Surroundings

Once you arrive in Hohrodberg, there is no need to drive to a trailhead. The paths start right at the house — through meadows, past ferme-auberges and up onto the open ridges of the High Vosges. The network of trails is dense, well waymarked and suits every level of fitness.

The Randonnée des Crêtes runs along the ridge of the Vosges — with open views east over the Rhine valley and, when visibility is good, as far as the Black Forest and the Swiss Alps. Early in the morning especially, the ridge is still quiet, before the day-trippers arrive.

In autumn the woods around Hohrodberg turn into a sea of reds and gold. The beech and fir forests climbing the slopes are especially quiet then — the leaves muffle every step, and the mist sometimes hangs in the valleys for hours.

If you prefer something gentler, there are shorter walks to the neighbouring ferme-auberges — rustic mountain farm inns serving roïgabrageldi, Munster cheese and bilberry tart. Half a day’s walk leaves plenty of time to stop for a meal along the way before heading back down to the village.