Ascent to Rehbrunnel

An easy hike that can be done with children.

Details

n°8837
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.43 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,568 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,542 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,556 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,096 ft
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐
  • ⚐ City: Thann (68800)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 47.80876° / E 7.106884°
  • Accessible from the train station Gare de Thann.
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3619OT, 3619OTR, 3620ET
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Description of the walk

In Thann, park near the station.

(S/E) Head towards the Oeil de la Sorcière by returning to the RN66, then turn right twice, towards Rue du Général de Gaulle, Rue Anathole Jacquot, then continue along Rue du Rangen.

(1) After the bridge over the Thur, continue along this street, keep left at the Fork in the road, then turn right onto Rue Marsilly.

(2) Follow the path (Green Ring or Red Rectangle) which climbs towards the Col du Grumbach. At the fork, turn left, passing close to the ruins of Engelbourg Castle.

(3) Continue towards the Col du Grumbach.

(4) Once at the pass, take the middle path (Yellow Cross) towards the Rehbrunnel.

(5) Pass by the Wotan Oak and the Rehbrunnel shelter and walk for approximately 250 metres.

(6) At Pastetenplatz, continue along the path to the right (Yellow Cross) and head for the Amselkopf Pass.

(7) Turn right and follow the track (Yellow Triangle) to the junction near the Waldkapelle.

(8) Leave the track and continue along the path opposite (red with a white bar). Descend until you reach Thann station (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,099 ft - Car park near Thann railway station
  2. 1 : mi 0.41 - alt. 1,106 ft - Rue du Rangen - La Thur
  3. 2 : mi 0.59 - alt. 1,191 ft - Path, towards the Col du Grumbach
  4. 3 : mi 0.86 - alt. 1,385 ft - Château de l'Engelbourg
  5. 4 : mi 2.05 - alt. 1,906 ft - Directions to the Rehbrunnel - Col du Grumbach
  6. 5 : mi 3.29 - alt. 2,487 ft - Chêne wotan
  7. 6 : mi 3.49 - alt. 2,556 ft - Junction - Pastetenplatz
  8. 7 : mi 4.82 - alt. 1,831 ft - Col du Amselkopf
  9. 8 : mi 5.47 - alt. 1,890 ft - Waldkapelle
  10. S/E : mi 7.43 - alt. 1,099 ft - Car park near Thann railway station

Notes

A fountain near the Rehbrunnel.
(5) Shelter and barbecue at the Rehbrunnel.

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 22 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.2 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.2 / 5
Route interest
4.1 / 5
Denis26
Denis26 ★

Thank you, User 19559289, for your comments; I have just amended the description accordingly.

Machine-translated

User 19559289

Overall rating : 2.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 30, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The route is correct but does not match the description starting from Pastetaplatz
This was already pointed out by a hiker in 2022
Unless I am mistaken, the route does not go via the St Thérèse Chapel but via the Waldkapelle (Yellow Cross)

Machine-translated

thieryyy
thieryyy

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

Shaded route, beautiful view of Thann

Machine-translated

laika1963
laika1963

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 01, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
A very beautiful hike with magnificent views, but moderately difficult. It is best to park at the tourist office.

Machine-translated

lgn68
lgn68
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 30, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Pleasant route. The route described in the description is inconsistent from point 7 onwards. The path I followed from point 7 onwards, following the route, is the path marked with a yellow cross (forest path) and from point 8 onwards, follow the yellow triangle to the chapel, and from there, follow the path marked in red-white-red.

Machine-translated

GABYLOU7
GABYLOU7

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 15, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

It seems to me that, to return to Thann from the Waldkapelle, it is much more pleasant to go via the Rangen cross (green cross), where you have a bird's eye view of Thann and can appreciate the slope of the vineyard, than to go directly down to Kattenbach.

Machine-translated

ManueGam
ManueGam

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 03, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk with some interesting points of interest: Engelbourg Castle ("witch's eye") and the superb view over Thann, a picnic break at the foot of the Wotan oak tree, which also offers a beautiful view, and finally the chapel (Waldkapelle). The only downside: the GPS route does not always match the directions. It deviates significantly from Pastetenplatz (point 7). From point 7, follow the signs (red-white-red rectangle) to walk along a small path rather than the route, which follows the yellow cross and takes a fairly wide forest road. Both routes lead to the Waldkapelle.
At point 8, which chapel are you referring to? There isn't one on the path. ^.^ In any case, we didn't see it.
Thank you for this walk idea, which took less than 5 hours to complete.

Machine-translated

thierry68.88
thierry68.88

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 08, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

hello, lovely hike, shame there aren't many signs at the end of the route. Luckily I had the map app on my phone

Machine-translated

abator
abator

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 02, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

it's fine, but instead of parking at the station, it's better to go to the tourist office. There's a large car park that's easy to park in and several hiking trails

Machine-translated

carmonac2
carmonac2

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 22, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

My first hike in the Vosges, which I loved for its diversity. At the start of the walk in Thann, the staircase leading to the Oeil de Sorcière (Witch's Eye) from the small staircase (after the bridge and the restaurant) is closed, so you have to go further up the street and take the path on the left.

Machine-translated

Marulier88
Marulier88

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 16, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

superb hiking around Thann with lots to see, from the Witch's Eye to the Wonta Oak and the Rangën Cross

Machine-translated

hooba
hooba

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 08, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

It's not bad for getting back into shape! A walk surrounded by greenery.

Machine-translated

bibi
bibi ★

Did you have any problems with the route on the map? Did the route deviate from the paths in some places?
Kind regards

Machine-translated

bphilippe
bphilippe

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 28, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

for the classification known as "easy", I would rather go for one level above
the signage is indeed a bit confusing...

Machine-translated

Debit
Debit

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 26, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Arrival at Waldkappel,

Return to Thann via Ihlerstahl 2.5 km, taking the path furthest to the right with the red-white-red rectangle.

Alternative: Take the second path on the right marked red-white-red, towards Thann via the Rangen cross. 4 km. (Bird's eye view of Thann)

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.