Do you know the Niederbronn and Oberbronn region? As the gateway to the Parc Naturel des Vosges du Nord, it's the starting point for a number of beautiful hiking trails, some of which lead to the Château de la Wasenbourg, which offers stunning panoramic views over the Alsace plain and the Black Forest. On a clear day, you can even see Strasbourg Cathedral!
My summary
I liked
- pleasant hike in a little-frequented area
- shaded forest circuit, ideal for hot days
- numerous picnic tables and benches along the route
- various ways to vary and cut the route along the way
- numerous interpretive panels presenting the site’s sights, history and local flora and fauna along the way
I liked less
- parking at the starting point is not so easy to find
Hiking map and GPX
The basis of this hike is this circuit proposed by Visorando. By the way, you have a 20% discount on the premium subscription with the code HP-JKBRB(to be entered when subscribing here).
You can view the map and elevation profile, as well as download the GPX and PDF files.
The climb to the Castle
From the “Roi de Rome” parking lot (follow the signs for “Château de la Wasenbourg” when arriving in Niederbronn), after the bridge, the walk starts on the path to the left of the multidirectional sign, first flat, then uphill, through dense forest (red rectangle markings and sentier de la Wasenbourg). It takes around 40-50 minutes to reach the château.
Get ready to warm up your muscles quickly ! The gradient is steep at the start and the path narrow and winding, but the ascent is not too long and reveals the beauty of this Vosges forest 🙂
The first tree interpretation panels appear. Further on, the path crosses a wide forest road. An opportunity to take a break on a bench with a small table 😉
Then continue across the street to the 4-step wooden staircase, always following the red rectangle.
The path continues to climb, but more steadily. At this point, we see the first beautiful rocks on the heights, before, finally, the silhouette of Wasenbourg Castle (421 m) comes into view. This is our reward!
This little pink sandstone gem of Alsace’s heritage, a jewel of the medieval era, exudes a sense of power and impresses with its architectural riches. Built in the 13th century, it is also one of the best preserved in Northern Alsace. Up there, you’ll feel a soothing sense of tranquillity that calls for a pause 😊
A plaque commemorating Goethe’s visit in 1771 can be found at the castle entrance. And next to the Château is an imposing rock called the Wachtfelsen, which served as a natural lookout post in medieval times and bears the remains of a Gallo-Roman temple dedicated to Mercury. It, too, looks great!
On the way to the Wasenkoepfel tower
To continue the walk, retrace your steps at the last junction to take the path towards Graebelsbrunnen Oberbronn (red triangle markings).
When you see the first bench, leave this marker and turn right before reaching this bench, uphill on stony ground. Continue straight ahead, then left, this time following the signs for Wasenkoepfel-Col de l’Ungerthal-Arnsbourg (red rectangle).
It’s also an opportunity to follow in the footsteps of mysterious beliefs surrounding pagan ceremonies, as described on an explanatory panel. This is sandstonewhich, as it accumulated, aggregated to form rock millions of years ago, sculpted by erosion, and which gradually reverted to the sand that scatters the paths.
A few metres further on, you come to Kreuztannen, a crossroads. A bench invites you to take a break. The forest is truly beautiful!
But there are more surprises in store! We continue straight ahead, turning right a few metres further on, still on the red rectangle. The path rises again, becoming narrower, and after a few hairpin bends, the silhouette of a beautiful tower comes into view: the small Wasenkoepfel tower (526 m).
Halfway between a comic book tower and an observation tower, this 10 m tower was erected by the Club Vosgien in 1887 as a tribute to Alsatian poet and folklorist Auguste Stoeber.
It’s a perfect place for a lunch break. There’s a table right next to it. Be aware that the view from the top is not unobstructed due to the trees that have grown up around it.
Also on the blog
From the tower to the Col de l’Ungerthal
From here on, the scenery changes, as we continue downhill towards the Col de l’Ungerthal (red rectangle markings), winding up after a few metres, and first into a beautiful pine forest.
Continuing straight on, we come to a clearing, with a hunting stand on the right. Continuing straight on, we reach the forest again, then a little further on, the Col de l’Ungerthal (481 m), where we find a small shelter on the other side of the road and parking lot, as well as a picnic table. A handy little shelter in case of rain!
Head for the fountain!
It’s time to start the second half of the route, and it’s downhill all the way!
On leaving the refuge, turn right onto the Léon Kopp path (blue-white-blue rectangle towards Oberbronn/Daumen). A pleasant descent under the trees 😉
The further down you go, the denser the forest becomes, until you reach the asphalt, which you follow for just a few metres, before taking the path that goes left at the next fork (blue triangle signposted to Bueckelstein).
You’ll again come across beautiful rocks, striated by erosion, but this time on the ground. The path then rises again, following the same signposts, but this time in the direction of theAncienne Maison Forestière du Reisberg.
This is an opportunity to note the increasing presence of chestnut trees, whose wood was used by winegrowers for vineyard stakes, as it was naturally resistant and exceptionally long-lasting, but also for the framework of half-timbered houses, parquet flooring and barrels. The closer you get to the beautiful village of Oberbronn just below, the greater the number of chestnut trees.
As our trail splits and heads downhill to the right, I recommend that you stay on the main path, unmarked, to stay on the balcony as far as the Graebelsbrunnen fountain. It’s more beautiful!
Back to the starting point
From here, the best way to get back to the start is to follow the narrow path that descends gently to the right (red-white-red rectangle markings) until it crosses a forest track. At this point, turn right to the next junction, before turning left onto the Chemin forestier des Bornes, and then a little further on, back to the original junction with the little bench and table.
Just follow the signs for Niederbronn gare (red rectangle) to start the final descent. Be careful, it’s a steep descent!
