Parc de la Forêt de la Hardt & Canal du Rhône au Rhin
Stretching south of Mulhouse towards the Rhine, the Forêt de la Hardt is one of the last great Rhine floodplain forests in Europe — a flat, atmospheric woodland of ancient oaks and silver poplars threaded by cycling paths and the shimmering Canal du Rhône au Rhin. It is the city's green lung and its most peaceful escape.
The Canal Towpath Route
The towpath running alongside the Canal du Rhône au Rhin is part of the EuroVelo 6 cycling route linking the Atlantic to the Black Sea, and the section between Mulhouse and Kembs is particularly lovely — dead straight under a canopy of plane trees, with narrowboats moored at stone quays and herons standing motionless in the shallows.
Hire a bike from Vélocité, Mulhouse's public bike-share scheme, from any of the stations near the city centre and follow the signed ViaRhôna cycle path south-east. The 12-kilometre ride to the Rhine lock at Kembs takes under an hour on flat terrain and rewards with views across the river into Germany.
Wildlife and Seasons
Spring brings a carpet of wild garlic and wood anemones beneath the oaks, and the dawn chorus in the Hardt in May is remarkable — nightingales, golden orioles and the drumming of black woodpeckers. The forest is a recognised Natura 2000 site and supports one of Alsace's largest populations of European tree frogs.
In autumn the forest turns amber and gold, and the canal reflects the colours perfectly in the low afternoon light. Pack a picnic and use the wooden tables at the Aire de la Hardt rest stop, about 4 kilometres along the towpath from the Mulhouse suburb of Riedisheim.
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