Stroll to the Rocher de Dabo in Moselle – My opinion

Updated on 2024-04-24

In this article, I take you to the Rocher de Dabo, which is not located in Alsace but in our Lorraine neighbors, in the Moselle department more precisely. Dabo being located near the border between Lorraine and Alsace, it can be a nice idea for a getaway during a stay in Alsace. From my home, west of Strasbourg, it is for example very close. I discovered Dabo by chance, during a video shoot at work. We had selected Dabo because the area is known to be very beautiful and perfect for hiking. With its beautiful forests, its hilly landscapes and its imposing red rocks, it is true that the region of
Pays de Phalsbourg
is magnificent for those who like to walk. But I didn't know that a curiosity like the Rocher de Dabo also existed!

Laurène

Laurene is the founder of the My weekend in Alsace. She likes to explore Alsace, on foot, on her bike, on her horse or in her car to find good spots for her readers.

History of the Dabo Rock

The legendary Rocher de Dabo is a rocky spur of pink sandstone culminating at 650 meters of altitude and dominating the surroundings. A highly strategic place, of course, which was a Celtic place of worship and where a medieval castle once stood, destroyed in the time of Louis XIV. A Romanesque chapel dedicated to Pope Leo IX, originally from Dabo, is now installed there. You can see the rock immediately when you arrive in Dabo and the vision seems almost unreal as it is high and relatively narrow (30 m high, 80 m long and 26 m wide exactly): it really seems to be standing there, appearing out of nowhere in the middle of the immense Vosges forest.

Access and panoramic view

It is possible to access the Rocher de Dabo by car first, to a small parking lot, and then to finish on foot by a large staircase after having paid the entrance fee. The view from the parking lot is great, but the view from up there is amazing! It’s simple, from the top of the rock you have a 360 degree panoramic view of the surroundings: you can admire the village of Dabo and its colorful houses, the Lorraine plateau as well as the forests of the Massif des Vosges as far as the eye can see. You’ll quickly understand why I said there were beautiful walks to do there!

Saint Leo’s Chapel

I also advise you to enter the Saint Léon chapel, whose interior has been renovated and has some very nice paintings. A real little gem!

It is also interesting to climb to the top of the chapel tower to enjoy, in addition to the panoramic view of the surroundings, the view of the Dabo rock itself. You will be at an altitude of 664m. It’s impressive!

Hiking in the Dabo area

Unless you are already in the area, it would be a shame to come to Dabo only to see the rock and leave. I advise you to go for a walk, there are plenty of beautiful hiking trails, like for example this
360 degree hike around Dabo
. I can also advise you to go walking around the Troglodytic Houses of Dabo. These are impressive to see and the paths around them are superb, with impressive rocks and beautiful panoramas of the surroundings. I loved it! You can see some pictures below, these are the last four pictures.