In Eguisheim, a tour exploring the town’s history and a wine trail with views of the Grand Crus offer different ways to discover the area. If you are deciding what you want to shape your stay, the town’s architectural history and the explanations of winegrowing provide two concrete starting points.
Town History on the Walking Tour
The “Entrez dans la ronde” discovery tour uses nine panels made of enamelled lava stone. They explain the colours of the houses, the route of the town walls and the town gates, as well as inscriptions, stonemasons’ marks and the château. Architectural details and their connections to local history are thus brought together. The tour also includes a richly illustrated discovery booklet and a child-friendly version with small games. QR code videos supplement the panels: each topic has a video lasting about two minutes.
Buildings from Different Eras
The Château des Comtes d'Eguisheim is said to have been built or restored around 720. The comital family lived in the château until 1225, when the line died out. Today, the château belongs to the municipality and is open only during exhibitions, certain events and receptions. Before visiting, check whether one of these occasions provides access.
The Chapelle Saint-Léon IX was built in the Neo-Romanesque style on the site of the former keep and dedicated to Saint Leo in 1894. Inside, painted medallions depict seven scenes from the saint’s life. The Église Saints-Pierre-et-Paul houses a polychrome wooden sculpture of the “Vierge Ouvrante”, dating from the 13th or 14th century. These buildings and artworks offer different points of focus: architecture and the history of the dedication meet religious painting and a medieval wooden sculpture.
Wine Trail and Castle Views
The “Sentier viticole des Grands Crus d'Eguisheim” wine trail explains the geology and aspect of the “Eichberg” and “Pfersigberg” Grand Crus. It also provides information on seven grape varieties and the winegrowers’ seasonal work. The panorama takes in Eguisheim, the vineyards and the Three Castles. Along the “Circuit Vignoble et Châteaux” walking route, there are near and distant views of the castle ruins and the plain. The two perspectives complement each other: the wine trail explains the terroir and winegrowing, while the walking route offers changing views of the castle ruins and the plain from varying distances.
The Three Castles of Haut-Eguisheim consist of three towers on Schlossberg, built between the 11th and 12th centuries. Their remains stand on a wooded hill overlooking Eguisheim and the Alsace plain. From 15 November to 15 March, the castles can be reached only on foot; check the access conditions before your visit.
More Ways to Find Your Bearings
The Petit train d'Eguisheim travels through the historic centre, along picturesque streets and past old houses, as well as through the Grand Cru vineyards below the Three Castles. It departs from the car park near the town hall. Commentary is available in French, German, English, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Danish and Russian. The service is seasonal; check in advance whether the ride is available on your chosen date.
When choosing what to do, it is helpful to understand how the options differ: the discovery tour focuses on town history and architectural details, while the wine trail covers geology, grape varieties and the work of winegrowers. Castle views are also part of the walking route and the panorama. This lets you choose whether to focus on cultural heritage or the wine-growing landscape, without treating the experiences as interchangeable.
Discover more destinations: Leymen, Soultzeren, Ruederbach, Sierentz, Bergholtz, Dannemarie, Gueberschwihr, Durrenentzen.
Back to the broader travel overview: Haut-Rhin.
