Sasbach combines trails through a varied landscape with cultural attractions and a long-standing market tradition. The town lies directly on the Baden Wine Road and, together with Obersasbach, Sasbachwalden and Lauf, is part of the Sasbachwalden holiday region. When planning your trip, it is therefore worth considering which themes you would like to shape your stay: hiking and the seasons, German-French history, or historic life on a farm.
Hiking Trails and Landscape Throughout the Year
The AugenBlick loop trail in Obersasbach starts at the town hall or the Obersasbach Tourist Information Office and leads via the Sulzbächel stream to Erlenbad Monastery. Following narrow paths along the Aubächle stream, the trail reaches a viewpoint overlooking the Rhine Plain as far as the Vosges. This makes the route a combination of a specific destination and expansive landscape views. Those who prefer a different starting and ending point can take the signposted Obersasbach adventure loop trail, which starts and ends at the church square in Obersasbach.
The seasons also change the scenery experienced while hiking around Sasbach and Obersasbach. In spring, the cherry trees blossom; in autumn, colorful vineyards and adjoining forests shape the landscape. These seasonal sights can help you choose when to travel, though the two seasons offer different nature experiences.
Cultural Attractions and History
The Turenne Museum in Sasbach is a German-French museum and a branch museum of the House of History of Baden-Württemberg. The Turenne monument also commemorates the French marshal and is regarded as a symbol of today’s German-French friendship. The museum and monument offer different perspectives on this subject. In Obersasbach, the Toni Merz Gallery focuses on art: Located in the center of the district, the art museum is dedicated to the work of painter Toni Merz. Merz was born in 1895 in Schönenbach in the Black Forest and died in 1966 in Achern.
Another glimpse into the past can be found at the heritage-listed Kühnerhof in Sasbach. The surviving complex includes a sawmill, a grain mill, various farm buildings, and the miller’s house with its living room and kitchen. The farm offers insight into life and work over the past 300 years. Visitors can learn about life and work in the 19th and 20th centuries on guided tours and at special events, so plan your visit around these dates.
The monastery of the Franciscan Sisters of Erlenbad in the district of Obersasbach was built between 1924 and 1926. The monastery church is now located in Palais Erlenbad, which is described as a space for culture and communication, as well as a place of music and inspiration. Obersasbach thus brings together historic monastery architecture and a contemporary cultural purpose.
Market Fair and Regional Context
The Sasbach market fair has been held for more than 230 years in thanks for the previous year’s harvest and in honor of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. She is the patron saint of farmers and winegrowers. Each year, 80 to 100 stalls are available for the St. Catherine’s Market. The market area includes Kirchplatz, Lindenplatz, Kirchgraben and Großer Winkel, as well as Bachstraße and Oberdorfstraße up to the bridge. If you would like to plan your stay around the market, check the date in advance.
For broader context, the Ortenau district lies between the Rhine and the Black Forest. At district level, there are 23 nature reserves covering a total area of around 3,110 hectares; they extend from the Rhine Plain to the higher elevations of the Black Forest. This regional context complements the picture of Sasbach, whose hiking and cultural attractions described here are rooted in the town’s trails, museums and traditions.
Discover more travel destinations: Ettenheim, Achern, Ringsheim, Rust, Hornberg, Oppenau, Friesenheim, Neuried.
For the main travel overview: Ortenau District.
