Pottery Trail in the Haguenau Forest

Access to car park

From Haguenau town centre, follow signs for Soufflenheim. Once you reach the D1063 (Route de Soufflenheim), turn left onto Route de Schwabwiller, which leads directly to the Gros Chêne car park.

Blue Cross signposting

(S/E) From the Gros Chêne area, head north-east to cross the Eberbach bridge. Follow the Route de Schwabwiller (tarmac road) for 20 metres.

(1) At the intersection of the road with two paths, turn right onto the Gros Chêne forest path.

(2) At the crossroads, continue straight ahead for about 2.2 km, ignoring the paths on the right and left and crossing a tarmac road.

(3) At the next crossroads with four paths, turn right. At the end of the path, turn left onto Allée de l'Eberbach. Continue straight ahead.

(4) At the^second intersection, turn left onto the path. At the end of the path, turn right onto the winding trail that runs alongside the Eichgraben stream.

(5) Turn left, then right at the next intersection. At the end of the path, cross the Route forestière des Juifs (tarmac road) and continue straight ahead.

(6) Turn left onto the path, then right at the next intersection to join the wide forest path. Continue straight ahead on this path for 2 km, ignoring the paths on the right and left.

(7) At Carrefour des Retraités, cross the D344 and continue straight ahead.

(8) At the intersection with the^second section of the Sentier des Potiers (bench, Club Vosgien sign), turn right onto the path towards Soufflenheim.

(9) Leave the forest and enter Soufflenheim via Rue d'Ambazac, continuing straight ahead. Follow the road as it turns left. At the end, turn right onto Rue du Collège.

(10) Continue straight ahead to join Route de Betschdorf and follow it to the roundabout after the Eberbach bridge.

(11) Then turn left and follow Rue du Moulin, which leads to Grand Rue and the town hall.

Red Cross markings

(12) From the town hall, retrace your steps to reach the intersection of the first two sections in the forest.

(8) Now follow the Red Cross markings towards Betschdorf, which indicate that you should continue straight ahead (north).

(13) At the^first crossroads, turn left and continue along the path, ignoring the paths on the right and left.

(14) At the Carrefour de la Croix, just before the D344, take the path that branches off to the right.

(15) Turn left. At the crossroads of four paths, after 750 m, turn right.

(16) At the next intersection, take the path on the left and continue straight ahead for about 1.3 km, ignoring the paths on the right and left.

(17) At Carrefour de la Chênaie, cross the D344 departmental road with caution and head left to follow it for 300 m.

(18) Take the path that starts on the right. Go through the gate and continue straight ahead, ignoring the paths on the right and left. At the T-junction, turn left onto the path.

(19) At the four-way crossroads, turn right onto Route de Taubenhuebel (cycle route, tarmac road) and continue straight ahead, ignoring the paths on the left and right.

(20) At the junction with Club Vosgien signs, continue straight ahead (note the junction for the return journey).

(21) At Carrefour Parade, turn right onto Route de Betschdorf (tarmac road) and cross the Halbmuelbach.

(22) At the second intersection with a forest path, turn right onto the path, then immediately left.

(23) At the four-way crossroads, turn left. Pass in front of the Brunnwald Bird Observatory and continue straight ahead.

(24) After 600 m, at the crossroads where the Heuscheuer forest house is located, turn right onto Route de Betschdorf. Leave the forest and enter the village by crossing the bridge over the Sauer.

(25) In Betschdorf, continue straight ahead, ignoring the streets on the right and left. Go up Rue de la Sauer, then Vieille Rue, to finally reach the town hall.

Yellow cross markings

(26) From the town hall, head back towards the forest, retracing your steps. Now follow the yellow cross markings and return to the Carrefour Parade crossroads. Turn left to rejoin Route de Taubenhuebel.

(20) At the first intersection (Club Vosgien signs), leave the route you have already taken, turn right onto the path and leave the tarmac road.

(27) At the T-junction, turn right and cross Route de Betschdorf. Continue straight ahead, ignoring the paths on the right and left.

(28) At the second intersection, turn left and join Allée de Schierlach at the^second crossroads.

(29) Follow this lane to the right. At the first intersection, take the path on the left and continue straight ahead until you reach a crossroads taken at the start of the hike.

(2) Turn right onto Allée forestière du Gros Chêne.

(1) At the junction with Route forestière de Schwabwiller, turn left onto the latter. Cross the Eberbach bridge to return to the Gros Chêne area (S/E).

This route can be completed in sections:

• Le Gros Chêne - Soufflenheim (10.5 km - 3 hours, marked with blue crosses)
• Soufflenheim - Betschdorf (12.5 km - 3 hours 45 minutes, marked with red crosses)
• Betschdorf - Le Gros Chêne (9 km - 2.5 hours, marked with yellow crosses)

Don't forget to take the Haguenau Forêt d'Exception® tourist map, available from the Pays de Haguenau tourist office, which shows the plot numbers indicated on the trees at the intersections. This makes it very easy to find your way around the undivided forest!

The Potters' Trail, Tourist Office information sheet.

Contact

Pays de Haguenau Tourist Office
03 88 06 59 99
tourisme@agglo-haguenau.fr
More information at visithaguenau.alsace

Refreshments available at the Auberge du Gros-Chêne.
Playground and picnic tables available.

In Betschdorf and Soufflenheim, numerous shops offer the opportunity to discover Alsatian pottery, a symbol of the region's identity.

The Brunnwald Bird Observatory, located among a young oak forest at stage23, was built in 2011 on the site of a former clay quarry that has been renaturalised. In summer, you can admire the birds that live in the forest: kingfishers, moorhens, grey herons and many others.