Danne-et-Quatre-Vents can be explored on a variety of circular trails: a short interpretive trail connects water, sculptures and literature, while a longer route takes you to old washhouses. There is also a rose garden, a historic church and the rocky landscape around the Grotte de Danne. The distances and estimated durations of each route will help you choose a hike that suits the time you have available.
A guide to the Lorraine Plateau
The village lies on the eastern edge of the Lorraine Plateau, between Phalsbourg and Saverne. Its elevations range from 205 to 379 metres. This geographical setting provides a backdrop for a visit in which the village’s history and trails through the surrounding landscape play an equal part. For planning, it is worth first comparing the circular trails by length and duration, then including individual sights such as the church or rose garden.
Three circular trails, different time commitments
The Circuit du château de Danne is a 7.5-kilometre circular trail. You can start at Place de l’Eglise or Place de la Mairie. An uphill stretch leads to the Grotte de Danne and Rocher Albert; along the way, the route passes small sandstone rocks. If you would like to plan around the time you have available, the other two trails provide a comparison with approximate durations.
The Circuit des 7 sculptures is 3.56 kilometres long and takes about one hour and 15 minutes. This easy circular trail starts at the Chapelle de Bonne Fontaine. As a forest interpretive trail, it focuses on water: seven carved sandstone steles depict fables by La Fontaine. An explanatory sign in French and German stands beside each sculpture. The trail combines a manageable distance with literature, sculpture and bilingual interpretation.
The Circuit des Lavoirs, also described as an easy circular trail, takes more time: covering 8.86 kilometres, it takes about two hours and 55 minutes. The trail starts at the end of Route du Pilsfels. It leads to around ten old washhouses in the Bois de ChĂŞnes area and passes the Deschamps washhouse in Danne-et-Quatre-Vents. Compared with the Circuit des 7 sculptures, it is considerably longer, making for a different time commitment for your outing. Trail conditions and markings may change; check local conditions before setting out.
Church, pilgrimage history and rose garden
The Church of Saint-Etienne in Danne-et-Quatre-Vents was built in 1763 by the local community. The date places the building within the village’s history. Another historical thread leads to Bonne Fontaine: the local pilgrimage tradition is traced back to a statue of the Virgin Mary discovered at a spring in 1714.
Le Jardin des Roses is home to 130 rose bushes representing 50 varieties. The garden was designed as a meeting place and place to relax, open to everyone. The planting may change over time. The garden offers a different focus from the trails: rather than a route with a set distance, it is a garden designed as a shared place to relax.
Rocky landscapes and dining
The Grotte de Danne lies at the foot of a large conglomerate block and is also a rocky outcrop above the Stutzbach valley. A short path leads above the grotto to a terrace overlooking the surrounding forest. The site can be visited via marked paths; check local trail conditions before setting out. The grotto thus combines a striking geological formation with a viewpoint, without requiring you to commit to a particular hiking duration.
The HĂ´tel-restaurant Notre-Dame de Bonne-Fontaine serves Lorraine, regional French, traditional and Alsatian cuisine. Its listed house specialities include vol-au-vent, game dishes, trout and seasonal fruit tarts. As the menu may change and the fruit tarts are seasonal, it is advisable to check the current menu before planning a visit.
Discover more destinations: Bréhain, Valmont, Schwerdorff, Desseling, Woippy, Sarreguemines, Rodemack, Gorze.
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