Rouffach walks

Circular hike from Rouffach to the Notre-Dame de Schauenberg sanctuary, with a beautiful view of the Alsace plain.The route follows part of "La grande promenade mystique" (The Great Mystical Walk ), linking places marked by the region's spiritual and religious heritage.The first part takes place in the Rouffach vineyards, then enters the forest. After the sanctuary, the return journey is along a corniche.

Let yourself be carried along the Lauch to discover the rich natural and historical heritage of this remarkable site. Amidst fields, wooded areas and wetlands, a mosaic of natural environments and landscapes will accompany you throughout your walk, where man and nature share a history stretching back several centuries.

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.

Discover the vineyards of the Vallée Noble, its grands crus such as Zinnkoepfle and Pfingstberg, and its wine-growing villages such as Westhalten, Soultzmatt and Orschwihr.

This lovely route showcases Westhalten’s religious heritage and its many crosses, its renowned vineyard and the dry hills of Strangenberg. The latter is a remarkable natural area home to several types of orchids, blood-red geraniums, wild tulips and grape hyacinths, as well as, in terms of wildlife, hoopoes, green lizards and vipers. Walkers are treated to numerous views and panoramas of the village, the Grand and Petit Ballon mountains, the Alsace plain and the Black Forest. Important: the route is mainly in open country, so don’t forget a hat, a cap and something to drink!

Starting from Pfaffenheim, climb up to the heights of its communal forest through the vineyards and discover places steeped in history and spirituality. You will discover the many religious statues and other curiosities of Notre-Dame de Schauenberg, magnificent views of the plain and, if you are lucky, the Alps, as well as the Table des Druides, a beautiful natural dolmen.

This hike will first take you through the beautiful forest between Westhalten and Osenbuhr and then onto a balcony overlooking the vineyards of Pfaffenheim and Rouffach.

The first part of this hike takes place on forest paths and the return journey is through the meadows of the Haute Vallée Noble. The route takes you to the pilgrimage site of Schaefertal (Val du Pâtre), the mysterious site of Schwarzenthann, the meadows of Wintzfelden and the panorama of the Zinnkoepfle and the Noble Valley at Grossfels. This hike can be shortened by almost 4 kilometres if you choose the Shepherd's Valley Chapel as your starting point.

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.

An easy route that will take you through the dry meadows of Bollenberg overlooking the Alsace plain, between vineyards and mountains.

Loop hike around Gueberschwihr via Saint-Marc Convent.

This route is open through the vineyards and takes you around the Bollenberg massif, a limestone site renowned for its fine wines. The markings are easier to find if you do the circular loop clockwise. It is possible to do the tour in the other direction, although the markings are less easy to find.

Orschwihr is a small village situated in the heart of the Alsatian vineyards. As it is right next to Bergholtz-Zell, you can combine this walk with a visit to that village. This route takes you past Saint-Nicolas Church, the Japanese pagoda tree, Saint-Wolfgang Chapel and other points of interest. It is a family-friendly walk that can easily be completed in 1½ hours, taking your time.

The route takes us to the Bollenberg hill, then winds its way through the vineyards on the Rouffach side. Beautiful views of the Alsace plain, the Black Forest and the Jura mountains. We then cross over to the other side, into the Vallée Noble vineyards, interspersed with the limestone hill of Zinnkoepfle. On the way back, we pass through the village of Westhalten.

Notre-Dame du Schauenberg clings to the mountainside and is a striking feature of the landscape. The highlight of this route is the splendid view over the Alsace plain, the Kaiserstuhl and the Black Forest from the orientation point. Walkers will also discover the Chapel of Saint Leonard, the Teufelstein (Devil’s Stone), the Stations of the Cross in Pfaffenheim and Gueberschwihr, and can also reach the Druids’ Table, which overlooks Notre-Dame du Schauenberg. Please note that the first part of the walk, up to Schauenberg, is quite steep and is not suitable for those unaccustomed to walking.

Bergholtz is a small village with just over 1,000 inhabitants. Situated on the Wine Route, this route allows you to explore its narrow streets and discover its almost hidden heritage. The walk is suitable for everyone, and you can also have a picnic there and take your children to play in the playground on the outskirts of the village. Among the places of interest are the old Vauban Canal and Saint-Gall Church

This is a short hike with varied and accessible landscapes along trails and paths. It is pleasant in summer as there is plenty of shade. It is in the last quarter of this hike, starting from Wasserbourg, that you will feel your legs the most over a few hundred metres.

This walk or snowshoe hike offers superb views all around the Petit Ballon. Alternating between wide tracks and narrower paths, the route passes through both wooded areas and perfectly open ridges. Numerous farm inns (some of which are closed in winter) and mountain huts line the route.

Departure from the Col de Boenlesgrab, passing by the Refuge de la Schellimat, near Hilzen, via Bockswasen, then by the Refuge des Amis de la Nature below the summit of the Petit Ballon, then continuing after the summit along the ridges via the Col du Petit Ballon, Steinberg and its megaliths, then Grothkopf.Return via the farmsteads of Kahlenwassen (near the Virage Pinot) and Buchwald, the former intermediate station of the German cable car, then via the Strohberg farmstead before descending via Brudermatt to the Col du Boenlesgrab. This hike takes you across magnificent high-altitude stubble fields and offers numerous 360° views of the Vosges peaks and nearby Alsatian valleys.

A short forest hike that goes around the Rundkopf and passes over its summit. The undergrowth is truly magnificent, especially in autumn, when the fallen leaves offer some beautiful views.

This hike takes you around the thatched roofs of the Petit Ballon, allowing you to enjoy views of the surrounding peaks and the thatched roofs that are so characteristic of these Vosges peaks.

This is a very pleasant hike that also offers views of the Alsace plain. The different environments you will pass through will delight walkers who take the time to look around.