Mittelhausen: Local History and Themed Trails

Mittelhausen offers two distinct ways to plan your trip: exploring local history and following trails through the countryside. The village was first mentioned in 757, when it was called Médiovilla. Historical topics include the medieval village fortifications, the church, and a former cemetery that is now a park. In addition, trails pass through wetlands, by springs, and through orchards and hop fields. Both distance and duration are important when choosing an activity: the options mentioned range from about an hour and a half to a walk of approximately four hours.

Local History and the Church

The three towers in Mittelhausen’s coat of arms symbolize the three gates through which people could pass through the medieval village fortifications. The coat of arms thus refers to the gates in the fortifications. The present-day church houses an organ built by Koulen in 1890 and restored by Muhleisen in 1959. The two dates mark different stages in the history of the same instrument: its construction and its later restoration.

The area around the Église Saint-Laurent de Mittelhausen has also changed. The former cemetery surrounding the church was moved outside the village in 1926; today, it is a park. The site thus brings together different points in time: its former use as a cemetery and its present-day use as a park.

Trails Through the Countryside and Village

The Sentier des saveurs is a nature and interpretation trail, a 15.6-kilometer walking route that takes about four hours. It passes through a wetland with numerous springs, orchards, and hop fields. The hop fields feature support poles measuring 6 to 7 meters tall. The distance and approximate walking time provide two different points of reference for planning your day: the length of the route and the time it takes.

The Sentier des saveurs has three possible starting points: Place de l’Église in Mittelhausen, the parking lot beside the church in Hohatzenheim, and the parking lot near the roundabout in Wingersheim. Each starting point is associated with a specific location: a church square, a parking lot by a church, and a parking lot near a roundabout.

Entre chapelle et houblon offers a shorter route. This very easy walking trail is 7.4 kilometers long and takes about two hours. It starts in Mittelhausen and follows a circular route around Hohatzenheim, between hop fields and panoramic views. Compared with the Sentier des saveurs, it differs both in distance and duration and in its described route: this trail focuses on the circular route around Hohatzenheim and its views, while the Sentier passes through wetlands, by springs, and through orchards and hop fields.

Balade ludique No. 9 takes about an hour and a half, leads through the village, and lets visitors explore natural areas. By duration, it is the shortest of the three activities mentioned. The time estimates therefore offer a range of options, from about an hour and a half to roughly two hours and then around four hours. The trails also differ in what they showcase: the village and natural areas on the Balade, the circular route around Hohatzenheim on Entre chapelle et houblon, and the landscape features along the Sentier des saveurs.

Discover more destinations: Soultz-Les-Bains, Dossenheim-Kochersberg, Eckwersheim, Kertzfeld, Marmoutier, Wolfisheim, Breitenbach, Steige.

Return to the main travel guide: Bas-Rhin.