The best walks and hikes around Schlettstadt-Erstein

Officially, access to the castle is unfortunately blocked due to rockfall (with warning tape and official notice)

Beautiful view into the Rhine plain 😍

Striking rock with a view of the Rhine valley and the Black Forest

The Heidenmauer (French: Mur Païen) is a monumental, eleven-kilometer-long fortification from the early Middle Ages that encloses the high plateau of the Odilienberg in Alsace. The imposing structure has fascinated archaeologists and visitors alike for centuries with its sheer dimension and construction. Around 300,000 irregularly hewn sandstone blocks were piled up without mortar to form a dry stone wall up to two meters wide. To give the huge blocks stability, the builders connected them with swallowtail-shaped wooden clamps made of oak. This extraordinary technique secured the structure against the shifting of stones in the steep forest terrain. For a long time, the structure was surrounded by a great mystery. Due to the name Pope Leo IX gave the wall in the 11th century, its origin was suspected to be from prehistoric, Celtic, or Roman times. Modern scientific investigations finally brought clarity: With the help of dendrochronology (tree-ring analysis), the wooden connecting wedges could be precisely dated to the late 7th or early 8th century AD. The wall thus originated in the Merovingian era. To this day, research puzzles over the exact purpose of this gigantic structure. The most likely theory is that the wall served as a mighty refuge for the population in times of political unrest. At the same time, the monumental structure demonstrated the claim to power and prestige of the then Dukes of Alsace, to whose family Saint Odilia also belonged. Today, the Heidenmauer is a protected cultural monument and a popular destination for hikers. A well-signposted

The Odilienberg (763 m) in Alsace is the most important spiritual center of the region. Founded around 690 by Saint Odilia, the monastery attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims annually. The centerpiece of the complex is the Basilica of the Assumption of Mary (1687–1692) with the burial chapel, where the relics of the patron saint rest in an 8th-century sandstone sarcophagus. Directly on the panoramic terrace are the Chapel of Tears and the Chapel of Angels (12th century), known for their luminous gold mosaics from 1935. Inside the basilica, there is also a fine wooden inlaid Way of the Cross by Charles Spindler. Below the monastery rocks runs a magnificent hiking trail. It leads past the monumental, colorful ceramic Way of the Cross (14 stations) and the Lourdes Grotto, both integrated directly into the red sandstone by Léon Elchinger in the 1930s. About a 15-minute walk further down, the Odilien spring emerges in the forest, its water traditionally sought for eye ailments. The entire mountain plateau is enclosed by the Heidenmauer, a mysterious, 11-kilometer-long prehistoric defensive wall. Following the hiking trails further south, you reach the Maennelstein (817 m), the highest point of the ridge, which offers a wide panoramic view over the Rhine plain to the Black Forest. The monastery grounds are open all year round and admission is free. Would you like to use this short text for a brochure or are you still looking for information on how to get there for your tour? AI answers may contain errors. For legal advice, you should consult an expert. More information

The monumental ceramic Way of the Cross on Mont Sainte-Odile (French: Chemin de Croix du Mont Sainte-Odile) was created between 1933 and 1935 by the renowned Alsatian artist and master ceramicist Léon Elchinger (1871–1942). From an art historical perspective, it is considered one of the most significant and ambitious masterpieces of sacred ceramic art in Alsace.

The Maennelstein (Männelstein) is a striking, 817-meter-high Bunter Sandstone rock formation on the southern edge of Odilienberg (Mont Sainte-Odile) in Alsace. It is considered one of the most beautiful viewpoints in the region and offers a wide panoramic view over the Rhine plain, the Black Forest, and on clear days even as far as the Alps.

Magnificent waterfall on the edge of the GR5. 🥰