Route:

Technical Characteristics

Tour Profile:  Level of difficulty is moderate; +/- 6 hours per day; Maximal difference of level: +770 m; Day 4 = 23 km + 700 m.  It is important to have good physical condition and to be in good health.

Total distance: 84 km

Travel Season: Departures daily from April 1 to October 7, 2023
Season 1: April 1 – June 2 and September 30 – October 7
Season 2: June 3 – September 29

Accommodation:

3* hotels with private facilities

From the vineyards to the Vosges summits, you will hike in total freedom on paths that cross the Ballons des Vosges Regional Nature Park. The hundred year old castles offer from their sandstone promontories many surprising panoramas on the plain of Alsace and the Black Forest Mountains. These troglodytic fortresses tell you the tumultuous history of this region between the 12^th and 18^th centuries. Highlights include visiting the cities of Eguisheim and Munster, numerous castles and beautiful villages on the wine route and beautiful well marked trails.

Itineraries

Day 1

Arrival in Eguisheim

Arrival in Eguisheim, one of the most beautiful villages of the Alsace Wine Route, located 8 km from Colmar and nestled in a green setting at the foot of its three castles. This small medieval village with its unique architecture and colorful palette will welcome you with charm and authenticity.

Day 2

Eguisheim – Turckheim 14 km + 563 m – 534 m

The first ascent will lead you to the castles of Eguisheim at 600 meters of altitude, and further on to the Hohlandsbourg castle that offers a panoramic view on Colmar, the plain of Alsace and its numerous villages. You will return to the valley and the next part of your hike will lead you to the beautiful city of Turckheim where every summer evening, a night watchman in traditional 16th century costume sings the extinction of fires.

Day 3

Turckheim - Kaysersberg 14 km + 654 m – 631 m

Your itinerary goes through the famous Alsatian vineyards from Turckheim to Kaysersberg, birthplace of Dr. Albert Schweitzer, Nobel Peace Prize winner. The strategic position of this village with its cobbled streets and richly decorated half-timbered houses revives the memory of the Roman road that linked Alsace to Lorraine.

Day 4

Kaysersberg – Munster 23 km + 1113 m – 999 m

The stage of the day will offer you your first impressions of the Vosges Mountains. From Kaysersberg, you will reach the village of Labaroche and the summit of the Petit Hohnack (927 meters). After the Croix de Wihr pass (840 meters), the trail will lead you to Munster, in the heart of the Vosges Mountains. This small town and its green valley is famous for its cheese of the same name, one of the culinary emblems of the region. Enjoy it with caraway seeds and a glass of Pinot Gris or Gewurtztraminer. A pure delight!

Day 5

Munster – Wintzfelden 15 km + 791 m – 810 m

You will leave Munster in the direction of the Wassenberg, a ruin of a castle installed at 746 meters of altitude on a spur projecting above the village of Wasserbourg. You will then cross the summit of the Mühlenkopf (805 meters) to find the vineyards and the village of Wintzfelden in the valley. Do not miss a stop in one of the fermes auberges that you will meet on your way. These old summer farms where cowherds and shepherds used to welcome walkers to share their meal, now serve products from the farm. You can taste the "repas marcaire" or other local specialties.

Day 6

Wintzfelden – Eguisheim 17 km + 509 m – 656 m

Following a beautiful terraced path overlooking the Rhine valley, you will walk towards Gueberschwihr, a pretty little village known for its famous vineyard and its beautiful Roman bell tower. Before returning to Eguisheim, you will discover along the way traces of the Celts, who when the Romans forced them to abandon the fertile lands of the Alsace plain, found refuge on the heights and settled on the Vosges summits.

Day 7

Departure or Extension of Stay

Included:

• 6 nights’ accommodation
• Breakfast
• Luggage transfer between hotels
• Detailed travel documents 1 per room with route maps, route description, local attractions, important telephone numbers
• GPS data is available
• Hotline service

Not Included :

• Meals not mentioned in itinerary
• Personal expenses
• Visitors taxes, payable locally