Through the 5 castles
Hard
Club VosgienIn the Northern Vosges, medieval castle ruins stand atop sandstone peaks offering beautiful views of the forest-covered ocean. This route takes you to five of them, in varying states of preservation.
Description
From the parking lot, take the castle road to reach the red rectangle marker.
Before reaching the top of the road, you can access the Alcove Landscape Window via the field. Then return to the red rectangle through the forest.
Follow the red rectangle towards the ruins of Nouveau Windstein. Then continue towards Wineckerthal. Follow the road south, then turn right onto Rue du Buchwald.
Turn right immediately and leave the red rectangle to follow the green triangle towards Schoeneck. Cross the road twice, then climb up to Schoeneck.
At the castle, follow the red triangle to the Langthal Pass. Cross the road and follow the yellow circle to Wineck Castle.
Retrace your steps with the yellow circle. At the crossroads, turn right onto the yellow triangle to the Wittschloessel pass.
At the pass, take the red rectangle again. Leave it to climb up to Wittschloessel Castle, following the red-white-red rectangle, then retrace your steps.
Follow the red rectangle to Vieux Windstein and then to the car park.
- Departure : Menhir parking lot, Windstein
- Arrival : Menhir parking lot, Windstein
- Towns crossed : Windstein, Dambach, and Obersteinbach
4 points of interest
SYCOPARC 
GeologyRocher du Vieux Windstein
Château-fort du Vieux Windstein - M. SCHAMPION 
Castle-church-abbeyVieux Windstein fortified Chateau
Existing since 1147, it was besieged by the city of Haguenau, the bishop of Strasbourg and Hannemann of Lichtenberg to dislodge knight-brigands by digging a gallery on the west side of the site. It was then partially dismantled. At the beginning of the 16th century, the Duke of Lorraine seized it twice. The castle was burned down before being abandoned in 1664. You can still see a section of the stone wall with bosses, a vestige of the keep. More information here.
Château fort de Wittschloessel - http://www.randoalsacevosges.com Castle-church-abbeyWittschloessel Chateau (Ruins)
The Wittschloessel castle was a simple watchtower on a rocky ridge overlooking the Obersteinbach valley; only a few remains of the sandstone walls remain.
The history of this castle is not well known; it was destroyed at the end of the 17th century.
Château-fort du Nouveau Windstein - M. SCHAMPION Castle-church-abbeyNouveau Windstein fortified Chateau
Mentioned as early as 1205 near the Old Windstein, the dwelling was modified at the end of the Middle Ages to be adapted against artillery. After having served as a refuge during the Thirty Years' War, soldiers occupied it between 1652 and 1654 and used it to plunder the region. It was destroyed as a possession of the Eckbrecht family of Durkheim, who had fought against France in the Dutch War. Its defense is based on a shield wall, allowing it to dominate the valley on 3 sides.
Forecast
Altimetric profile
Recommandations
IGN map:
3814ET - HAGUENAU LEMBACH
Information desks
Information Office of Niederbronn-les-Bains - Head Office of Alsace Verte Tourist Office
6 place de l’Hôtel de Ville, 67110 Niederbronn-les-Bains
Access and parking
From Haguenau, take the D27 towards Woerth. Then follow signs for Froeschwiller, Jaegerthal, and Windstein. The parking lot is located on the left after the town hall.
Parking :
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