The Taennchel from Ribeauvillé via the Trois Châteaux

Park near the sports ground, or near the cemetery, on Rue du Lutzelbach. Please note that car parks are often full!

(S/E) From the car park, walk past the cemetery on your right. Head towards the sports ground car park. Turn left to walk past it on your right until you reach a fork.

(1) Take the concrete path on the left, which climbs through the vineyards, and follow the Red Rectangle markings until you reach a fork with a path on the right, after entering the woods.

(2) Take this path, heading directly towards Girsberg, and you will reach Girsberg Castle (well worth a visit).

(3) Continue on to the magnificent Château de Saint-Ulrich (also worth a visit!).

(4) Then take the path that climbs, leaving the castle behind you, marked with a Red Rectangle, and reach Haut-Ribeaupierre Castle (open to visitors).

(5) Continue until you reach a track.

(6) Cross it and continue straight ahead, towards the Carrefour du Cerisier Noir and Hasenclever. Follow the track and you’ll reach a crossroads with a wayside shrine.

(7) Turn left and head straight on to the Carrefour du Cerisier Noir.

(8) Continue along the second track on the left, marked with a Red Ring, towards the Abri du Taennchel and reach it.

(9) Follow the path leading to the right of the building, marked with a Blue Disc. Ignore the first path on the left and take the second one.

(10) Take this small path which branches off to the left of the main track towards the flank of the Taennchel. Climb the fairly steep slope to the Rocher de la Paix d'Udine.

(11) With your back to the Rocher de la Paix d'Udine, take the path on the right which follows the Mur Païen, marked with a Red Ring, and which follows the summit ridge. Pass the Rocher des Titans and the Rocher Pointu, then the Rocher de Bellevue, and arrive at a fork.

(12) Follow the path on the left, marked with a Red Ring, to the Kutzig Buech shelter.

(13) With the shelter behind you, look for the small path on the right, marked with a Red Disc, which descends quite steeply down the south face of the massif. Pass in front of the Source des Corbeaux, cross a track and join the next one.

(14) Ignore the sign for Grande Verrerie, and turn left onto the track, marked with a Blue Triangle, and head straight on until you reach a three-way junction.

(15) Turn left and head straight on to the Abri du Taennchel, at the Carrefour du Hasenclever which you passed on the way there.

(9) Continue along the track you have already taken and follow the route back in the opposite direction to the junction with a wayside shrine.

(7) Leave the route you have already taken and continue straight on following the red and white markings; walk for about 400 m until you reach a large crossroads.

(16) Take the second path on the right, marked with a Red Triangle, which descends towards Ribeauvillé.

(17) At the Cinq Hêtres crossroads, take the path marked with a Yellow Cross on the left, which descends towards the stream until it rejoins the original fork.

(1) Continue left, in the opposite direction to the outward journey, along Rue du Lutzelbach, and rejoin the (S/E).

Shelter is available in castles and some huts. Sturdy footwear is recommended, as some sections may be damp or muddy. There is a water source at the Fontaine du Corbeau, though I’m not sure if the water is drinkable; in any case, I often drink from it and have never had any problems.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the French Hiking Federation.

Visit Ribeauvillé, a small town with typical Alsatian character. You can visit the three castles (Saint-Ulrich is definitely worth a visit). There are many impressive rock formations to see at Taennchel.