Barefoot trails in Alsace
SensoRied, free barefoot trail in the Ried
This time, I went to SensoRied, the barefoot trail located in Muttersholtz, in the Alsatian Ried (the plain). The great advantage of SensoRied is that it’s free, making it an ideal activity for families visiting Alsace on a budget.
I’m not a big fan of barefoot trails (my feet hurt quickly!), but I was really pleasantly surprised by this trail, which I found very pleasant, even for my sensitive feet! You can walk the 1.5 km of the trail at your own pace, going from one step to the other while admiring the landscapes of this Natura 2000 site. Beyond the sensory experience (walking in mud, pebbles, on a dirt road…), I appreciated the explanations given on the fauna, flora, history and landscapes of the Ried. We learn a lot about this part of Alsace often rather unknown (wrongly).
After about 1 hour of discovery, it is time to wash your feet with the help of the hoses provided before leaving. This is a great activity to spend time with family and friends (yes, it’s not just for kids!).
I liked
- Nice trail (not too hard on the feet!)
- Interesting explanations about the Ried
- Free
I liked less
- Nothing!
Practical information
Rates
SensoRied is free! It is possible to leave your shoes in a locker at the entrance for the price of 2€, which will be used for the maintenance of the trail.
Opening dates and times
Here you can find the opening dates and times of SensoRied.
Access
By car
The address is the following: Maison de la Nature du Ried et de l’Alsace Centrale 35, rue Ehnwihr 67600 Muttersholtz. You have to count:
- 30 km from Colmar (about 30 minutes)
- 51 km from Strasbourg (about 35 minutes)
- 70 km from Mulhouse (about 50 minutes)
A large free parking lot is located right next to SensoRied.
By public transport
You can watch on Fluo
Walk on the Barefoot Trail of Lac Blanc
The Lac Blanc Barefoot Trail is located within the Lac Blanc Adventure Park. The Lac Blanc is a ski resort near Colmar. In the summer, you can go hiking, biking and mountain biking, tree climbing and…a barefoot trail!
The concept of the barefoot trail was born in Germany. The general idea is to recover forgotten sensations, to reconnect with nature and to enjoy a good massage. It’s also an opportunity to do something a little different.
We take off our shoes at the entrance, leave them in a closed locker and let’s go for the barefoot trail, in the superb Lac Blanc forest! We walk alternately on the earthen floor of the forest and on specially prepared grounds (stone, wood, bark, gravel, water…). Some parts are nice but overall I thought it hurt a little too much! Maybe I’m too sensitive with my feet, go figure… The experience was still fun, even if I didn’t really feel like I was relaxing.
Throughout the walk, there are fun workshops based on the 5 senses. Candies to taste, smells to smell, trees to recognize… It’s well done and fun!
The distance of the Lac Blanc barefoot trail is 1.2km. It takes about 1h30 to do it, the time to walk slowly and to do the workshops. On arrival, a shower allows you to wash your feet.
I liked
- Fun to walk barefoot in nature
- The beauty of the forest
- Fun workshops along the way, perfect for children
I liked less
- A little too much pain in the feet!
Practical information
Rates
You can find the rates for the Lac Blanc Barefoot Trail here.
Schedules
You will find here the schedule of the barefoot trail of Orbey.
Access
By car
The address is as follows: Station du Lac Blanc 68370 Orbey. The White Lake Barefoot Trail is located at:
- 21 km from Colmar (about 30 minutes)
- 68 km from Mulhouse (about 1 hour)
- 92 km from Strasbourg (about 1h20)
The Barefoot Trail is located in the White Lake Adventure Park. Just follow the signs “Lac Blanc 1200”, park at the parking lot (free) and walk 5 minutes.
By public transport
No solution, unfortunately.
Other barefoot trails in Alsace
There’s also a barefoot trail in Oberhaslach, but I haven’t tested it. Some parks also have barefoot trails: