Zillisheim walks

A short hike in the foothills of the Jura to discover the renovated Grand Canyon in Zillisheim, passing by the German cemetery from World War I and the Saint-Brice Chapel in Illfurth.

The fighting of the First World War raged in the Sundgau region from August 1914 onwards. The French blew up the Dannemarie viaduct and the front stabilised and extended from the Vosges to the Swiss border. The front line ran a few kilometres from Illfurth, near Heidwiller. During this tour, you will discover several bunkers that served a variety of purposes, including ammunition depots, observation posts and artillery emplacements, as well as several casemates.

This is an undemanding hike, ideal for a Sunday stroll with the family. This circular runs along the banks of the Ill and allows you to discover the "Japanese Bridge" behind the Mulhouse swimming pool, as well as the "Bois des Philosophes" near the University.

It is in late February and early March that you should go to meet spring in the forest of Saint-Bernard. This is where the snowdrops appear, signalling the end of winter.

This forest route allows you to discover the Chapel of Notre-Dame du Chêne, the Steinbaechlein and hundred-year-old oak trees.

The "Au fil de l'eau" circuit, between the Doller and Leimbach rivers, crosses a magnificent oak-lined avenue before entering the Vorwald oak forest, passes by two series of blockhouses, then the Müatergottesgartla Chapel, and reaches the banks of the Doller via farmland north of Reiningue. The entire route is marked with the Anneau Vert (Green Ring) sign by the Club Vosgien de Guewenheim

When you think of hiking in Alsace, the Vosges mountains spring to mind. But the Alsace plain also offers some very pleasant walks. This is the case with this short, family-friendly circular in the Bois de Lutterbach, on the outskirts of Mulhouse. This walk is completely safe and accessible to almost everyone. Most of the route is through forest. The highlight of the hike is halfway along the route: the Gros Chêne de Pfastatt (Pfastatt Great Oak).

This route invites you to discover the village of Bernwiller and its surroundings, with a quick detour into the forest to sit for a moment in front of the small Notre-Dame de l'Unterholz Chapel and admire it.

A wooded hill separates the Ill and Thalbach valleys. As you walk along it, you will discover an old vineyard, a quarry marked by tragedy, a botanical trail and the story of an unfortunate general. When you reach the Emlingen lime kilns, the 19th century suddenly springs to life, frozen in stone and iron.

The municipality of Richwiller is launching a series of historical discovery trails to help residents learn more about their village. First loop: "Richwiller, its industrial past" with 18 stops.

For geologists, this part of the Sundgau facing the Porte de Bourgogne is called the Fossé de Dannemarie. The landscape is gently undulating, with only one wooded hill emerging. At its summit stands the church of Gildwiller, where gazes and prayers converge.

Along this trail of bunkers, explore fortifications dating back to the First World War, built by the German army. After the fighting in the summer and autumn of 1914, the Haute-Alsace front stabilised on along the line of Cernay-Dannemarie. The commune of Burnhaupt-le-Bas remains on the German side. In December 1914 and January 1915, the French offensive in this sector regularly broke the German lines at the cost of many lives.

This hike takes you up to the heights between the villages of Habsheim, Zimmersheim and Eschentzwiller to enjoy beautiful views, with short passages through the charming residential areas of these three villages.

A lovely family walk that allows you to discover the potash villages from a different angle, along the Ill and Dollerbaechlein streams.

Hirtzbach is well worth a visit. The castle, English park and opulent residences of Unterdorf are neatly lined up on either side of the stream, whose banks are beautifully flowered in summer. Along the way, a rural and wooded detour leads to the site of the vanished village of Sankt-Glückern and the Landfürstenweyer, the Princes' Pond, with its still waters.

A very beautiful walk around a lake with views of the Vosges mountains and a bird observation post.

A circular walk around Michelbach dam with views over the Swiss Alps and 'Le Grand Ballon d'Alsace' on a clear day. Perfect spot for wildlife spotting. Along the way there are many signs giving some information about what to see and the history.

A trail giving you the possibility to explore a large number of running vineyards throughout the Bartenheim and Brinckheim hillsides.

Set off to meet the storks of Cernay from the charming little village of Uffholtz, passing by numerous points of interest and beautiful views of the region. In good weather, you will also be able to see the Alps!

We did this hike in winter. There are a few difficulties, but overall it's a pleasant hike.

Located above the village of Wattwiller, nestled against the slopes of the southern Vosges, this hike is ideal if you want to enjoy views overlooking the village, walk through vineyards or enjoy the coolness of the forest. The start and end points are at the car park in front of the François Schneider Foundation. The route is not difficult and the paths are very well marked.

Friesen boasts an exceptional array of half-timbered houses built between 1499 and 1876. Thanks to meticulous inventory work, the walk allows you to see many reminders of a rural world that disappeared forever after the Second World War. A country lane then leads to the Notre-Dame de Grünenwald chapel and Ueberstrass, following in the footsteps of the Knights of Malta.

A cool forest walk on the southern slopes of the Hartmannswillerkopf massif, a major site of remembrance of the Great War. Forest trail along a steep ravine, waterfall, drier conditions at higher altitudes, passage at the Hirtzenstein rock and return to the starting point. The route is punctuated with remnants of the fighting that raged in 1915.

The Hartmannswillerkopf (Viel Armand in French) was the scene of fierce fighting throughout 1915. Losses amounted to 50,000 dead, evenly divided between the two sides. This hike pays tribute to these soldiers by following part of their trenches. It begins with the ascent of the massif, following the German fortified trenches to the summit where the necropolis is located. The return route descends via the French side, the "Chemin des Dames".