The route of the castles and fortified cities of Alsace
2024
Highlights of the trip
During your stay you can enjoy the following highlights: Culture / Heritage.
Best times to go
The best time(s) to go is/are : Printemps, Eté, Automne, Hiver.
Petit Futé
Where to stay - Climbach ?
The map of your stay "The route of the castles and fortified cities of Alsace"
Detail of the stay : The route of the castles and fortified cities of Alsace
How to get there - Climbach
Discovery of Wissembourg
Steps: Wissembourg
In Wissembourg, you will discover the first fortified city of the route with its ramparts. The city is also one of the stages of another route, the Romanesque route. After your visit to Wissembourg, set off for the first castle on this route. Going up in the forests of the Northern Vosges, take the direction of the castle of Fleckenstein, from the 12th century. On your way, you can stop for the night in Climbach.
On the way to Fleckenstein Castle
Steps: Lembach
After your night, drive back to Fleckenstein castle. On your way, you can also follow the route of the 4 castles circuit. In addition to Fleckenstein, you can also discover the Loewenstein, the Hohenbourg and the Wegelnburg without much difficulty. These four ruined castles will offer you a magnificent panorama on the Vosges. The medieval playground of the Gimbelhof is also worth a visit. After your day of walking, stop in Lembach.
The castles of Wasigenstein and Schoeneck
Steps: Niederbronn-Les-Bains
Your journey continues with the discovery of the castles of Wasigenstein and Schoeneck, both built in the 13th century. At 600 meters from Schoeneck, you can also see the ruins of the Wineck castle, on a ridge. Then head for Niederbronn-les-Bains for a well-deserved break.
From Lichtenberg Castle to La Petite-Pierre
Steps: La Petite-Pierre
From Niederbronn, you reach the castle of Lichtenberg, dating from the 13th century and fortified in the 16th century, the first to use cannon. Your path then continues towards the fortified city of La Petite-Pierre and its 12th century castle which is today the headquarters of the Vosges du Nord Regional Nature Park. You will also see the museum of the Alsatian seal and the museum of Arts and Popular Traditions
