Haguenau: Experience culture and forest

For planning your trip, Haguenau offers different areas of interest: collections and architectural history on the one hand, forest trails and nature watching on the other. There are also clear distinctions within these themes—for example, between archaeological finds, a marked route and a place for birdwatching. You can shape your stay around the questions that interest you most.

Museums and architectural history

The Musée Alsacien is located in Haguenau’s former medieval chancery. Its extensive collection of everyday and decorative objects tells the story of daily life in Alsace since the beginning of the 19th century. The focus is therefore on objects of everyday life and design—a different perspective on history from the one offered by archaeological collections.

The Musée Historique has objects from more than 750 Bronze Age and Iron Age graves discovered in the necropolises of the Haguenau Forest. Its collections include numismatic and archaeological objects, as well as items from the decorative arts and folk traditions. When planning a museum visit, you can therefore distinguish between two different areas of interest: everyday culture at the Musée Alsacien and a broader historical range at the Musée Historique.

Another testament to the city’s history is the Porte de Wissembourg, a remnant of the former city wall. The lower part of the gate dates from the 14th century; its present appearance results from a renovation in the 16th century. The different construction phases make the gate a tangible point of reference for Haguenau’s history.

Forest trails and different routes

The Gros-Chêne site is open year-round and is the starting point for numerous marked hiking trails, cycling routes and mountain biking trails. There is also a fitness trail and a path accessible to people with reduced mobility and to strollers. A small chapel, built in 1955, also stands at the site. The Saint-Arbogast patronal festival is celebrated there every year at the end of July.

The access route to the GR®532 runs from the center of Haguenau to Walbourg, leads to the heritage of the Forêt d'Exception® de Haguenau and forms part of the Way of St. James. The Grand tour Haguenau-Eschbach route offers a different perspective: it connects historical and natural heritage and heads northwest through the Forêt d'Exception® de Haguenau, through pine forests and deciduous woodland, across fields and along the edge of the forest beside the charming village of Eschbach. For the GR®532, the starting point, destination and connection to the Way of St. James are specified; the Grand tour, by contrast, is shaped mainly by the landscapes described along its route.

There is also a dedicated forest loop for families in the Forêt de Haguenau. It invites visitors to collect clues and solve a riddle. The activity booklet is available in three versions for children aged four and over and for the whole family. The riddle gives the loop a specific focus, while the booklet is designed for the age groups and families mentioned.

Nature watching and art in the forest

The ornithological observatory is a good place for nature watching. Birds found there include herons, coots, ducks, kingfishers and great crested grebes. The site is on a former clay-extraction area that has been renatured; a section created by underwater extraction remains as a pond. Birdwatching and the site’s former use therefore offer two different ways to explore this place.

In the forest, a few hundred meters from the Gros-Chêne site, stands the Monument du Chêne, a work by the internationally renowned German contemporary artist Gloria Friedmann. The route to the monument passes seven steles bearing short texts that invite reflection on our relationship with trees and nature. The artwork and the path are therefore part of a visit in which the reflections prompted along the way matter as well as the destination.

Excursions and timing your trip

The annual “Trésors cachés de la forêt indivise de Haguenau” program offers expert-led excursions throughout the year on topics such as biodiversity, history and forestry. The activities are open to all audiences and are available from March. The program thus brings together several of the themes visitors can also encounter at individual sites and on the routes; when planning, you can choose between an expert-led excursion and a visit focused on your own interests.

There are also different dates to bear in mind: the Gros-Chêne site is open year-round, the excursion program offers activities from March, and the Saint-Arbogast patronal festival is celebrated every year at the end of July. These details help distinguish between general access to the site, the program and the recurring festival date when planning your stay.

Discover more destinations: Wingen-Sur-Moder, Climbach, Hinsbourg, Hohengœft, Boofzheim, Mothern, Westhouse, Plaine

For the broader travel overview: Bas-Rhin.