Metzeral’s town center is the starting point for numerous hikes to the mountain ridges. The Wormsa Valley can be accessed from the Steinabruck district at the edge of town. A trail through the valley leads toward Mittlach and Lac du Fischboedlé; a suggested route from the Wormsa connects this lake with Lac du Schiessrothried. This offers a choice ranging from hikes starting in the town center to a specifically described route connecting the lakes.
Wormsa Valley: A Landscape Shaped by the Ice Age
As a designated site, the Wormsa Valley is not only scenically interesting: it illustrates the effects of a Vosges glacier during the Quaternary. Visitors interested in how the landscape was formed will find a clear geological connection here. Check conditions at the valley entrance before setting out.
Hiking Trails and Lakes
A trail through the Wormsa Valley leads toward Mittlach and Lac du Fischboedlé, at an elevation of 794 meters. A suggested route starts at the Wormsa and connects Lac du Fischboedlé with Lac du Schiessrothried; the hiking time is about four hours. This estimate applies to this suggested route, and trail conditions may vary. For planning purposes, it provides a specific time frame for the route connecting the lakes, while hikes from the town center start elsewhere.
Lac du Schiessrothried lies at an elevation of 930 meters between the Spitzekoepfe and the foot of the Hohneck and covers 5.6 hectares. Along the GR5, visitors can enjoy a view of the Wormspel corridor, which is rich in flora and fauna, including Turk’s cap lilies and chamois. The corridor offers a distinct natural highlight alongside the lakes, drawing attention to its plant and animal life.
A Climbing Destination with Clear Limits
The route to the Spitzkoepfe climbing site leads through Metzeral to the parking lot by the Chalets de la Wormsa. From there, the footpath passes Lac du Fischboedlé and Lac du Schiessrothried; it takes one hour. This is the walking time to the site, not the duration of a climb. The natural climbing site is unequipped, classified as adventure terrain, and accessible only to a limited extent. It is reserved for experienced mountaineers. Check parking and trail conditions before setting out, and take the access restrictions into account when planning your route.
History and Remembrance
Around 1850, industrialist Jacques Hartmann from Munster had Lac du Fischboedlé raised to serve as a fish reserve. The lake is therefore also a hiking destination with a specific history of use dating back to the 19th century.
The Cimetière militaire français du Chêne Millet is now a national necropolis. The remains of 2,630 French and two Russian soldiers who fell in the First World War rest there. Commemoration of the fallen adds a distinct historical dimension to the landscape and hiking themes.
Discover more destinations: Illfurth, Oberhergheim, Hochstatt, Seppois-le-Bas, Bourbach-Le-Bas, Guebwiller, Gueberschwihr, Wahlbach
See the regional travel overview: Haut-Rhin.
