In the forest of Illwald in Sélestat

This is a lovely walk in the plains of the river Ill, which will let you to escape for two hours from the bustle of this area popular with tourists. In summer you'll be nice and cool, thanks to the many streams and towering trees.

Details

37896
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.65 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 2 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 2 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 174 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 171 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Sélestat (67600)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 48.246444° / E 7.459053°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3717ET, 3718OT, 3718OTR
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Leave the cars in the small car park near the roundabout (the crossroads of the D424 and the D159 on the south side) (1).

Follow Sentier de l’Ill, marked with a red ring towards the south, across the fields. It runs along the Hollockgraben, which is a drainage ditch of the river Ill.
At the bridge, we reach the course of the river Ill (3). Do not cross the bridge, but stay on the marked trail that veers left.
The trail then enters the Ill Forest. You can admire the vegetation that is unique to this the alluvial forest: alder, ash, unusually tall oak trees.
We pass a hut where the trail starts out at right angles to the right. (4) Do not try to take the shortcut through the woods, it leads to wooden bridges in poor condition. Always follow the markings (red rings).

In the woods, after about 600 m, the path heads off at a right angle to the left (5) and crosses several rivers and drainage ditches (6).
After a kilometre, arrive at a crossroads indicating Illhausern to the right and Sélestat to the left. (7) Turn left, then continue straight.
We pass the Chapelle du Chêne (shelter) where you can take a break (8).
Then take the path back to Sélestat.
The way out of the forest, pass opposite the pumping station on your right and reach the D424. Reach the car park turning left and taking the bike path for a few hundred metres. (9)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 173 m - Car park below the roundabout
  2. 1 : km 0.49 - alt. 171 m - Ill path, along the Hollockgraben
  3. 2 : km 1.53 - alt. 171 m - Do not cross the bridge over the > - Ill (rivière)
  4. 3 : km 3.08 - alt. 172 m - Cabane. Turn right.
  5. 4 : km 3.7 - alt. 172 m - Change of direction. Left at 90°.
  6. 5 : km 4.15 - alt. 172 m - Water crossings and drainage paths
  7. 6 : km 4.83 - alt. 174 m - Intersection. Turn left.
  8. 7 : km 6.54 - alt. 172 m - Chapelle du Chêne.
  9. 8 : km 8.45 - alt. 172 m - intersection with the D424.
  10. S/E : km 8.65 - alt. 173 m - Departure car park

Notes

This is an alluvial forest and can be flooded in winter. In summer, the roads are passable because they are gravelled.
The entire route is well marked (red ring), which helps not to get lost.

Learn about the tree species of the Illwald before leaving so you can recognise them. This forest is of particular interest for lovers of beautiful trees.

Even in the month of August you will barely see anyone meets during the two-hour walk, maybe one or two joggers. It is an exceptional spot in this very touristy region. There are other variants in the same area. See tourist offices.
If it has rained there will likely be mosquitoes - bring repellent.

Worth a visit

Visit Sélestat with its beautiful Romanesque church.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 59 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.1 / 5
User 28656615

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 09, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant, sunny and peaceful trail with information boards about the animals. We saw wild boars with their young, birds, ducks, deer, etc. streams, various animal tracks and footprints, different types of trees... in short, pure bliss. It's a place where you can relax, with a small shrine and information about it. The only downside at this time of year is the mud and large puddles here and there, but nothing insurmountable, so make sure you wear good, waterproof footwear.

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Also13
Also13

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful hike with autumn colours. Very easy.

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S BOEHRER
S BOEHRER

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk along the river. Much of the walk takes place in a beautifully maintained forest populated by majestic deciduous trees

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User 15341238

I'm sorry, but I couldn't do the suggested hike for reasons beyond Visorando's control
the explanations I received seemed relevant, interesting and easy to follow, thank you

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linoupi
linoupi

Thank you for letting me know how to do this.

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virgule
virgule

Thank you for your lovely photos.

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virgule
virgule
• Edited:

Hello,

when it comes to animals, you're most likely to see them early in the morning or at the end of the day.

It's a shame about the photos. There's a menu for uploading them on the website, not on the app. On the route page, go to the Action menu and select Post photos.

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linoupi
linoupi
• Edited:

I am also an amateur photographer. I wanted to post my photos but didn't know how. Enjoy your walk, it's a great outing for photographers and watercolour artists. Be sure to bring mosquito repellent. I hope you get to see deer, fallow deer and wild boar, but you'll need to be quiet and venture off the trail.

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User 15341238

thank you for allowing me to access your information, which seems both valuable and interesting
valuable and interesting. I am actually preparing to show the Illwald to some artist friends (a photographer and a watercolourist) in early September.
I will let you know more in mid-September and give you a heads up!
E.H.

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linoupi
linoupi
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We left at 10 a.m. with snacks in our bags (there is nowhere to eat along the route). The path is wide and well marked. As I'm taking photos, we're going slowly. At the start of the route there are lots of storks, but then we only see butterflies and dragonflies near the streams, and few birds (barn swallows, a heron and a yellowhammer). The scenery is beautiful: Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle, which can be seen for a long time at the start of the route, and Kintzheim and Ortenbourg Castles, which can be glimpsed in the distance. You can get close to the rivers. It's a shame there aren't any benches, so we ate our snacks sitting on a tree trunk (without leaving any rubbish behind). A few mosquitoes were looking for a meal . All the wood had been cleared away and the paths were in good condition.
We stopped at the Notre Dame du Chêne chapel, then rode another 3 km and were back at 2 p.m. after a ride of just over 9 km.

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virgule
virgule

Hello, I suppose there has been some logging since I published this route. At the time, there were a lot of beautiful trees.

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User 25672397
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

We'd chosen this route because it was presented as welcome in summer (coolness guaranteed). We were very disappointed because 3/4 of the route is in the open, so in full sun, which was the case on the day we did it. What's more, the route only goes around the forest without ever really crossing it. From the point of view of interest, it's a wide trail, with various watercourses to be sure, but there are no access points and it's not very refreshing.

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maurito67
maurito67

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

I was expecting more small paths, less beautiful hundred-year-old oaks cut down.

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Claude R5.
Claude R5.

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Watch out for the mud on rainy days.

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Bruno1953
Bruno1953

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Easy walk.
Remarkable trees in the forest.

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