WALSCHEID TOWER

In the forest of Walscheid, you may find Hengstbourg cross (476m above sea level). You may also find Beimbach cross and a Gallo-roman necropolis nearby. The cross is made out of pink sandstone.

In the forest of Walscheid, you may find Beimbach Cross (508m above sea level). You may also find Hengstbourg cross and a Gallo-Roman necropolis nearby. Beimbach cross is made out of pink sandstone.

While hiking on the GR53 (a hiking trail), folllow the signs with a red rectangle and a white stripe in the middle: by doing so, you will reach the Hohwalsch pass or "Hohwalschplatz" (as it is called by locals). It used to be a very popular pass between Alsace and Lorraine from Antiquity to Middle Ages. Nowadays, it is a place to relax and reconnect with nature, far away from traffic.

Saint-Léon hamlet is a part of Walscheid village. You may enjoy Saint-Léon Chapel and Saint-Léon Grotto which is 32m deep, 24m wide and 8m high. When you enter the cave, on the left, you may see a commemorative plaque in memory of Pope Saint Léon IX: it is said he withdrew to this cave. He may have come here to pray and meditate when he was young.

The Saint-Léon cave, formed by erosion, is the deepest natural cavity in the Vosges. A majestic oak tree, several hundred years old, seems to stand guard over its entrance. From this spot, the walker can enjoy a splendid panorama of Walscheid and its surroundings. The Saint-Leon cave is also the scene of an extraordinary living nativity scene organised on the 3rd Sunday of Advent by the Walscheid Tourist Office. Depth: 32m - Width 24m - Height 8m.