Ribeauvillé, Hunawihr and Riquewihr via the Alsace Castle Route

Hello,

due to construction work, the two water points at Hunawihr Cemetery (Protestant and Catholic sections) are out of service. Water is available from the public toilets located in the alley to the right of the cemetery entrance.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Jun 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Not very busy, except at the castles, but that doesn't last long, and they are beautiful, so it's understandable. Very beautiful, varied route. From Ribeauvillé to Riquewihr, tarmac through the vineyards, pleasant and very open views (wear a cap if it's sunny). The entrance to the forest from Riquewihr is magnificent. One downside is the first descent, along a bumpy forest path but... lined with giant foxgloves, and another downside is the short section that then runs alongside the road. The climb to Dusenbach is steep... but not unbearable, and the arrival is a peaceful surprise. 21 km on the pedometer and 5 hours of hiking, including a 20-minute break and a few navigation errors.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Jun 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The first part of the hike is a bit long on tarmac roads, with a few uninteresting sections on forest paths, but overall it is an enjoyable hike.

Please note that there is a diversion after Hunawihr at the entrance to the forest (near a small pond) and the signposting has changed after the Dusenbach monastery.
However, everything is well signposted thanks to the Club Vosgien 😊

Machine-translated

Hello,

thank you for your review. The sequoia is not on the path, but below it. It is not very beautiful because it has lacked light. It is nothing like a large sequoia with a very large trunk that has grown in a clearing.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Apr 26, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Be careful at point 4: do not continue along the wide path, as there should be a small forest trail. (We made a mistake and continued along this path until we realised we were going in completely the opposite direction to the route... Once you reach point 5 after cutting through the forest, it's not too difficult, except for a slightly steeper climb with more obstacles ).
At point 8, there is indeed a tree that towers above the others, just opposite the path... But as it says that the sequoia is not easy to see, I wonder if this is the one.
The monastery is very well maintained, a lovely place of contemplation for those who practise it. Snack break at Kahlfels rock, what a view! It almost makes you want to get a hang glider, paraglider and aeroplane licence...
There were a few more people at the two castles, and the path down to Ribeauvillé isn't very pleasant (lots of large rocks, downhill, a bit risky).
It took us 8½ hours, including several loooooooooong breaks.

Machine-translated

I do.

When I arrive there on foot after a fairly long climb and the only picnic table (6) is occupied by people who have driven up (even though it's not allowed), I tend to get annoyed.

It's a really pleasant area out of season, when the weather is uncertain.

Machine-translated

The world doesn't bother me. But drones do Hunawir, it's a bit early in the hike to have a picnic.

Machine-translated

Thank you for this review.

When I arrived at Bilstein, I was looking forward to my lunch break. I had barely sat down, and I hadn't seen anyone yet, when I heard people (I was behind the tower) and then a drone... Fifteen minutes of buzzing is a long time.

It's difficult to have a quiet lunch at Bilstein, as it's always crowded.

Hunawihr, on the other hand, has managed to avoid mass tourism, and you can enjoy a peaceful picnic at one of the tables there.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Nov 02, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
I said no for visitor numbers in general, but for the three castles, you can say yes.
Passing through Hunawir, I made a detour to visit the church, which was well worth it. I recommend it.
However, the climb up to Bilstein at this time of year is not particularly pleasant. The sun was low and it was a bit gloomy,
so it's best to go on a sunny day. When I arrived at Bilstein, I was looking forward to my lunch break. I had barely settled down, and I hadn't seen anyone yet, when I heard people (I was behind the tower) and then a drone... Fifteen minutes of buzzing is a long time. The famous sequoia is easy to find and impressive.
As for the monastery, I took the wrong path, missing the stations of the cross, but I went back down a little to see two of them. The monastery is also magnificent, I didn't know it.
As for the castles, I only visited two, which I had already seen before, and they were still very crowded.
It's a very beautiful hike. The autumn colours were there, but I think it's more enjoyable in late spring or early summer.
Thank you.

Machine-translated

(3) At the bridge, take the path that runs along the left side of the stream, following the red and white rectangular markers towards Château du Reichenstein.

This path has been overgrown with trees for several years. The last time I walked along it, the trees were still blocking the way, but the red and white rectangular markers had disappeared. It's easier than clearing the path, after all...

In short, getting to Reichenstein is going to be complicated. After the fishing pond, take the wide path that runs to the right of the stream.

I will update the description when I return.

Machine-translated

Hello,

I redid part of this route today. Between points 1 and 2, it's really busy. If you're in tourist mode, it won't bother you. If you prefer peace and quiet, you can go from Hunawihr to Riquewihr through the vineyards, a little further east. That way, you'll avoid the paved section.
Hunawihr is a pretty village that is well worth a visit.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Jul 27, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello, I did the hike during the week, so there were probably fewer people than at the weekend.

There are actually three parts to this hike: the first is on the road through the vineyards, the second is towards the ruins of Reichenstein (not open to visitors) and Bildstein to the foot of Dusenbach Monastery, and the last part includes the monastery and the climb to Ribeauvillé Castle.

In the morning, with the sun rising over the vineyards, the first part is very beautiful. It's a shame that it's on a tarmac road. However, you can walk on the side of the road.

The second part is the least interesting of the three. There is a very long climb of several kilometres, almost without interruption, from Riquewihr to Bildstein, starting at the bottom of the Sampbach valley, which is very damp and where there is no visibility. The path has been more or less cleared at the bottom of the valley, but you still have to jump over some tree trunks or bend down to pass under others that are lying across the path. Furthermore, the Reichenstein ruins are of no interest. I didn't particularly enjoy it, but that's just my opinion. An alternative would be to climb directly to Bildstein from Riquewihr, following the path marked with yellow triangles.

The last part is very good, even if it's quite a climb. Take the time to stop at Dusenbach. Above, it's a shame that the old red-white-red rectangle marked path that led directly from Kahlfels to Haut-Ribeaupierre is no longer maintained or marked on the map (it is on a 1993 version that I had brought with me). However, its route is still clearly visible on the ground and passable. I was able to take it to visit the third castle in Ribeauvillé, the oldest of them all, before descending to St-Ulric.
This last section is the busiest of the three, especially the slope towards Ribeauvillé, where many walkers come to visit the three castles.

Thank you in any case for this hiking suggestion. All the best.

Machine-translated

Hello,

I redid part of the route yesterday. In Hunawihr, don't hesitate to visit the beautiful fortified church and stock up on water in the cemetery. There is also a lovely picnic area halfway between Hunawihr and Ribeauvillé.

Machine-translated

Hello,

The Point Three trail is always crowded...

On this first Sunday of spring, there were people everywhere. Those who dislike crowds would be better off going on a weekday.

Machine-translated

Very few people in the woods, except at the Ribeauvillé castles. A small, friendly gathering at the Riquewiht fishing pond.

Machine-translated