The best MTB trails around Saint-Maurice

Magnificent waterfall on the edge of the GR5. 🥰

Champ du Feu, at 1099 meters, is the highest mountain in the Bas-Rhin department of the Vosges in Alsace. It lies between the towns of Belmont and Le Hohwald and consists of an extensive high plateau with forests, meadows, and moorlands. The area is a popular nature and recreational area. In summer, it is mainly used for hiking, mountain biking, and nature observation. In winter, there is a small ski area with cross-country trails and simple slopes for winter sports. The brook La Serva originates from Champ du Feu, later forming the Cascade de la Serva. In clear weather, the summit offers wide views over the Vosges, the Rhine plain, and as far as the Black Forest. The area is particularly known for its tranquil nature, high moors, sunrises and starry skies, as well as well-marked hiking trails.

The Rocher des Celtes ("Celtic Rock") is a natural rock formation near Dambach-la-Ville in Alsace. Its name comes from legends that attribute a connection to its Celtic past. Today, the rock is a popular hiking destination with beautiful views over vineyards and forests.

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Taennelkreuz Chapel is located in the middle of the vineyards at an elevation of 208 meters. This chapel was built in 1905 and dedicated to the Holy Cross on September 23, 1906. With a cruciform floor plan and a neo-Gothic style, it is located in the middle of the vineyard at the foot of the Rittersberg.

Rock formation with a viewpoint offering a wonderful view of the Rhine plain, as well as an information board about the Celtic stone.

At the end of the ridge, at an altitude of 443 meters, lies Ortenbourg Castle, built between 1260 and 1265 by Rudolf Habsburg and one of the most beautiful ruins in the Rhine Valley. A masterpiece of military architecture, with its high gorge surrounding a 32-meter-long dungeon, it is visible from afar and blends perfectly into the landscape. This dungeon offered six levels of defensive fire, and its pentagonal design allowed for better deflection of attackers' projectiles. The recently founded association "Les sentinelles de l'Ortenbourg" (Ortenbourg Sentinels) aims to preserve, expand, and revitalize the castle.

The town of Châtenois, with approximately 4,300 inhabitants, is located in the Grand Est region and belongs to the Bas-Rhin department, Sélestat-Erstein arrondissement. A wine-growing community, Châtenois lies at the foot of the Hahnenberg (530 m) in the foothills of the Vosges Mountains, on the Alsace Wine Route and the EuroVelo 5 Alsace Vineyard Cycle Route. Before the town's founding, the Romans planted a chestnut forest there. The French name "Châtenois" is derived from this, and is synonymous with the original dialectal Alemannic name "Keschtaholtz" – meaning "chestnut wood" and "chestnut wood" in High German. In 1807, the village bore its current name, Châtenois. In 1871, it was Germanized as Kestenholz before reverting to its French name after the Second World War. Before the town's founding, the Romans planted a chestnut forest there. Châtenois has a beautiful old town; the main tourist street is located in Rue du Maréchal Foch.