Roche du Diable and Saint-Léon’s Grotto as seen from the Marie-Médiatrice Chapel

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This fairly easy walk takes you through hamlets and unusual spots in the parishes of Walscheid and Abreschwiller
After the Roche du Diable, the route descends towards the hamlet of Nonnebourg, then leads to the Chapel of Pope Saint Leo IX (1002–1054), and on to the Saint-Léon-de-Walscheid grotto, where you can admire the view of the village below.

Details

n°5877462
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 4.16 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 522 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 495 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,539 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,066 ft
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Photos

Nonnembourg
Sapin Trail
Crossroads
St Léon’s Cave

Description of the walk

Park in the car park at the Marie-Médiatrice Chapel in Eigenthal, Rue de la Chapelle.

(S/E) Head south along the Blue Disc trail. You’ll reach a junction at the edge of the woods.

(1) Continue to the right, following the Blue Disc markings. Leave these markings at the path leading off to the left towards the summit of the Rocher du Diable. Head for this summit.

(2) Turn left onto theGR® trail, marked with Red Rectangles (Red, White, Red) and a Red Ring. Continue slightly uphill to reach the crossroads at the hamlet of Nonnembourg.

(3) Follow the road section, still marked with a Red Ring, to reach the car park at the Chapelle Saint-Léon.

(4) Head straight north to quickly reach the Grotte Saint-Léon.

(5) Why not take a look around the cave here? Then, on leaving the cave, continue along the path on the left towards Eigenthal. You’ll reach the Munichshof crossroads.

(6) Here, leave the Red Ring route and turn left onto the Blue Disc marked trail. Further on, you’ll reach the D96 road or Rue Principale Eighenthal. Continue along this road, then turn left onto Rue des Prés Eighenthal to quickly reach the car park at the Marie-Médiatrice chapel (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,066 ft - Car park at the - Chapelle Marie-Médiatrice (Eigenthal)
  2. 1 : mi 0.17 - alt. 1,086 ft - Junction of Rue de la Chapelle and the forest track
  3. 2 : mi 0.86 - alt. 1,339 ft - Rocher du Diable (430m)
  4. 3 : mi 1.84 - alt. 1,532 ft - The hamlet of Nonnembourg
  5. 4 : mi 2.64 - alt. 1,453 ft - Chapelle Saint-Léon (Saint-Léon)
  6. 5 : mi 2.88 - alt. 1,398 ft - Grotte de Saint Léon
  7. 6 : mi 3.41 - alt. 1,421 ft - Munichshof crossroads
  8. S/E : mi 4.16 - alt. 1,066 ft - Car park at the - Chapelle Marie-Médiatrice (Eigenthal)

Notes

(2) Viewpoint and shelter (gazebo) at the summit of the Roche du Diable. The new gazebo, rebuilt on the summit platform in recent years by the Club Vosgien, now replaces the one built during the German era in the 1900s, which was destroyed in 1940 during the Battle of Donon.
Walscheid.
Nonnenbourg.

Worth a visit

(2) Roche du Diable
(4) Saint-Léon Chapel:
It was on this rocky outcrop, the Durrenberg, that the feudal castle of the Counts of Dagsburg stood, where Pope Leo IX was born on 21 June 1002.
An early chapel dating from the 13th century and dedicated to Saint Mark was destroyed by fire in 1829.
Rebuilt in 1842, it was once again destroyed by fire in 1952. Its façade, now converted into a memorial, bears witness to the thousand-year history of this blessed site.
The third chapel, built in 1953, was solemnly consecrated by Bishop Heintz of Metz during the celebrations marking the900th anniversary of the death of Saint Leo IX on 12 September 1954.
(5) Saint-Léon Cave: impressive in both width (24 m) and depth (35 m), Saint-Léon Cave is the largest natural cavity in the Vosges mountains. A hundred-year-old oak tree overlooks its entrance. The cave takes its name from Pope Saint Leo IX, who, during his youth, often came to pray in this veritable stone cathedral. It was formed over millennia by the erosion of the conglomerate rock comprising its walls, long before the Vosges mountains even existed, some 250 million years ago. As a little anecdote, the trickle of clear water flowing at the back of the cave is said to possess the miraculous power to cure infertility in couples.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

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Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 3 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
jerome6867
jerome6867

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 27, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A short walk with no major difficulties

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sirius57
sirius57

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk: we particularly enjoyed the Rocher du Calice and the path lined with riprap leading to the Grand Rommelstein; the latter (the Calice circular route, marked with a Red Ring) is closed from 1 to 31 July to protect the peregrine falcon.
We had some difficulty finding the way up to the summit of the ‘Roche du Diable’ from the foot of the rock and its sculpture; in fact, we had to go round it to the right and behind it, following the red-and-white Red Rectangle marker signposted towards Nonnenbourg, St Léon and Dabo.
At the Place du Bon Dieu, a signpost indicated that Grand Soldat was 2 hours and 15 minutes away; we covered the route from the Place du Bon Dieu to Grand Soldat (Alexandre Chatrian’s house) via the ‘Calice’ circular route (Red Ring) in 50 minutes without breaking a sweat!! On a previous walk in the area, we’d had to turn back because of this sign, as we’d already covered a long distance before reaching this square.
Thanks for sharing

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Lydaël
Lydaël

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

A lovely little walk featuring two beautiful natural sites: the Rocher du Diable, where you can stop for a while and admire a stunning view, and the Grotte St Léon, which is also not to be missed for its size – it must be lovely and cool in there in summer.
We were lucky enough to have the trail all to ourselves on this circular walk as it was Easter Sunday.
Thank you for this lovely route.

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Nicole, randonneuse
Nicole, randonneuse

At the moment, I’ve only been having a look round, but I do it very regularly. I take short routes, very close to home....

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