Fraxern: Hiking, Church and Views

Fraxern offers a variety of things to enjoy during a stay: trails lead towards Hohe Kugel and Alpe Maisäss, while the parish church adds a cultural highlight with its views over the upper Rhine Valley. When planning your visit, it is worth distinguishing between the destinations and types of routes. This will help you decide whether to focus on a mountain hike, a snowshoe tour or a visit to local buildings and works of art.

Hiking trails around Fraxern

Fraxern is a starting point for mountain hikes, including routes to the panoramic peak Hohe Kugel. From Fraxern, trails lead there via the alpine pastures of “Staffel” or “Maiensäss”. These alpine pastures are possible route options on the way to Hohe Kugel; choosing the specific destination and route is part of your own planning.

Another described hike leads from Fraxern village square to Alpe Maisäss. The starting point is at an elevation of 817 metres, and the destination is at 1,350 metres. This gives you a specific starting point and destination, along with their respective elevations, to help you plan this route. You can take these details into account when planning your day and treat the hike as a separate outing to Alpe Maisäss.

The snowshoe tour to Hohe Kugel also has a clearly named destination, but is a different type of tour. It is 10.8 kilometres long; its lowest point is at an elevation of 864 metres and its highest at 1,645 metres. While the hike to Alpe Maisäss specifies the start and destination and their elevations, the snowshoe tour also gives the route length and elevation range. This helps you distinguish between the two destinations by tour type and the planning details available for each.

Church, views and chapel

The parish church of St James the Elder in Fraxern combines a distinctive artistic feature with far-reaching views: its interior contains stained-glass windows by Leonhard Schnitzer of the Tyrolean Glass Painting Institute. The church also offers visitors views across the entire upper Rhine Valley. If you are interested in religious buildings, both the glasswork and the views are aspects to appreciate during a visit to the church.

Another cultural and route-related attraction is the family chapel in Fraxern. The Rankweil–St. Arbogast pilgrimage route crosses a gently rising pass to reach the chapel. The modern building dates from 2010 and is set amid nature. You can therefore consider the chapel as part of a trip along the pilgrimage route; route conditions may vary.

A Fraxern speciality

Local production is also part of Fraxern’s character: Fraxner Kriasiwasser, also known as Fraxner Kirsch, is a traditionally produced fruit brandy made from sweet cherries. The cherries grow on the southern slope of the Rhine Valley, and the brandy is made in the municipality of Fraxern in Vorarlberg. The name therefore refers to a local speciality with a clearly identified ingredient and origin. For visitors interested in regional products, it is a topic in its own right alongside the hiking trails and sights.

Plan your journey and choose your stay

On weekdays, Landbus route 492 is available for travel between Weiler and Fraxern. Check the current Vorarlberg Transport Association timetable before travelling if you plan to use this connection. When choosing a hotel in Fraxern, consider which of the aspects of the village described here matter most to you: the trails to Hohe Kugel, the hike to Alpe Maisäss, the parish church with its stained-glass windows and views, or the regional cherry brandy tradition. This way, you can choose your destination based on the interests that are actually bringing you to Fraxern.

Discover more destinations: Klaus, Schlins, Göfis, Feldkirch, Röthis, Satteins, Zwischenwasser, Altach.

Return to the main travel overview: Feldkirch.