Château du Hohlandsbourg Panorama
Perched at 460 metres on a forested Vosges spur 8 km west of Eguisheim, the partially restored Château du Hohlandsbourg delivers a sweeping 180-degree panorama across the Alsace plain, the Rhine and, on clear days, the Black Forest beyond. It is one of the finest elevated viewpoints accessible by car in southern Alsace.
The View and the Castle
From the main tower platform you look east over an unbroken patchwork of vineyards, villages and the silver thread of the Rhine. Eguisheim itself is visible as a neat circular smudge of terracotta rooftops roughly 8 km below, which gives you an extraordinary aerial sense of the village's concentric medieval layout.
The castle dates from the 13th century and was progressively enlarged by the Habsburgs. Substantial sections of the curtain wall and two towers have been stabilised and opened to visitors, with clear interpretive panels in French, German and English explaining the site's layered history.
A short, waymarked trail from the car park leads through beech forest to the gatehouse in about 10 minutes. The path is manageable for most fitness levels but involves some uneven stone steps near the top.
Combining with a Vineyard Walk
The GR5 long-distance trail passes close to Hohlandsbourg, and a well-signed 12 km loop links the castle with the grands crus vineyards of Hatschbourg and Eichberg directly below Eguisheim — an exceptional half-day combining fortress history with Alsatian wine landscape.
Picnic tables are available inside the castle courtyard; bring supplies from Eguisheim's village bakery or the Saturday morning market in nearby Wintzenheim rather than relying on the small on-site snack kiosk.
More of Eguisheim
Discover where to stay, what to do and the best deals for your trip.
Explore Eguisheim →
