Horbourg-Wihr combines a natural setting along the Ill with historic buildings and a history of cross-border routes. This gives you two interests to consider when planning your trip: outdoor activities and exploring churches, bridges and Roman heritage. The Saturday market adds a weekly event to the mix.

The Ill, cycling routes and cross-border trails

Horbourg-Wihr’s natural surroundings along the Ill and a branch of the Grand Canal d’Alsace are well suited to hiking, cycling and canoeing. Six circular cycling routes take in Horbourg-Wihr, Colmar and its surrounding area. This means the options that shape the character of the town include both activities in nature and routes connected with the Colmar area.

The Route Verte covers a different scale: it passes through Horbourg-Wihr and connects Lorraine, Alsace and the Pays de Bade. It was created in 1960 at the initiative of Joseph Rey, then mayor of Colmar. The circular cycling routes linked to Horbourg-Wihr and Colmar thus sit alongside a cross-border route whose history dates back to the mid-20th century.

Churches, farmsteads and bridges

The Église Saint-Michel has Romanesque origins, evident in its square bell tower, which dates from the 14th century. The church also houses 16th-century murals depicting the life of Saint Margaret, the Four Evangelists and the Church Fathers. The tower highlights the building’s history, while the murals focus on the religious figures portrayed.

Some former manor farms in Horbourg-Wihr date from the 17th century and have large round-arched portals bearing an emblem. These portals add a building type distinct from churches and bridges to the area’s architectural history.

The Pont de l’Ill connects Colmar and Horbourg-Wihr. Construction began in 1770. The river structure is faced with dressed stone and is considered one of the region’s significant river engineering works.

The Pont des Américains offers another historical perspective: it remains the only bridge of its kind in Alsace. It is associated with an assembly of structural components transported by Allied ships, intended to serve as a landing ramp on 6 June 1944 and repurposed for civilian construction after the war.

Roman history is also part of the town’s heritage. A Castellum, an important fortification in the Upper Rhine’s defensive system, was built in Horbourg-Wihr in the 4th century. Horbourg-Wihr also has significant underground Gallo-Roman heritage.

Saturday market and cultural program

The Saturday market is held on Place du 1er Février every Saturday morning from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. The stalls include florists, wine merchants, winegrowers, caterers, butchers, vegetable growers and beekeepers. If you’d like to include a visit to the market in your plans, make it a Saturday morning and check the schedule before your trip.

The cultural program offers another way to plan your stay: ARCHIHW organizes several conferences and cultural outings each year. Check the specific dates before your trip.

Choose the focus of your stay

When looking for a hotel in Horbourg-Wihr, you can start by considering which themes you want to shape your trip: the natural surroundings and outdoor activities, architectural history, including churches and bridges, or the Roman past. The cycling routes also cover Colmar and its surrounding area, while the Saturday market adds a specific weekly rhythm. ARCHIHW’s conferences and cultural outings add further cultural events to the options.

Discover more destinations

Baldersheim, Altkirch, Morschwiller-Le-Bas, Mittelwihr, Le Bonhomme, Dessenheim, Pulversheim, Jungholtz

For the broader travel overview: Haut-Rhin.