The rocks of Roppeviller

A breathtaking walk that will make you feel like you're travelling at the foot of the Grand Canyon.
A place to visit again and again, attracting many hikers, this is a beautiful family hike with plenty of tables for picnicking in the shade of the trees.

Details

3747358
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.49 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 108 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 106 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 391 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 305 m

Photos

Description of the walk

(S/E) There is a car park at the junction of Rue du Rocher and Rue des Genets.
Take the dirt road eastwards along Allée Helmut Kohl.

(1) After about 1 km, you will come to a crossroads. Turn right, heading south.
The return journey is via the road opposite you.
Continue straight ahead, following the red dots. You will start climbing up to the rock for about 800 m.

(2) Turn left at the rock to make a round trip.

(3) You will arrive at a viewpoint above the rocks, where there are picnic tables. You will be overlooking the forest.
Turn around.

(2) Turn left and follow the rocks on your right. You will walk along the foot of the rocks for about 1.5 km on the Altschlosspfad trail, continuing to follow the red dots.

(4) Keep your eyes peeled to spot where the crocodile and wolf are hiding.

(5) You will pass through a tunnel created by nature.

(6) After a long time at the foot of the rocks, take a path that descends (follow the red dot).

At the bottom of the descent, at the crossroads, take the path on your left and begin your return journey. Follow the signs for Roppeviller. Continue to follow the red dots and pay attention at a crossroads with several directions, but the red dots are clearly visible.

(1) Take the path in front of you, the one you came on. You have about 1 km to go to get back to the car park where you started (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 305 m - Parking area
  2. 1 : km 1.04 - alt. 334 m - Right-hand path
  3. 2 : km 1.66 - alt. 378 m - Fork in the path. Return to the viewpoint.
  4. 3 : km 1.78 - alt. 391 m - Picnic table and viewpoint
  5. 4 : km 2.11 - alt. 375 m - The crocodile
  6. 5 : km 2.83 - alt. 380 m - The natural tunnel
  7. 6 : km 3.11 - alt. 370 m - Follow the red dots
  8. S/E : km 5.49 - alt. 305 m - Parking area

Notes

Good walking shoes required.
There are tables available for picnics.

Worth a visit

(3) Superb view above the rocks
(4) Find the crocodile and the wolf
(5) Passage through a natural tunnel

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 56 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
Michel MAJEAN
Michel MAJEAN

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

An impressive and very photogenic sight! An easy walk, but likely to be very busy in the summer months.

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Orchidees
Orchidees

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful, relatively easy hike. Exceptional rocks, all in a very beautiful and pleasant forest.

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User 20969554

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

It's a very easy and pleasant trail through the woods. The arrival at the ochre cliffs is incredible in the midst of this natural setting. It's a bit busy, but that's to be expected. If you like taking photos, bring a good camera.

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kiki94
kiki94

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

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User 18551664

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful route, very shady, which is appreciated during hot weather.

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User 14161554

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hike completed on Pentecost Sunday with a 7-year-old child. An ideal family hike, the rock formations are magnificent: several cliff-side gorges at the start of the trail, forming caves that are easy to access, allowing you to enter and observe the interior walls. The path passes through a large arch in the rock towards point 5. There are large stone columns at the end (towards point 6) which give a particular impression of "Colorado". We both loved it!

The directions are accurate, although we did hesitate a little on the way back (after point 6) as several paths crossed and they were all marked with red dots/Altschlossfelsen circuit signs (but we would have simply come back behind the massif if we had taken the wrong path, which wouldn't have been a big detour, nothing serious, and it's all part of the fun).

There are several picnic tables along the route, which is well shaded throughout, so it should be fine in the height of summer. The path is marked with boundary stones from different periods, marking the French-German border, which is always fun to see with children who have a basic knowledge of geography and discover that there is no wall or line drawn on the ground like on maps (and that you can therefore put one foot on each side of the border ).

We made a quick detour to Diane's Rock, but we didn't climb it because the little ones were a bit tired, but it's only 5 minutes from trail 6->1
Please note that although this is an easy hike, it is not suitable for pushchairs (there are a few roots, a steep climb between points 1 and 2, and a passage between rocks towards point 2).
For those coming from further afield and wanting to explore the area: Haspelschiedt lake is 7 km away, Bitche and its citadel are 15 km away, and the European Archaeological Park in Bliesbrück is around 30 km away (really cool, with the remains of Gallo-Roman baths and villas straddling the border).

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Patrick57220
Patrick57220
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Thank you for the description and the idea for this route, it's really unique in our region.

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corinnedgd
corinnedgd

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Superb rock. With a bit of sunshine, the scenery is magnificent. The path is well signposted and, apart from a tiny climb, is very easy. I'd definitely recommend it. It's really worth the effort. We did it on a Sunday afternoon and, of course, with a few people.

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fschmittstutz
fschmittstutz
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant walk in the forest, with impressive rocks and beautiful colours, on the morning of Monday 19 August. We passed a lot of people on the way back... you have to choose your time slot carefully, otherwise it's very (too) busy... but it's worth seeing!

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Juliette B
Juliette B

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

An easy hike, very pleasant in hot weather as it is almost always in the forest.
The colours and shapes of the rocks are superb and have been dubbed "Lorraine's little Colorado".
You can take a twenty-minute diversions to add the Roche de Diane (sculpted rock).
Plenty of places to rest and picnic.
We came across a lot of walkers, despite the 34°C temperature, but that didn't hinder the walk at all.

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anver
anver

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Thank you very much!

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Maminad
Maminad

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We didn't see many people on this route, but the weather wasn't great (rain).
It was magnificent, as we walked along the foot of the Altschossfelsen and admired its red rock.
A must-do

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Mariemade
Mariemade

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Little frequented circuit thanks to mixed weather conditions

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josehph
josehph

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

corresponds to the description

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chazeau
chazeau

Very nice hike to do with friends that I recommend

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