Ortenbourg Castle – Bernstein Castle loop from Châtenois

Hiking trails & Routes

Ortenbourg Castle – Bernstein Castle loop from Châtenois

Hard

4.8

(15)

hikers

Ortenbourg Castle – Bernstein Castle loop from Châtenois

06:33

21.4km

710m

Hiking

Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: August 14, 2026

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

3.20 km

Ortenbourg Castle

Highlight • Castle

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 …

Translated by Google •

Tip by

8.31 km

Dambach-la-Ville

Highlight • Settlement

historic town center with half-timbered houses and Renaissance buildings as well as the historic town hall from 1547, which is still clearly inspired by the Gothic style with its high stepped gables.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

8.74 km

Blienschwiller Gate

Highlight • Castle

Especially picturesque with the stork nest on top

Translated by Google •

Tip by

9.13 km

Saint Sebastian Chapel in Dambach-la-Ville

Highlight • Religious Site

A little above Dambach chapel. All around vineyards.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

9.94 km

Bibelefelsen

Highlight • Natural Monument

A rock formation, large and mossy in the forest, on the hiking trail to Bernstein Castle

Translated by Google •

Tip by

11.1 km

Bernstein Castle

Highlight • Castle

The Bernstein castle ruins are about 560 meters above sea level and, like most hilltop castles, offer an excellent panoramic view of the surrounding area.
The tower can be climbed.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

12.3 km

Rocher Bellevue Viewpoint

Highlight • Viewpoint

Small viewing rock with a view to the west over the Giessen valley.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

13.7 km

Hagelstein

Highlight • Summit

Coming from the top, you can descend a short distance to the right and reach a plateau in front. Here you can also take a short rest with a great view.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

21.4 km

End point

Bus stop

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

10.3 km

6.52 km

3.14 km

1.30 km

< 100 m

Surfaces

10.6 km

4.53 km

2.27 km

1.78 km

1.08 km

781 m

301 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (640 m)

Lowest point (200 m)

Weather

Tuesday 13 October

22°C

11°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 5.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

May 12, 2025,Schloss Bernstein – Schloss Ortenburg Runde von Dambach-la-Ville

The hike was very strenuous; the description "HARD" is a bit of an understatement. The stated 18 km is incorrect; it was just under 24 km.
Sturdy footwear is recommended.
All in all, a beautiful hike. It took us 4.3 hours to complete.

Showing Translation

September 14, 2024,Vogesen: Drei Burgen auf einen Streich, Wanderung von Scherwiller

We start our tour next to the Chapelle du Taennekreuz outside Scherwiller. There is a car park next to the chapel. We walk from the chapel on field paths through the vineyards to Dambach-la-Ville, a small town with a beautiful town center, a large church and a boulangerie with delicious éclairs. From Dambach-la-Ville, we follow the yellow cross signpost and …

Showing Translation

October 23, 2021,Dambach-la-Ville (Burgen und Felsen) 🇫🇷

The medieval town of Dambach-la-Ville (located on the Alsatian wine route northwest of Schlettstadt) was the start / finish point of the very beautiful autumn hike. It was a promising tour through vineyards as well as deciduous and mixed forests. The path led into the rock massif around the castle ruins Bernstein, Ramstein and Ortenbourg - all three evidence of …

Showing Translation

January 2, 2022,Dambach - Châteaux de Bernstein, Ramstein & Ortenbourg 🇨🇵

The papa taxi was on its way to Strasbourg again on Sunday morning, so a little round at Sélestat was a good idea afterwards.
The starting point was the Chapelle Saint Sébastien, wonderfully located in the vineyards above Dambach, a wonderful place especially at sunrise and before the crowds of visitors.
From the chapel, the path first climbs above the …

Showing Translation

June 6, 2022,F_Dambach-la-Ville: Château de l’Ortenbourg, Château de Ramstein, Chateau du Bernstein 2022/78

When I plan a tour in France, my vacation starts right across the border. Everything looks different – the streets, the houses, the gardens. If I'm not blinded by the holiday feeling, then so are the paths and paths. Believing that Alsace was a continuation of the Palatinate, I was instead surprised with granite rocks and correspondingly gray sandy paths …

Showing Translation

May 30, 2025,FR Alsace | Dambach-la-Ville - Runde über Felsen und drei Ruinen

Ascension Day 2025 in Molsheim, Tour 2
Tour 1: tinyurl.com/5yxxkjpm
Tour 3: tinyurl.com/4hpuh8ea

Dambach-la-Ville refers to itself as an 'intra-muros' village, thus referring to the still intact, historic city wall with its various city gates. It's quite something... as soon as you enter one of the gates (through the respective pedestrian tunnel), it immediately seems a bit different – more …

Showing Translation