Notre-Dame du Schauenberg

Notre-Dame du Schauenberg, a place of pilgrimage, is located at an altitude of 410 metres on the side of a hill in the Vosges mountains, between Gueberschwihr and Pfaffenheim in Upper Alsace. The site is known for its warm welcome, its peaceful setting with views over part of the Alsace plain stretching south to the foothills of the Bernese Alps, and the atmosphere of contemplation that reigns there.
30/08/2023. Message from the moderator: hike modified at (9) to stay on marked paths. Please do not stray from the paths when hunting is open/permitted.

Details

n°156059

Creation:
20 Sep 2015

Last update:
19 Jan 2024

Last review:
25 Feb 2025

Activity: Walking
Distance: 11.56 km
Average duration: 4h 45
Difficulty: Moderate
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 510 m
Descent: - 516 m
Highest point: 576 m
Lowest point: 333 m

Country: France
Area: Vosges mountains
District: Osenbach (68570)
Start/End: N 47.985536° / E 7.217779°
IGN map(s): Ref. 3719OT, 3719OTR
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Photos

chapel of the Convent of Our Lady of Schauenberg

Description of the walk

Osenbach Town Hall car park

(S/E) Take Rue des Fontaines, then at the crossroads continue straight ahead on Rue Albert Schweitzer. At the fork, take the^first street on the right, Rue du Schauenberg, and continue straight ahead.

(1) Take the small path on the right just before the last house and follow it. At the intersection, turn left. You will see some small benches and 150 metres further on you will arrive at the Kreuzlein Cross.

(2) Continue along the path opposite. Cross the Kohtal road and follow the signs for Kreuzlein-Gueberschwihr. Continue straight ahead.

(3) At the^third intersection, turn right where there is a barrier and you will arrive at Heiliger Baum, at an altitude of 657 m. You can take a short break here as there are benches and a table.
Continue left towards the shooting range and Saint-Marc Convent.
Continue straight ahead until you reach a wider path and follow it to the left. Shortly afterwards, leave the right-hand path and continue to the Rotweiher intersection.

(4) Turn right onto a small path surrounded by rocks on both sides and continue to Rocher du Coucou.

(5). Continue right on the path that leads to the Schauenberg car park. Continue left on the tarmac road towards Pfaffenheim.

(6) Further on, on your left, you will see a large chestnut tree and, just behind it, the Saint-Léonard Chapel.
Continue straight ahead, then turn right onto Chemin des Haulen towards Schauenberg. Join the Way of the Cross and turn right onto Chemin des Oratoires. You are now in front of the Roche du Diable.

(7) After the convent, turn left just before the statue with the fawn and follow the path that zigzags up a fairly steep slope towards the Table des Druides.

(8) To descend, take the same path. Then take the path on your left to the Schauenberg car park. Continue straight ahead for a good kilometre until you reach a large right-hand bend.

(9) Continue along the path on the left until you reach Chemin du Périmètre. Continue to the right, heading north-west for 200 metres, until you reach a path marked with a blue cross on the left.

(10) Take this path, which initially descends gradually, and follow the markings to Kreuzlein. You will rejoin the Blue Cross marked path you took at the start of the hike.

(2) Descend and continue in the opposite direction to the outward journey until you reach the (S/E).

Waypoints

S/E : km 0 - alt. 389 m - Parking at Osenbach Town Hall
1 : km 0.53 - alt. 406 m - Small path on the left
2 : km 1.3 - alt. 465 m - Kreuzlein Cross. Crossroads of the loop
3 : km 2.18 - alt. 575 m - Heiliger Baum
4 : km 3.92 - alt. 443 m - Path towards Rocher du Coucou
5 : km 4.31 - alt. 486 m - Head for the Schauenberg car park - Rocher du Coucou
6 : km 5.72 - alt. 351 m - The great chestnut tree and Saint-Léonard Chapel
7 : km 6.6 - alt. 403 m - Notre-Dame de Schauenberg
8 : km 6.87 - alt. 458 m - Table des Druides
9 : km 8.63 - alt. 531 m - Chemin du Périmètre, on the left
10 : km 8.99 - alt. 554 m - Fork in the road, turn left. Blue Cross
S/E : km 11.56 - alt. 389 m - Parking at Osenbach Town Hall

Notes

Picnic at Heiliger Baum (3)
Picnic at Rocher du Coucou (4)
Catering available: at the Convent of Our Lady of Schauenberg (please book your meal a few days in advance). (7)

Worth a visit

(3) Heiliger Baum: a path climbs through the forest to Kreuzlein, a crossroads where an easy climb through the woods begins, leading to Heiliger Baum, another important crossroads. Heiliger Baum is home to a Black Madonna who seems to watch over hikers in all seasons.

(5) Rocher du Coucou (Cuckoo Rock): or (Kuckuckstei), altitude 495 m, whose name (gucken = to look) is said to derive from its use as an observatory, offers a breathtaking view of Gueberschwihr and its famous 12th-century bell tower.

(6) The Great Chestnut Tree: the most imposing chestnut tree in Alsace and perhaps a thousand years old, it has been classified by the ONF (French National Forestry Office) as one of the remarkable trees of Alsace. The circumference of its trunk is 5.45 metres. Despite several blows, the last of which was during a tornado in 2008, the tree has managed to preserve two living parts that run along the dead trunk and provide it with branches that bear leaves and fruit.

Just behind it is the Saint-Léonard Chapel:
The remains of a former convent founded in the 13th century, this chapel stands in an isolated, green setting conducive to contemplation.

The Devil's Rock: a 15th-century legend attributes the scratches on this rock to the devil, who, during the enlargement of the Schauenberg Chapel in 1515, wanted to throw it onto the building site. Suddenly softened, the stone could not be lifted, hence the presence of imprints and its second name, the Devil's Stone.

(7) The N-D du Schauenberg convent and the Table des Druides: at the foot of the Schauenberg, a Way of the Cross climbs a small steep path to the chapel. In addition to the Way of the Cross, there are some beautiful statues to admire.
A former hermitage, the Schauenberg was the site of the first chapel, built in 1440 and dedicated to the pilgrimage of the Virgin Mary. It was enlarged in 1515 in Gothic style. After the Thirty Years' War, the chapel was served by Franciscan monks from Rouffach, who completed its enlargement in 1690 and developed the surrounding area to accommodate pilgrims.
A 15th-century legend tells that the inhabitants of the Alsace plain saw the slopes of the mountain above Gueberschwihr and Pfaffenheim light up. From then on, it was called Schauenberg (Schau im Berg), which means "look at the mountain"!
The hermit, Brother Udalric, built a chapel there and retired to it. The extraordinary beauty of the site attracted many worshippers. Thus, the Schauenberg became a place of pilgrimage.
Schauenberg, which is home to the Steinert on its slopes, is considered a high-energy place by followers of telluric energy. The druids' altar at the top of the hill bears witness to the sacred nature of the place.

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5

Based on 27 reviews

Reliability of the description
4 / 5

Ease of following the route
4.1 / 5

Route interest
4.4 / 5

Bil Ginkgo

25 Feb 2025 at 17:36 3600

Many trails have changed in recent years, and I hope you will share your experience with us by posting your suggestion. Enjoy your hikes.

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Margotton

25 Feb 2025 at 11:25 3600

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : Not used / Not applicable
Very busy route : No

What can I say? Only part of the route is marked by the Club Vosgien,
the other part is unmarked and used by foresters (beware of falling trees). It was deplorable and of no interest,
whereas, at the same time, there is a path marked by the Club Vosgien which is a thousand times prettier because it is a small trail.
Note: don't stray from the path, but follow the marked trails, which are
very well maintained by the CLUB VOSGIEN.

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Bil Ginkgo

09 Aug 2023 at 11:44 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Thank you for this lovely walk through the woods without any particular difficulties.
as always, there is a magnificent view from the terrace of Notre Dame du Schauenberg.
Be careful, however, on the "path" between points 11 and 12: this is an old logging trail that cuts across the contour lines perpendicularly, so it is quite steep and little used, and is starting to become a little overgrown with vegetation and dead branches.

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bijou62

23 May 2023 at 16:13 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
We had difficulty finding the unmarked path after number 11 on the way back, as it was completely overgrown, so we followed the blue cross to the Kreuzlein crossroads and went down the road to point number 12. The altitude given for HEILIGER BAUM is incorrect in the description but correct in the list of waypoints.
A very beautiful walk in great weather.
Thank you

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henri.gaering

03 Jan 2022 at 09:36 3600

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 03, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

diverse background

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jejespen

26 Oct 2020 at 16:30 3600

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 26, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk through the woods to start with, with a beautiful variety of trees and stunning autumn scenery. The climb is gradual. Around Schauenberg, it's also pretty and a little steeper. However, everything after that is rather monotonous. It's a succession of paths used by loggers.

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bestoine

23 Sep 2020 at 17:37 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 14, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike through the woods, highly recommended! The trails are pleasant, mostly covered with pine needles. We didn't see many people on a weekday. No particular difficulties, the route is well marked and matches the description. Suggestion for a slightly different starting point: Rather than going to the town hall car park, park at the Place de l'ancienne scierie, Rue Albert Schweitzer (at the entrance to the village, take the D40, turn right at the fountain, towards Gueberschwihr. The car park is 100 metres away on the left. This avoids taking Rue des Fontaines, which is not very wide and has no real pavement.

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schffahauser nicole

25 May 2020 at 10:16 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 25, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The description is not always sufficient to understand; there are many intersections not described in the text. Confusion is possible. For someone who is not familiar with the area, it is not obvious.
For example, point 11 -> vigilance. If you make a mistake, you end up at point 2 (so it's not too serious).
However, the hike is very interesting and enjoyable.

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Valle.del

09 Mar 2020 at 20:25 3600

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 09, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

An easy, pleasant hike. We made a short detour to St Marc's Convent above Gueberschwihr and stopped for coffee and cake at the Sisters of Notre Dame de Schauenberg.
Beautiful view of the Alsace plain and the Bernese Alps. Beautiful Coucou rock.
No problems with the route, but we always carry an IGN map.

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Girardin Jean François

18 Nov 2019 at 10:25 3600

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 18, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A pleasant route, without any particular difficulties, which allows you to get close to some remarkable rocks (hello, druids!) and enjoy the magnificent view of the Alsace plain from the Schauenberg terrace.

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guetty68

20 Jul 2019 at 16:02 7200

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 18, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hello
I do all my hikes with Visorando and so far I've been very satisfied.
However, on this hike, the way there was fine, but the way back down was through the forest on a kind of... not even a marked trail, nothing at all.
This may not be a problem for some hikers, but it could and should be mentioned in the hike description by the author.
On the other hand, congratulations on all the hikes I've already done with Visorando, which were a success.
Best regards!

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christisch

24 Apr 2019 at 14:24 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 24, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Beautiful hike
We did the route in the opposite direction and I think it's better that way, but a GPS is almost essential as part of the trail is not marked.

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henri57

25 Mar 2019 at 11:07 3600

Hello,

Thank you for your feedback

There are a few differences between the map and the reality on the ground!

Nothing is set in stone and changes (improvements) are always possible.

Could you please tell me between which points and which points, and if you have a .gpx track of the hike, could you send it to me?

See you soon!

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PASCAL Gérard

25 Mar 2019 at 10:24 3600

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 24, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

Notre Dame du Schauenberg is undergoing renovation work and was not particularly impressive. There are a few differences between the map and the reality on the ground!

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henri57

08 Jan 2019 at 14:30 3600

Hello,

Thank you for taking the time to give your opinion.

By "map route", we do not mean evaluating the signposting, but rather the accuracy of the route as it appears on the map in relation to the actual terrain.

The return route is practically unmarked. I would not recommend it to anyone relying solely on the map.

Yes, with Visorando, we often stray from the beaten track, so there are no markings. But Visorando provides a detailed description and a 1:25,000 IGN map. And, if you have any difficulty finding your way, there is virtual signage: a GPS application.

The aim is not to be glued to your smartphone, but to have a tool that allows you to validate waypoints and thus remove any doubts about your direction.

See you soon!

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Author

malou68
2 Walks

Visorando member

District: Spechbach-le-Haut (68720)

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