Between vineyards and mountains, on the Alsace Wine Route, discover the commune of Dieffenthal, which overlooks the entire vineyard with a splendid view of the Alsace plain, Haut-Koenigsbourg castle and Ortenbourg castle.
Dieffenthal is famous for its rock trail, and in particular the Celtic Rock, a strange hollowed-out rock steeped in history and legend.
The story goes that, in Celtic times, this cup-shaped rock was used as a birthing seat. Every winter, on the eve of the first Sunday of Lent, this emblematic site is the setting for the "Schiewaschlawe" or "flaming disc throw", a Celtic tradition used to chase away winter and celebrate the imminent arrival of spring.
Dieffenthal?s Saint-Michel church was built in the 18th century on the site of an earlier sanctuary. The church was enlarged in the early 19th century. Its distinctive feature is the doorframe, entirely carved with volutes.
From the church, stroll through the medieval garden with its often overlooked medicinal plants, or head down to the village, where you can appreciate several houses dating from the 17th and 18th centuries.
For a family outing, solve the riddles in the "Mysteries of Dieffenthal" treasure hunt. From Dieffenthal, you can also explore the Route des Vins and pedal along the Alsace vineyard cycle route, an almost 140 km cycle path between vineyards and villages.
And don't forget to take part in the walk along the Camino de Compostela on Saint Jacques Day, July 25, organized by the Association des 10 Communes Touristiques du Haut-Koenigsbourg. This ten-kilometer walk is not particularly difficult, but requires a good level of fitness.
