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

Park at the Col du Neuland car park

Red Cross signposting

(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. Continue along this same path, which loops back from the right, before turning left at the next junction. You’ll 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 markings closely. After passing some quarries, you’ll 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, follow the winding path up to the left to the Table des Druides.

(4) Walk back to the junction.

Red Diamond markings

Turn left at the fork.

Red Cross markings

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

(5) Walk through the place of worship, passing in front of the chapel. Ignore a path on the left leading to the Roche du Diable. Continue downhill. Ignore one junction and carry on to the next.

Red Ring markings

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

No markings

When you reach 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 Saint-Léonard Chapel. 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’ll 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 carry on until you reach the corner of an orchard.

(8) Follow the white path uphill alongside the orchard. Pass one junction, then turn left at the next one, following a Way of the Cross. Ignore a path coming from the right, then head uphill straight ahead at the next junction. Pass several chapels and ignore the path coming from the left to climb more steeply to the right. After the bend, follow the road uphill to the right until you reach the car park.

Red Diamond markings

(9) Take the path that starts 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, including one with a guardrail.

Red Ring Markings

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

(10) Continue along the path.

Red Diamond markings

At the junction, take the path that leads downhill to a track.

Blue Diamond markings

(11) Head up this track to the left. Ignore a path coming from the right. At the next Fork in the road, go straight ahead, then turn right at the following Fork in the road. Pass a junction on the right, then another on the left.

(12) At the junction of two wide tracks, including the Chemin Saint-Georges, head straight ahead. Repeat this by cutting across the Chemin du Schauenberg. 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 come out onto 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 the Kreuzlein. Just before reaching the pass, ignore the path leading uphill 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 Osenbach orchards. Enter the woods again and continue the descent straight ahead. You will come out onto Rue Albert Schweitzer.

Blue Disc signposting

(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) Carry on along the path opposite. At the edge of the woodland, follow the track and ignore the first Fork in the road. Turn left at the second Fork in the road. 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 veers to the right. Ignore a path on the right and carry on to the next junction. Turn right onto Chemin du Blumenstein and continue the descent to the left. The winding path leads onto the departmental road.

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

Blue Ring markings

Immediately after the stream, take the next track on the left. Ignore all the paths on the left to stay on the Chemin de l’Allée. At the first path on the right, climb up it to reach the Grossfels viewpoint.

(24) Continue along the path until you reach the track.

Blue Triangle markings

Head straight ahead to reach the Langenstein.

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

(22) Turn back to the Fork in the road after the sports grounds.

No signposts

Turn right.

Red Diamond markings

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

(23) Turn back. Cross over to the opposite side three times. At a Fork in the road, keep left.

No signposting

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

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.

(24) 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.

(25) 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 you’ve left the forest, keep to the right to reach Rue de la Forêt.

(26) Follow this road to the right. Walk round the school. Turn left at the junction onto Rue du^{1er Régiment} Étranger de Cavalerie. Take the left-hand bend and turn right towards Saint-Sébastien Church.

(27) Walk down the street.

No signposts

Keep left twice to join Rue des Boulangers. Turn right at the first junction onto Rue des Prêtres. When you reach Rue de la Vallée, head down this street to the right. Walk past the town hall.

Red Diamond signpost

(28) Head up Rue d’Or to the left. Keep straight on until you reach the cross and the vineyard. At the cross, turn right towards it and stay on the path climbing to the left to tackle the most challenging of the ascents. At the Fork in the road, first turn left then right. Then, at the next junction, take the path that climbs steeply to the left. When you rejoin the road, head right towards Sultzelberg and its viewpoint.

(29) Carry on along the path that climbs to the left behind the orientation table. At the junction, turn right and then take the stony path straight ahead, which climbs steeply towards the Zinnkoepfle. There is a bench where you can enjoy the view before reaching the summit.

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

Red Triangle markings

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

-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 (22), at Val du Pâtre (23) and between points (28) and (31).

- Tables, shelters and/or benches available at (S/E), the Désiré Renaud Viewpoint (3), Notre-Dame du Schauenberg (5), Châtaigner du Schauenberg (7), Heiliger Baum (13), Kreuzlein (15), at (20), Langenstein (21), Rocher du Grossfels (24), Sultzelberg (29) and at (30).

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

-Neuland Cross (S/E)

-Waymarking cross 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)

-St Leonard’s Chapel

-Cuckoo Rock (10)

-Osenbach Church (17)

-Langenstein (21)

-Romanian military cemetery (22)

-Val du Pâtre (23)

-Grossfels Rock (24)

-St Lucy’s Chapel (25)

-Visit Soultzmatt and see its church (27)

-Sultzelberg viewpoint (29)

-Zinnkoepfle viewpoint (30)

-Notre-Dame du Hubel (31)