Discover Haut-Rhin: museums, a castle and nature

Haut-Rhin brings together a range of reasons to visit: Mulhouse focuses on automobiles and interactive experiences, while Ferrette is home to a castle on a limestone spur. There is also the Petite Camargue Alsacienne nature reserve, the signposted Alsace Wine Route and museums covering a variety of historical themes. When choosing a hotel, it helps to first decide which themes will shape your trip. Technology, castles, nature reserves and art history each point your planning in a different direction.

Automobiles and interactive experiences in Mulhouse

The Musée National de l’Automobile in Mulhouse displays Bugatti Royale, Rolls-Royce and Ferrari cars. Alongside the vehicles, the museum offers interactive animations, videos, simulators and play areas. This means visitors with different interests can all find something to focus on: you can admire the car makes on display or include media and interactive elements in your museum visit. The exhibition and additional offerings give the visit a clear thematic framework, without limiting it to looking at vehicles.

Getting there is also straightforward to plan: the museum can be reached by tram line 1 or by TGV and TER trains from Mulhouse station. Check current connections before setting off, as timetables and transport services may change.

Access to the castle and the nature reserve

The Château fort de Ferrette stands on a limestone spur at an altitude of 613 metres. From Ferrette, the route to the castle passes through the lower gate and follows a stone-paved path. Both the elevation and the specific route from the town help visitors find their way: access is described not just as a destination on the spur, but also in terms of the gate and stone path.

At the Petite Camargue Alsacienne, the scale of the nature reserve is a key feature. It extends for nearly 15 kilometres and is between one and two kilometres wide. The area is open to the public, and guided visits are also offered for school groups and adults. Its length and width help convey the scale of the reserve, while the tours provide a specific way to visit. This makes it a different kind of place to navigate than Ferrette: there, the route to the castle is described; here, the extent of the nature reserve and guided visits are important reference points.

Regional routes and cultural history

If you would like to include wine-growing villages in your travel plans, the signposted Alsace Wine Route provides guidance and access to these communities. Another seasonal transport service is the Navette des Crêtes, which runs seven bus connections along the Route des Crêtes from railway stations in Alsace and the Vosges. The Navette should be viewed as a regional connection extending beyond Haut-Rhin, rather than as a service confined to the département. Check operating days before your trip.

The Musée Unterlinden offers a visitor route through almost 7,000 years of history, from prehistory to 20th-century art. Unlike the automobile museum in Mulhouse, its focus is on a broad historical and artistic span rather than vehicles and interactive formats. When weighing up cultural themes for your stay, these offer two distinct options: automobiles and media experiences on the one hand, and history from prehistory to 20th-century art on the other.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Lutterbach, Lapoutroie, Wolschwiller, Pfastatt, Andolsheim, Wattwiller, Rimbachzell, Wickerschwihr, Bréchaumont, Herrlisheim-près-Colmar, Habsheim, Fellering, Soppe-le-Bas, Seppois-le-Bas, Hochstatt, Eglingen, Steinbach, Dessenheim, Merxheim, Zimmerbach, Balschwiller, Heidwiller, Traubach-le-Bas, Neuwiller, Holtzwihr, Ammerzwiller, Labaroche, Jungholtz, Altkirch, Wasserbourg, Wittelsheim, Wintzenheim, Vœgtlinshoffen, Fessenheim, Leymen, Ingersheim, Uffholtz, Ammerschwihr, Bergheim, Niedermorschwihr, Kembs, Buhl, Dietwiller, Friesen, Berrwiller, Urbès, Magstatt-le-Bas, Durrenentzen, Luttenbach-près-Munster, Sainte-Croix-aux-Mines, Diefmatten, Levoncourt, Gundolsheim, Bantzenheim, Lucelle, Rantzwiller, Franken, Wuenheim, Illfurth, Osenbach, Walbach, Ranspach, Bergholtz, Wihr-Au-Val, Lautenbachzell, Sierentz, Pulversheim, Nambsheim, Aubure, Wegscheid, Orschwihr, Wittersdorf, Soultzbach-Les-Bains, Hagenthal-Le-Bas, Houssen, Illzach, Husseren-Les-Châteaux, Village-Neuf, Gueberschwihr, Burnhaupt-Le-Haut, Blotzheim, Bischwihr, Beblenheim, Bartenheim, Mulhouse, Morschwiller-Le-Bas, Murbach, Neuf-Brisach, Winkel, Zimmersheim, Guémar, Metzeral, Hunawihr, Rammersmatt, Galfingue, Baldersheim, Huningue, Ensisheim, Sondernach, Mittlach, Lutter, Stosswihr, Rodern, Ungersheim, Logelheim, Illhaeusern, Breitenbach-Haut-Rhin, Kruth, Rombach-Le-Franc, Lièpvre, Leimbach, Le Bonhomme, Mooslargue, Muhlbach-Sur-Munster, Riedwihr, Riquewihr, Ruederbach, Thannenkirch, Freland, Oberhergheim, Oderen, Pfaffenheim, Saint-Amarin, Willer-Sur-Thur, Eguisheim, Bollwiller, Colmar, Soultzmatt, Wintzfelden, Vogelgrun, Turckheim, Thann, Soultz-Haut-Rhin, Sausheim, Rouffach, Rixheim, Ottmarsheim, Orbey, Flaxlanden, Kiffis, Kappelen, Strueth, Hartmannswiller, Dolleren, Grentzingen, Ueberstrass, Dannemarie, Cernay, Niederhergheim, Jebsheim, Kaysersberg, Sainte-Croix-En-Plaine, Hohrod, Hagenthal-Le-Haut, Sigolsheim, Goldbach-Altenbach, Issenheim, Carspach, Staffelfelden, Gunsbach, Heimsbrunn, Wahlbach, Ferrette, Oberlarg, Kingersheim, Battenheim, Westhalten, Rappoltsweiler, Wettolsheim, Kientzheim, Markirch, Biesheim, Mittelwihr, Zellenberg, Horbourg-Wihr, Saint-Hippolyte, Münster, Saint-Louis, Brunstatt, Sewen, Ostheim, Rimbach-Près-Guebwiller, Moosch, Geishouse, Eschbach-Au-Val, Ranspach-Le-Bas, Masevaux, Bourbach-Le-Bas, Wittenheim, Sentheim, Chavannes-Sur-L’étang, Bitschwiller-Lès-Thann, Wildenstein, Hirtzbach, Katzenthal, Soultzeren, Guebwiller

For the broader travel overview: Alsace.