Discover Schœnau: Trails, motte and Rhine floodplains

Schœnau combines several named walking trails with the Rhine, the Rhine forest and a medieval structure. The routes vary in length and course; Lac de Schoenau also offers seasonal swimming. When planning your trip, you can consider whether walks, nature along the Rhine, history or swimming are especially important for your stay.

Walking trails with different features

The 1 km Circuit du Rhin leads to the Rhine, where boats pass by; the 1.2 km Circuit de la petite digue is an easy walking trail into the Rhine floodplains. The routes differ in length by 200 metres, but lead in different directions.

The 2 km Circuit Ulrich Von Schoenau runs quietly along the river, through gardens and the historic village, and past the motte. The 5.4 km Circuit la jungle rhénane route passes through floodplain forest with 19th-century hydraulic structures. Together, the routes offer a village-and-river walk and a trail featuring floodplain forest and historic structures.

The Circuit Rheinmark runs for 3.2 km along the Tulla dyke. Rheinmark boundary stones, a former branch of the Rhine and views of the Vosges are among the features of this route. The well-preserved dyke allows you to walk at a higher elevation and provides access to former branches of the Rhine.

Medieval heritage: the motte

The motte of Schœnau is one of the last surviving remnants of Schœnau’s medieval castle. It is one of the best-preserved motte-and-bailey castles in Alsace. It is about 50 metres in diameter and about 10 metres high. These approximate measurements give a concrete sense of the historic structure’s size.

The Rhine, Rhine forest and former river branches

The canalised Rhine runs along the entire municipal area of Schœnau. Barges and cruise ships travel along it. More than 500 different plant species grow in the Rhine forest of Schœnau; the forest is protected under the Natura 2000 network. Natura 2000 denotes its protection status, while the diversity of plant life is another aspect of this natural area.

The former branches of the Rhine near Schœnau are old river channels dating from before the Rhine was canalised and are natural refuges. This makes it possible to consider the canalised, navigable river and its former channels as different aspects of the river landscape.

Lac de Schoenau

Lac de Schoenau lies in a quiet, wooded setting opposite a broad expanse of open fields. For the 2026 season, the lake offers supervised swimming and on-site dining. Swimming is seasonal; check current operating details before your visit. This will help you take the swimming season into account when planning your stay.

Discover more destinations: Gœrsdorf, Albe, Mundolsheim, Climbach, Andlau, Weyersheim, Mothern, Reichstett

For the main travel overview: Bas-Rhin.