Rocher du Coucou walks

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.

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.

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.

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.