading off to the right towards Charbes). At the three-way junction, keep right. Further on, at an intersection, go straight ahead.

(8) At a platform, continue to the right (leave the carriageway that descends). When you reach a road, follow it to the right facing the Climont massif. Continue to the D214 departmental road.

(9) Turn left onto it, following the blue rectangle markings towards the Col d'Urbeis. Continue along the road until you reach a bend and the marked path on the right.

(10) After a tall house (three storeys) on your left, follow the steeply descending grassy path on the right (blue rectangle markings). Return to the D214 road and stay on the right-hand side of the road.

(11) At the entrance to the forest, turn right, go through the barrier (Colroy-Lubine Forest), then take the first path on the left (blue rectangle) which climbs slightly. Continue to the Col d'Urbeis (ignore the mountain bike sign and continue straight ahead on a hollow path downhill)

(12) At the Col d'Urbeis car park, head towards the stele (ignore the blue rectangle signposting towards Col de la Hingrie), then at the small house, follow the blue-white-blue signposting towards Urbeis town hall. After the barrier, turn left (leaving the Route Forestière des Aviats) and continue to follow the blue-white-blue rectangular markings.

(13) At a large bend, leave the path and take a trail on the left (signposted "Ligne du Tacot").
When you reach Haut d'Urbeis, follow the road for a few metres.

(14) Go up a road on the right, continue along the heights through the meadows and return to the initial fork.

(1) Return to Urbeis at the top of Rue des Aviats, and descend to the left to the starting point (S/E).

There are no picnic areas or shelters along the route, except at Col d'Urbeis at the end of the hike.

The Urbeis heritagetrail , entitled " Une histoire de temps" (A History of Time), is a marked walking trail featuring mining tools and offering an insight into the local heritage with explanatory panels along the route.

Overlooking the village of Urbeis, the ruins of Bilstein Castle with its distinctive keep offer a beautiful view of the village.

The passage through the village of Climont is the least interesting part of the route as it follows the road, but there is no alternative. See the Protestant church.

At the Col d'Urbeis, see the "Chemin de la résistance et de la liberté" (Path of Resistance and Freedom) memorial, which pays tribute to those who, during the Second World War, helped thousands of people flee German territory to reach France.