Rehbrunnel and Wotan Oak from Thann, return via the Rangen vineyard

Starting point: Thann, car park at Place du Bungert near the Tour des Sorcières on the right bank of the Thur.

(S/E) Cross the river (the Thur) via the bridge in front of the Witches’ Tower, then walk up Rue du Rangen for about a hundred metres.

(1) Turn right and follow Rue du Vignoble (marked with a Blue Cross). The path then becomes a greenway closed to motorised vehicles; pass by the foot of the Dragenfells (Dragon Rock). Continue between the river and the vineyard until you reach a path that veers to the right (tables and benches).

(2) Keep left on the small road. When you reach the bridge at the entrance to Vieux-Thann, take the path slightly to the left which climbs into the forest. At the next junction, take the path on the left; further on, you’ll reach a junction after a right-hand bend.

(3) Leave the main path and the Blue Cross markings to take the Yellow Triangle-marked path on the left. Follow it northwards until you reach a hairpin bend to the right. Immediately after this, turn left, ignore the Blue Triangle-marked path and continue to the ridge point at Heida Platzala (not shown on the IGN map) where there is a statue of the Virgin Mary on a tree.

(4) Follow the Yellow Triangle path heading due north, then north-west to the next junction of trails and forest tracks at Waldkapelle.

(5) Leave the Yellow Triangle markings and take the forest track heading north-west (Pastetenplatz, Molkenrain), following the Red and White Rectangle markings of the^GR®5variant (and Blue Ring) to the fork formed by the forest track and the variant path on the right.

(6) Take the path on the right marked with red and white rectangles. When it turns westwards and reaches the ridge, it begins to descend and is joined by a path marked with Yellow Crosses coming from Pastetenplatz. Follow the Yellow Cross markings and descend towards the Rehbrunnel shelter and the adjacent viewpoint at the Wotan Oak.

(7) From the Rehbrunnel shelter and Wotan Oak, continue descending along the forest track (marked with Yellow Crosses) to the large junction at the Col de Grumbach.

(8) At the pass, leave the Yellow Cross markings and follow the^GR®5and its Red Rectangle markers, heading south for about 400 m.

(9) At the crossroads, turn right following the^GR®5markings towards the ruins of Engelbourg Castle (Witch’s Eye). Once you reach the ruins, a path leading to the Witch’s Eye is on the right.

(10) Take the path on the right, which winds upwards through the ruins of Engelbourg Castle to the Œil de la Sorcière. Cross the ruins and head back down via the castle path (Schlossweg) on the opposite side to the access path, on the Thann (east) side, where you will rejoin the^GR®5. Follow it to the right, then leave it at the^second junction (the^GR® heads south) and continue straight ahead on an unmarked path to reach the Rebgarten. Walk down to the^first right-hand bend after the^first houses. See Practical Information.

(11) Instead of heading down to the right, go straight on to take the footbridge crossing the Finsterbach opposite the car park. Walk up the road for about a hundred metres, then take the^second marked Green Cross path on the right towards the Croix du Rangen, ignoring the^first path on the right. As you leave the forest, take the winding path for about 20 metres to reach the Croix du Rangen.

(12) At the Croix du Rangen, head down the south-eastern side along the path running along the edge of the vineyards to the next junction.

(13) Turn right, then at the next two junctions, turn left the^first time and right the^second time. After two bends, turn right onto the main path for about 150 m to the Chapelle Saint-Urbain.

(14) Retrace your steps and go past the previous junction for about a hundred metres. At the first bend on the left, climb over the low wall on the right and take a path down between the rows of vines to the greenway you took on the way out. Follow it up to the right until you reach the junction between Rue du Rangen and Rue du Vignoble:

(1) Turn left, cross the Thur and return to the car park (S/E).

(10) Currently, the access from the Thann side to the Œil de la Sorcière is closed due to works, so you must retrace your steps to point (10) and head right, then turn left to find the Rebgarten.

(7) Shelter with barbecue available at Rehbrunnel (Wotan Oak)

Drachenfells: Dragon Rock in English.
Heida Platzala: Heida’s little square in English.
Waldkapelle: Chapel of the Woods in English.

Wotan Oak: Wotan was the god of war in Germanic mythology. The oak is now a dead tree, likely struck by lightning, overlooking the valley; the spot offers a magnificent view on a clear day.

Ruins of Engelbourg Castle, an ancient castle built by the Dukes of Ferrette in the 13th century. The Witch’s Eye forms part of the castle’s former keep.

Rangen Vineyard: a grand cru of the Alsatian vineyards, with the Croix du Rangen overlooking the vineyard and the Thur Valley, and its Saint Urbain Chapel, dedicated to the patron saint of winegrowers.