5 places for nature walks around Strasbourg

Map of green spaces near Strasbourg

Here’s a map of our favorite walking spots around Strasbourg. If you’re looking for green spaces in Strasbourg, check out our article on Strasbourg’s parks and gardens.

1. Pourtalès park, Wantzenau and Robertsau forest

Parc de Pourtalès is located to the northeast of the city in the quiet, upmarket Robertsau district. Further away – approx. 5 km from the city center – and less accessible, it can be reached by bus or streetcar, then take the 10-20 min walk to the main entrance on Rue Mélanie. If you have a car, there are several parking lots.

Pourtalès is a vast 24-hectare English-style park , famous for its eponymous 18th-century château, which has been converted into a hotel. It’s much quieter and more relaxing than Strasbourg’s other parks. You can stroll through the park on foot or mount your horse: on two wheels, the park is criss-crossed by a cycle path, or on all fours, it’s not uncommon to come across horseback riders. It’s the ideal park for long walks. Along the way, you’ll come face to face with a number of contemporary works of art.

Progressing along the Piste des Forts, you enter the wilder Forêt de la Robertsau and Forêt de la Wantzenau. Classified as a national nature reserve (493 ha), it is crossed by the River Ill, which continues its course as far as the town of La Wantzenau, north of Strasbourg.

Kilometers of marked trails, several ponds, picnic areas, streams, waterfalls, meadows, forest houses, sports trails, bridle paths, botanical trails to discover the flora and fauna, the landscape is varied and there’s something for everyone.

2. Forests of Strasbourg – Neuhof and Illkirch-Graffenstaden

The Forêt de la réserve Neuhof-Illkirch , a neighbor of the Rohrschollen reserve located between the Neuhof district and the Illkirch Graffenstaden commune, is also classified as a national nature reserve. A breath of fresh air just 4 km from the city center!

It can be reached on foot, by bike, by bus or by car from the Ganzau district or the Stockfeld housing estate. There are 4 entrances and 2 parking lots nearby. A gigantic protected area covering 945 ha and largely dominated by forest (890 ha), the reserve also contains lawns, meadows, ponds, small bodies of water and is criss-crossed by four rivers, including the famous Rhin Tortu and the Schwarzwasser. In other words, the flora and fauna is extremely varied.

Like the Forêt de la Robertsau, there are numerous marked hiking trails, a bike path and a bridle path. After the walk, you can take refuge in a superb Alsatian house near the central entrance, which houses the traditional Oberjaegerhof restaurant.

3. Rohrschollen nature reserve

A great place to discover nature and observe biodiversity on the outskirts of the city, this 157-hectare island is wedged between the Canal d’Alsace and the Old Rhine (and thus Germany). The Rhine forest is almost untouched, and aquatic environments are omnipresent.

For birdwatchers, there’s an observatory where you can contemplate the 158 species recorded on the island. You’ll be treated to a veritable concerto of birds. Between small wooden footbridges lined with a carpet of wild garlic (a pretty sight when it blooms), marshes and lianas, the island can be visited on foot and the scenery is varied. We also say hello to some grazing Scottish cows .

Access to the Reserve is via the Neuhof district or the Port du Rhin in the far south of the city. You can also get there by streetcar or bike, but it’s better to get there by car, as the rather isolated reserve is 10 km from the city center. Park in the EDF hydroelectric power station parking lot and enjoy an unusual attraction! You can watch barges and freighters pass through the lock chambers of the Canal d’Alsace on their way to the Rhine.

4. Friedel park, Illkirch

Parc Friedel, located in Illkirch-Graffenstaden (near Strasbourg), is more of an animal park, aimed at a public in diapers! On this 2-hectare educational farm, domestic and farmyard animals frolic happily about. Cows, goats, pigs, donkeys and even peacocks and llamas – some 180 animals and birds for children to feed and care for.

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5. Fort Uhrich park, Illkirch

Fort Uhrich is another green gem in Illkirch-Graffenstaden, which we’ve already mentioned in our article on parks and gardens in Alsace. It’s part of the Piste des Forts, an 85 km cycling loop linking 14 former military sites between the Strasbourg region and Germany.

Fort Uhrich can be reached directly from Strasbourg via the beautiful Rhone-Rhine canal. Small paths in the park offer views of ancient water-filled ditches where ducks splash and water lilies bloom. Panels explain the fauna, flora and history of the fort, built by the Prussians between 1873 and 1876, then burnt down in 1944. Never rebuilt, the site has been reclaimed by nature, which is what gives it its charm.

The magnificent trees and bucolic setting give the impression of being totally in the countryside. It’s an original outing for families, friends or couples, with picnic tables for sunny days!