Osenbach walks

Hugging the hillside, through the forest and across a magnificent plateau, this is a lovely little walk starting from Osenbach towards Bickenberg. In spring, the plateau’s meadows are filled with countless flowers, offering a scene brimming with beauty and serenity.

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.

A lovely hike in the Alsatian foothills of the Vosges mountains, passing through Wintzfelden and Osenbach. Very well marked by the Club Vosgien.

A lovely walk with no particular difficulties, allowing you to discover the ruins of the former Schwartzenthann convent, pass through the village of Wintzfelden, and walk through the meadows between Wintzfelden and Osenbach... Throughout the walk, you’ll pass meadows where sheep and horses graze. An ideal walk in spring and autumn to enjoy the mid-season sunshine.

Starting from the centre of Wintzfelden, this circular walk will take you to the Soultzmatt Community Forest along quiet, open paths, amidst meadows full of flowers on fine days.

This circular route, which runs mainly through woodland, will take you to explore the ruins of the former Schwartzenthann convent, before climbing a little higher into the woods.

This is a short hike with varied and accessible landscapes along trails and paths. It is pleasant in summer as there is plenty of shade. It is in the last quarter of this hike, starting from Wasserbourg, that you will feel your legs the most over a few hundred metres.

Soultzmatt is a small town with just over 2,000 inhabitants. It is situated at the entrance to the Vallée Noble on the banks of the Ohmbach. Stretching out in a long, narrow shape, the town retains its pretty winegrowers’ houses. The town is also famous for being home to the Lizbeth spring (a local mineral water). This route takes you past Château Wagenbourg, Saint-Sébastien Church and St-Nicolas Chapel.

This hike will first take you through the beautiful forest between Westhalten and Osenbuhr and then onto a balcony overlooking the vineyards of Pfaffenheim and Rouffach.

The first part of this hike takes place on forest paths and the return journey is through the meadows of the Haute Vallée Noble. The route takes you to the pilgrimage site of Schaefertal (Val du Pâtre), the mysterious site of Schwarzenthann, the meadows of Wintzfelden and the panorama of the Zinnkoepfle and the Noble Valley at Grossfels. This hike can be shortened by almost 4 kilometres if you choose the Shepherd's Valley Chapel as your starting point.

An easy hike, accessible to younger children, which offers superb views of the Alsace plain and, in particular, the village of Gueberschwihr from the Rocher du Coucou. Also worth discovering are the remarkable Heiliger Baum shelter of the Club Vosgien de Rouffach and, at the end of the route, Notre-Dame de Schauenberg.

This short walk in the hills above Soultzmatt will take you to the Langenstein Menhir and a beautiful viewpoint over the Vallée Noble. You will then enjoy the peace and quiet of the forest, which you will walk through for most of this hike, as well as a beautiful meadow that you will cross.

This walk takes you across the Hohberg plateau and its beautiful forests, passing by the Lutzelberg and Plaies Crosses. You can also enjoy the view of the plain before Notre-Dame du Hubel and the beauty of the forest on the Hohberg plateau.

This route, starting from the Westhalten cemetery, leads first to the Zinnkoepfle, then to the Notre-Dame du Hubel crossroads, and finally to Schauenberg via a pleasant forest path. You can return via the same route, or choose to head towards the other hill, the Strangenberg.

A short walk allowing you to explore Strangenberg Hill, starting from the car park at Westhalten Cemetery. The route suggested here is a return walk, but you’ll easily find alternative routes for the return leg, particularly at the top of the hill.

This lovely route showcases Westhalten’s religious heritage and its many crosses, its renowned vineyard and the dry hills of Strangenberg. The latter is a remarkable natural area home to several types of orchids, blood-red geraniums, wild tulips and grape hyacinths, as well as, in terms of wildlife, hoopoes, green lizards and vipers. Walkers are treated to numerous views and panoramas of the village, the Grand and Petit Ballon mountains, the Alsace plain and the Black Forest. Important: the route is mainly in open country, so don’t forget a hat, a cap and something to drink!

Discover the vineyards of the Vallée Noble, its grands crus such as Zinnkoepfle and Pfingstberg, and its wine-growing villages such as Westhalten, Soultzmatt and Orschwihr.

This circular walk, which is challenging in places, takes you past several interesting spots. The first of these is the Désiré Renaud viewpoint. Next come Notre-Dame de Schauenberg, the Schauenberg Chestnut Tree, the Devil’s Rock, the Cuckoo Rock, the church at Osenbach, Langenstein, the Val du Pâtre with its church and military cemetery, the Grossfels Rock and St. Lucy’s Chapel, Soultzmatt and the Zinkoepfle. Of course, to fully appreciate these points of interest, you should definitely stop off at them. It is a route with many ups and downs, the final climb being the most challenging. Almost the entire route is through woodland. Only the last quarter is out in the open, amongst the vineyards.

The foothills of the Hautes Vosges are also a great place for lovely hikes. This route starts at the Col du Neuland and is circular, looping back to Eguisheim. The first section is entirely through woodland. It takes you past Notre-Dame du Schauenberg, the Rocher du Coucou and the Gueberschwihr quarries. The route then passes through Husseren-les-Châteaux before climbing towards the Trois Châteaux d’Eguisheim. The rest of the route follows a botanical trail before winding down towards the ruins of Hagueneck. After the castle, the rest of the route is entirely open country and passes through the outskirts of the village of Eguisheim, then the villages of Obermorschwihr, Gueberschwihr and Pfaffenheim, before climbing back up to the Col du Neuland.

Loop hike around Gueberschwihr via Saint-Marc Convent.

Westhalten is a small wine-growing village. It is the first village you come to when entering the Vallée Noble. This route offers the chance to explore the village and its crosses. You can combine this walk with a visit to the neighbouring village of Soultzmatt or go on other hikes in the area. You can also see the Petit Ballon on several occasions, as well as other Vosges peaks in the surrounding area.

Notre-Dame du Schauenberg clings to the mountainside and is a striking feature of the landscape. The highlight of this route is the splendid view over the Alsace plain, the Kaiserstuhl and the Black Forest from the orientation point. Walkers will also discover the Chapel of Saint Leonard, the Teufelstein (Devil’s Stone), the Stations of the Cross in Pfaffenheim and Gueberschwihr, and can also reach the Druids’ Table, which overlooks Notre-Dame du Schauenberg. Please note that the first part of the walk, up to Schauenberg, is quite steep and is not suitable for those unaccustomed to walking.

Gueberschwihr is a small wine-growing village in the Bas-Rhin. It is best known for its church, which dates back to the Romanesque period. This walking route allows you to explore the village on foot. You can combine this route with a visit to the neighbouring village of Pfaffenheim. The village centre is picturesque, with colourful half-timbered houses and cobbled alleyways. A short detour to the cemetery offers a view over the Alsace plain and the surrounding countryside.

A pleasant hike with beautiful views of the valley and the Black Forest. Visit the Three Castles of Eguisheim.