La Vallée des Eclusiers – A greenway to discover!
It's been a long time since I heard of the Vallée des Eclusiers, located between Hofmuhl and Arzviller in Lorraine, just a stone's throw from Alsace. The place isn't exactly well known, but those who have been there always talk about it with pleasure. So I couldn't wait to discover it!
My summary
I liked
- Delightful course
- Restored lock houses
- Suitable for families
I liked a little less
- Not yet the possibility to visit exhibition places/artists’ studios, but it will certainly come!
Starting point of the Valley of the Lockkeepers
The start of the Vallée des Eclusiers is in Hofmuhl or Arzviller, depending on which side you start from. If you’re on a bike, a nice option might be to start from Lutzelbourg, as all you have to do is follow the Canal de la Marne au Rhin along the cycle path to reach Hofmuhl and the Vallée des Eclusiers.
Hiking or biking
The Vallée des Eclusiers is an 8.2km greenway linking Hofmuhl to Guntzviller (Auberge Altenburger). It’s part ofEurovélo 5. You can cycle or walk it, as you wish. A large paved track runs alongside the canal, making the route accessible to all: it’s flat, paved and not very long, so it’s suitable for the whole family!
The route is truly bucolic: between the trees, the large pink sandstone boulders and the charming lock houses, you immediately feel away from the hustle and bustle (even if there are many walkers on weekends), which is very pleasant. What’s more, you’ll find the perfect place for a gourmet break, as the Papar Hasard crêperie is located in lock number 2. Run by the bubbly Breton Valérie, you can enjoy delicious crêpes in a very pleasant environment.
The 17 locks of Arzviller in Lorraine
A special feature of this route is the 3.8km stretch of theold Arzviller-Henridorff lock ladder. This series of 17 locks on the Canal de la Marne au Rhin was once used to overcome the 44.5m difference in height at this point: it would have taken a whole day’s navigation to pass all these locks!
Following the construction of the Inclined Plan of Saint-Louis-Arzviller, this part of the canal was diverted and the place closed to navigation in 1969. If you come to the area, I recommend combining your walk through the Vallée des Eclusiers with a visit to the inclined plane – it’s well worth it!
The old Valley of the lock keepers in full mutation
The Vallée des Éclusiers was then abandoned for a long time, until a project by the Communauté de Communes de Phalsbourg gave it a new lease of life. The lock-keeper’s houses have been restored one by one, and are now home to an integration project, a guest house and residences for several artists.
For the moment, we can’t visit artists’ studios, but this could be a project in the years to come, with the possibility of taking part in workshops. I had the opportunity to meet stone sculptor Cédric Oesch, painter Valérie Mazen and metal sculptor Samuel Ovroutski, all of whom have interesting projects!
Another notable place, we find at the lock number 3 a surprising greenhouse: it is an aquaponic greenhouse (mixing plant culture and fish breeding), which we can visit every Sunday in company of Alain Kocher, the tenant of the lock.
Bike rental
Don’t have a bike and want to rent one? You can rent a VTC from Vélocation. Click here to book online.
Practical information
Itinerary
Here you can find the itinerary of the Valley of the Lockkeepers.
Access
By car
Artzviller is located in:
- 70km from Strasbourg (about 50 minutes)
- 18km from Saverne (about 20 minutes)
By public transport
You can calculate your route on Fluo Grand Est.