The Rocher du Coucou and Osenbach circular route starting from the Col du Neuland

This circular walk, which is challenging in places, takes you past several interesting spots. The first of these is the Désiré Renaud viewpoint. Next come Notre-Dame de Schauenberg, the Schauenberg Chestnut Tree, the Devil’s Rock, the Cuckoo Rock, the church at Osenbach, Langenstein, the Val du Pâtre with its church and military cemetery, the Grossfels Rock and St. Lucy’s Chapel, Soultzmatt and the Zinkoepfle. Of course, to fully appreciate these points of interest, you should definitely stop off at them. It is a route with many ups and downs, the final climb being the most challenging. Almost the entire route is through woodland. Only the last quarter is out in the open, amongst the vineyards.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 16.46 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 10h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Very difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 2,818 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 2,808 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,890 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 830 ft

Description of the walk

Park at the Col du Neuland car park

Red Cross markings

(S/E) From the car park, head down from the pass by turning right. At the cross, follow the path on the left. Ignore a path leading off to the right into the vineyards. At the edge of the forest, ignore the path on the left and enter the woods. Ignore a path leading down to the right and then the path on the right. Follow this same path as it loops back from the right before turning left at the next junction. Arrive at Ruebenloch.

Red Diamond markings

(1) Turn left, then right onto the path. This path is not marked on maps, but on the ground, you must follow the Red Diamond. After passing some quarries, you will reach a junction at the top of the hill.

(2) Turn right towards the Désiré Renaud viewpoint.

(3) Continue along the path towards Notre-Dame du Schauenberg.

No signposting

At the junction above the place of worship, take the winding path up to the left to the Table des Druides.

(4) Return to the junction.

Red Diamond markings

Turn left.

Red Cross markings

At the track, turn right towards Notre-Dame du Schauenberg and its panoramic views.

(5) Cross the place of worship, passing in front of the chapel. Leave a path on the left to reach the Roche du Diable. Continue the descent. Ignore one junction and go to the next one.

Red Ring markings

(6) Turn left. Pass a fork in the path.

No markings

At the road, follow it uphill to the Châtaigner du Schauenberg.

(7) Turn back to the previous junction.

Blue Ring signposting

Take the track on the left, which passes in front of the Chapelle Saint-Léonard. At the crossroads, turn right before taking the path on the left and then turning right. At the edge of the forest, turn left and you will come to a wide path. Take the first path on the right off this path. As you leave the forest, ignore a path on the left and continue to the corner of an orchard.

(8) Follow the white path up alongside the orchard. Pass one crossroads and continue left at the next one along a Way of the Cross. Ignore a path coming from the right and go straight up at the next crossroads. Pass several chapels and ignore the path coming from the left to climb more steeply to the right. After the bend, follow the road up to the right to the car park.

Red Diamond markings

(9) Take the path starting to the right of the car park. Pass by a few old quarries and then a boundary stone. Towards the end, some sections have steps, one of which has a guardrail.

Red Ring Markings

At the junction, take the path on the right down to the Rocher du Coucou.

(10) Continue along the path.

Red Diamond markings

At the junction, take the path that descends to reach a track.

Blue Diamond markings

(11) Follow this track up to the left. Ignore a path coming from the right. At the next fork, go straight ahead and then turn right at the next one. Pass a junction on the right and then another on the left.

(12) At the junction of two wide tracks, including the Chemin Saint-Georges, head straight ahead. Repeat this at the junction with the Chemin du Schauenberg. You will reach the Heiliger Baum crossroads and its shelter.

(13) Cross the Chemin du Périmètre then take the path to the right of a gate. Ignore a path coming from the left and then another on the right. When you reach the Chemin du Hohberg, head right until you reach a junction.

(14) Cut across the track on the left to take, on the other side, the path leading down to Kreuzlein. Just before reaching the pass, ignore the path leading up to the left.

(15) At the pass, take the first path to the left of the cross. Further on, turn right, then keep left to come out into the orchards of Osenbach. Enter the woods again and continue the descent straight ahead. You will arrive on Rue Albert Schweitzer.

Blue Disc markings

(16) Head down to the left. At the junction, turn right then immediately left onto Rue des Fontaines, which leads to Saint-Etienne Church.

(17) From the church, turn left onto Rue du Stade. Continue along this street until you reach the campsite.

(18) Continue along the path opposite. At the edge of the forest, follow the track and ignore the first fork. Turn left at the second fork. Continue straight ahead for five junctions, some of which are rather inconspicuous. Then begin the descent to reach a wide bend.

(19) Take this bend, which branches off to the right. Ignore a path on the right and continue to the next junction. Turn right onto Chemin du Blumenstein and continue the descent to the left. The winding path leads onto the main road.

(20) First turn left then right to walk alongside the picnic area and cross the stream.

Marked with a Blue Ring on maps, but no markings on the ground

Immediately after the stream, take the path to the right of the next track. It climbs steeply and leads to a track.

(21) Turn left onto this track. At the junction by the gate, go right. When you reach the plateau, ignore the path on the right. Take the next path on the right. You’ll come to a wide forest track. Follow this down to the left and ignore the two junctions with the fitness trail.

Blue Triangle markings

At the third junction, turn right to reach Langenstein.

(22) Stay on the path. At the sports ground, head straight on to the Romanian cemetery.

(23) Head back to the fork after the sports fields.

No markings

Turn right.

Red Diamond markings

At the Way of the Cross, follow it to the right, slightly downhill, then slightly uphill, to Val du Pâtre.

(24) Turn back. Cross over to the opposite side three times. At a Y-junction, keep left.

No signposting

Then turn left twice at the next junction to take a path.

Blue Triangle markings

At the next track, cross over and turn right onto the path running alongside it. The path leads to the Rocher du Grossfels.

(25) Follow the path on the right and rejoin the track.

No signposting

Take a detour to the left twice to see the Sainte-Lucie Chapel.

(26) Return to the junction.

Red Diamond markings

Head down to the left towards Soultzmatt. Before leaving the forest, ignore a path on the right. Once out of the forest, keep to the right to reach Rue de la Forêt.

(27) Follow this road to the right. Go round the school. Turn left at the junction onto Rue du1er Régiment Étranger de Cavalerie. Take the left-hand bend and turn right towards Saint-Sébastien Church.

(28) Walk down the street.

No signposts

Keep left twice to take Rue des Boulangers. Turn right at the first junction onto Rue des Prêtres. When you reach Rue de la Vallée, follow it to the right. Pass in front of the town hall.

Red Diamond signpost

(29) Head up Rue d’Or to the left. Keep straight on until you reach the cross and the vineyard. At the cross, head right towards it and stay on the path climbing to the left to tackle the steepest of the climbs. At the fork, take a quick left-right turn. Then, at the next junction, take the path that climbs steeply to the left. When you rejoin the road, head right to Sultzelberg and its viewpoint.

(30) Continue along the path climbing to the left behind the information board. At the junction, turn right and then take the stony path straight ahead which climbs steeply towards the Zinnkoepfle. A bench offers a chance to enjoy the view before reaching the summit.

(31) Follow the path. At the flat section, keep left. Towards the end of the plateau, turn right. Stay on the path until you reach the Notre-Dame du Hubel wayside shrine.

Red Triangle markings

(32) Head down the road on the right and follow it to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,155 ft - Col du Neuland
  2. 1 : mi 0.82 - alt. 1,312 ft - Ruebenloch
  3. 2 : mi 1.14 - alt. 1,578 ft - Crossroads
  4. 3 : mi 1.35 - alt. 1,585 ft - Désiré Renaud Viewpoint
  5. 4 : mi 2.26 - alt. 1,542 ft - Table des Druides
  6. 5 : mi 2.48 - alt. 1,348 ft - Notre-Dame de Schauenberg
  7. 6 : mi 2.72 - alt. 1,214 ft - Fork
  8. 7 : mi 3 - alt. 1,106 ft - Schauenberg Chestnut Tree
  9. 8 : mi 3.8 - alt. 1,027 ft - Orchard
  10. 9 : mi 4.55 - alt. 1,358 ft - Car park
  11. 10 : mi 5.09 - alt. 1,555 ft - Rocher du Coucou
  12. 11 : mi 5.36 - alt. 1,460 ft - Trail
  13. 12 : mi 6 - alt. 1,778 ft - St-Georges Path
  14. 13 : mi 6.38 - alt. 1,890 ft - Heiliger Baum
  15. 14 : mi 6.92 - alt. 1,713 ft - Crossroads
  16. 15 : mi 7.41 - alt. 1,526 ft - Kreuzlein
  17. 16 : mi 7.98 - alt. 1,266 ft - Albert Schweitzer Street
  18. 17 : mi 8.18 - alt. 1,276 ft - Église Saint-Étienne (Osenbach)
  19. 18 : mi 8.56 - alt. 1,329 ft - Campsite
  20. 19 : mi 9.29 - alt. 1,388 ft - Turn
  21. 20 : mi 9.95 - alt. 1,001 ft - Route - Ohmback (ruisseau) - Affluent de la Lauch
  22. 21 : mi 10.17 - alt. 1,138 ft - Trail
  23. 22 : mi 11.67 - alt. 1,260 ft - Menhir du Langenstein
  24. 23 : mi 11.89 - alt. 1,257 ft - Cimetière militaire roumain (Soultzmatt)
  25. 24 : mi 12.44 - alt. 1,276 ft - Val du Pâtre - Chapelle Ste-Marie (Soultzmatt)
  26. 25 : mi 13.37 - alt. 1,214 ft - Rocher du Grossfels
  27. 26 : mi 13.51 - alt. 1,106 ft - Chapelle Sainte-Lucie (Soulzmatt)
  28. 27 : mi 13.82 - alt. 951 ft - Rue de la Forêt
  29. 28 : mi 14.01 - alt. 883 ft - Église Saint-Sébastien (Soultzmatt)
  30. 29 : mi 14.26 - alt. 830 ft - Junction after the town hall - Ohmback (ruisseau) - Affluent de la Lauch
  31. 30 : mi 14.79 - alt. 1,161 ft - Sultzelberg
  32. 31 : mi 15.11 - alt. 1,440 ft - Bench before the - Zinnkoepflé
  33. 32 : mi 15.71 - alt. 1,519 ft - Parking Notre Dame du Hubel
  34. S/E : mi 16.46 - alt. 1,155 ft - Col du Neuland

Notes

-Cultural and tourist information boards are located at (S/E), near the wayside cross shortly after (S/E), at Notre-Dame du Schauenberg (5), at the Saint-Léonard Chapel, between (8) and (9), at the Rocher du Coucou (10), at the Romanian military cemetery (23), at Val du Pâtre (24) and between points (29) and (32).

-Tables, shelters and/or benches available at (S/E), Point de Vue Désiré Renaud (3), Notre-Dame du Schauenberg (5), Châtaigner du Schauenberg (7), Heiliger Baum (13), Kreuzlein (15), at (20), Langenstein (22), Rocher du Grossfels (25), Sultzelberg (30) and at (31).

-An alternative starting point is available at the car park at (9).

Worth a visit

-Neuland Cross (S/E)

-Waymark shortly after (S/E)

-Désiré Renaud Viewpoint (3)

-Table des Druides (4)

-Notre-Dame du Schauenberg, its viewpoint, its chapel and the Devil’s Rock (5)

-The Schauenberg Chestnut Tree (7)

-Saint-Léonard Chapel

-Cuckoo Rock (10)

-Osenbach Church (17)

-Langenstein (22)

-Romanian military cemetery (23)

-Val du Pâtre (24)

-Grossfels Rock (25)

-St. Lucy’s Chapel (26)

-Visit Soultzmatt and see its church (28)

-Sultzelberg viewpoint (30)

-Zinnkoepfle viewpoint (31)

-Notre-Dame du Hubel (32)

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