Reinhardsmunster: Hiking Trails, Rocks and Cultural Sites
Accommodation in Reinhardsmunster
Several circular trails start in Reinhardsmunster or pass through the municipality. Together with striking rock formations, the ruins of Ochsenstein Castle and the Saint-LĂ©ger Chapel, they give your trip planning a clear focus. When planning a hotel stay in Reinhardsmunster, you can decide whether you want your days to be shaped mainly by hiking, distinctive natural formations or local history.
Compare hiking routes by distance and destination
The La porte du Valhalla circular trail starts at the church in Reinhardsmunster. It is 7.5 kilometres long, has 350 metres of elevation gain and is rated easy. Its distance, elevation gain and difficulty rating provide concrete points of reference when choosing a route. The Tour du Geissfels circular trail offers a different experience: It passes the Spill rock pinnacle, continues to the summit of Geissfels and reaches the Geissfelswasen shelter.
The Wuestemberg-Ochsenstein circular trail also starts in Reinhardsmunster. Via the Krappenfels Pass, it reaches the ruins of the Ochsenstein castles. The Traversée du Tannenwald starts at the church car park. The Lieux légendaires circular trail leads to the Spill rock pinnacle, the Geisfels rock, the Table des Géants and the Sattelfels menhir. This makes it possible to compare a route with a stated distance and difficulty rating with a tour whose destinations include several named natural and cultural sites.
The Boucle des châteaux de Saverne also passes through the municipality. The GR®53 long-distance hiking trail, which crosses the Vosges Massif, also runs through Reinhardsmunster. Check current route conditions before setting off, especially if you are planning a longer hike.
Castle ruins and Saint-LĂ©ger Chapel
Château d'Ochsenstein is a castle ruin and was the fief of the medieval House of Ochsenstein, an influential Alsatian family. The castle was probably built towards the end of the 12th century. Grand Ochsenstein is the largest and only accessible of the three Ochsenstein castles. The Wuestemberg-Ochsenstein route links its name to a hiking trail that leads to the castle ruins via the Krappenfels Pass.
Saint-LĂ©ger Chapel stands outside the village, within the enclosed grounds of the cemetery. It is located on the site of the former church of Dillersmunster. Its moulded entrance portal may date from the early 17th century; a Romanesque relief from the former sanctuary was also incorporated into it. Devotion to Saint LĂ©ger developed into a particularly strong local tradition in Reinhardsmunster, gave rise to a pilgrimage and continues to this day.
Rock formations and their features
The Table des GĂ©ants is a dolmen of natural origin. It is 3.5 metres long, 2.5 metres wide and 1.8 metres high. The Sattelfels, by contrast, is a 2.5-metre-high menhir whose upper part is shaped like a saddle. It has served as a boundary marker since at least 1747. Its dimensions and shape illustrate the difference between the elongated dolmen and the upright menhir.
The Geisfels is a rocky peak with a steep drop of around 40 metres. A small, hard-to-reach cave lies a few metres below the summit. Cup marks in front of its entrance are associated with a former place of worship. The Rocher des Pandours offers a view over the Marmoutier plain. The Rocher de la Spille is nine metres high and is near a paragliding launch site. The Rocher du Hibou got its name from its shape, which resembles a nocturnal bird of prey.
Discover more destinations: Duntzenheim, Ichtratzheim, Orschwiller, Krautergersheim, Schleithal, Birkenwald, Le Hohwald, Breitenbach.
For the broader travel overview: Bas-Rhin.
