Explore Alsace
A region to roam.
Castles, villages, forests, vineyards, good restaurants and unusual activities: the must-sees of Alsace, each with a link to its official website to plan your visit.
Late October – mid-November 2026
News in Alsace.
Outings, festivals and what’s new around the house right now: our selection, refreshed every two weeks.
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An autumn hike to Wangenbourg castle, a few minutes from the house.
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The Nideck waterfall, even more beautiful after the autumn rains.
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Saint Martin’s Day, 11 November: in many Alsatian villages, children parade at nightfall with their lanterns.
The must-sees in Alsace.
Choose a tab, tap a marker on the map or a card: each place links to its website and its Google reviews to help you plan your visit.
Hiking and cycling
Set off on foot or by bike, straight from the door.
The holiday home is surrounded by forests criss-crossed by trails waymarked by the Club Vosgien and by mountain bike routes. On the map, each marker shows a starting village: tap it to see its routes, then find the details below.
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At our Au Cœur de la Forêt holiday home
You will find a locked room to keep your bikes safe and dry.
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Follow the waymarks
Stay on waymarked trails and respect other forest users.
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Hunting seasons
In autumn and winter, check with the tourist office for the dates of driven hunts.
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A problem on a trail?
Damaged waymarks, a fallen tree: report it on Suricate, the national outdoor sports website. Suricate
To suit you
Ideas for days out.
Twelve ready-made days, from morning to evening, to suit your wishes and your group. Adapt them freely and check opening times on each place’s website.
For history lovers
Castles and panoramas
A day of pink sandstone fortresses and viewpoints, never straying far from the holiday home.
- 1Morning
Wangenbourg castle
The castle ruins, very close to the holiday home, for a gentle start.
- 2Lunch
Lunch in Saverne
A break in town, among half-timbered houses and along the canal.
- 3Afternoon
Haut-Barr castle
The “eye of Alsace” and its panorama over the plain, perched on its rocks.
- 4End of the day
Marmoutier abbey church
A superb Romanesque façade, on the way home.
Les Clés’ tip: Wear shoes with good grip: access to the ruins is often along footpaths.
For walkers
Fresh air in the forest
The mountains around the holiday home are best explored on foot: waterfalls, rocks and summits in a single day.
- 1Morning
Nideck waterfall and castle
The waterfall below the ruins, one of the area’s flagship walks.
- 2Lunch
Picnic in the forest
Prepared at the holiday home in the morning, to enjoy in peace under the fir trees.
- 3Afternoon
Donon summit
The little temple and the panorama over Alsace and Lorraine.
Les Clés’ tip: Further down, you will find the 27 waymarked trails in the area, with distance and difficulty.
For food lovers
Vineyards and treats
A day to taste Alsace: vines, wine cellars, winstubs and little treats to take home.
- 1Morning
Cave du Roi Dagobert (wine cellar)
Tasting of Alsace wines and crémants, a stone’s throw from the valley.
- 2Lunch
Obernai and its winstubs
Traditional Alsatian cuisine in the heart of a lively little town.
- 3Afternoon
Alsace Wine Route
Wine villages and hillsides, to explore as the mood takes you.
- 4On the way back
Egly chocolate shop
Something to round off the day at the holiday home, by the fire.
Les Clés’ tip: Choose a designated driver… or do your tastings by bike on the Bacchus Tours loops.
For a day in town
Strasbourg with the family
The European capital is easy to visit in a day: cathedral, canals and lanes.
- 1Morning
Notre-Dame cathedral
Its pink sandstone spire and its astronomical clock.
- 2Lunch
A winstub in the centre
Chez Yvonne, Le Clou or Maison Kammerzell, for a typical meal.
- 3Afternoon
Batorama and Petite France
A boat trip around the Grande Île, then a stroll along the canals.
- 4In December
Christmas markets
The famous markets light up the city during Advent.
Les Clés’ tip: Leave the car on the outskirts and finish by tram: the centre is best explored on foot.
For children
Animals and castles
Free-roaming monkeys, birds of prey in flight and a real fortified castle: a day the little ones will remember.
- 1Morning
Monkey Mountain
Macaques in semi-freedom, to feed with popcorn under the keepers’ watchful eye.
- 2Lunch
Eagle park
Birds of prey shows in the ruins of Kintzheim castle.
- 3Afternoon
Haut-Kœnigsbourg castle
The fortified castle just as you imagine it, with its ramparts and keep.
Les Clés’ tip: The three sites are next to each other: check their opening days, as some close in winter.
For strollers
Picture-postcard villages
Half-timbering, geraniums and cobbled lanes: the Wine Route at its most photogenic.
- 1Morning
Kaysersberg
The fortified bridge, the colourful houses and the castle watching over the village.
- 2Lunch
Eguisheim
Its lanes in concentric circles, ideal for a tasty break.
- 3Afternoon
Colmar and Little Venice
The canals lined with half-timbered houses, on foot or by boat.
Les Clés’ tip: Set off early in summer and December: these villages are very busy around midday.
For the sporty
The ridge challenge
For those who like to earn their dinner: the great summits of the Vosges.
- 1Early morning
The Grand Ballon from Le Markstein
A big loop of more than 18 km up to the highest point in the Vosges.
- 2Pause
Lauch lake
A break by the water, at the foot of the high pastures.
- 3Or else
Mountain biking from the holiday home
Le Grand Tétras or the Cascade Mencke for experienced mountain bikers.
Les Clés’ tip: In the mountains, the weather changes quickly: pack a windproof jacket and water, even in summer.
For relaxed cyclists
Cycling along the water
Flat, safe greenways, for cycling with the family without meeting any cars.
- 1Morning
Marlenheim – Molsheim link
A warm-up ride at the foot of the vineyards.
- 2Lunch
Molsheim
Picnic or lunch in the old town, around the Metzig.
- 3Afternoon
Bruche canal greenway
26.5 km along Vauban’s canal, right to the gates of Strasbourg.
Les Clés’ tip: No bike? Rental shops in the area offer electric bikes.
When the weather plays up
A rainy day
Rain has never stopped an explorer: museums, a mine and workshops, all in the dry.
- 1Morning
Tellure, silver mine
Helmet on, under the mountain: it’s dry in the galleries!
- 2Or else
Lalique Museum
Glass and crystal in a modern setting, in Wingen-sur-Moder.
- 3Afternoon
Musée Würth or Le Vaisseau
Contemporary art for the grown-ups, hands-on science for the little ones.
- 4In the evening
Games night at the holiday home
Billiards, table football, table tennis and an evening by the fire.
Les Clés’ tip: Keep a “spare” day in your stay to adapt to the weather.
For the curious
Curiosities and the unusual
Surprising places to talk about back home, very close to the holiday home.
- 1Morning
Rocher de Dabo (Dabo rock)
A chapel sitting on a rock, with a 360° view over the forests.
- 2Lunch
Arzviller boat lift
A boat lift that raises barges 44 metres.
- 3Afternoon
Abreschviller forest railway
A steam locomotive through the forest of the Sarre Rouge.
Les Clés’ tip: The train and the boat lift have opening periods: check their websites before setting off.
To understand Alsace
Remembrance and history
A region tossed between two countries: powerful places to understand its history.
- 1Morning
Fort de Mutzig (Mutzig fort)
An impressive fortress, a witness to the German period.
- 2Afternoon
Struthof
The only Nazi concentration camp established on present-day French territory, now a memorial site.
- 3Or else
Alsace-Moselle Memorial
The region’s turbulent history, told in a lively way.
Les Clés’ tip: Powerful visits: for adults and teenagers, to prepare with younger children.
For big groups
The big table
The holiday home sleeps up to 12 people: a day designed for the joy of being together.
- 1Morning
A walk from the holiday home
The Circuit Panorama Sud, suitable for everyone, with no need for the car.
- 2Afternoon
Lang Park
Wangenbourg’s bike park: young and old, everyone at their own level.
- 3In the evening
Big dinner at the holiday home
Everyone around the table, then a billiards and table football tournament.
Les Clés’ tip: Fancy an evening without cooking? Several restaurants in the village are just minutes away.
Plan your outings
Alsace through the seasons.
Each season has its colours and its pleasures. Here are some ideas to imagine your stay, whatever the time of year.
Check opening times
Castles, parks and museums have opening hours that change with the seasons. Check their websites before setting off.
Bring good shoes
Vosges trails often run through forest and on slopes: walking shoes make the outing more enjoyable.
Plan ahead for busy periods
In summer and during the Christmas markets, some sites are very busy: set off early or book your tickets.
Mix up your days
A nature day, a heritage day, a day at the holiday home: the right rhythm to enjoy everything, young and old alike.
