Bergholtz: Winegrowing, Trails and Cultural Heritage

Bergholtz combines walking trails through the village, forest and vineyards with its own Grand Cru and historic buildings. If you are looking for a hotel in Bergholtz, these highlights can help you match the destination to your interests: nature, winegrowing and cultural heritage each offer a different focus.

Discovery trails through the village, forest and vineyards

The network of three discovery trails includes 14 information panels. The walks lead through the forest, vineyards and village. The Sentier forêt is a nature walk in the shade of fir trees, passing the Bergholtz quarries. This route thus combines woodland scenery with a closer look at the local quarries.

The Sentier village focuses on Bergholtz’s rich cultural heritage, in a municipality with a history spanning more than 1,300 years. The Sentier vignoble, by contrast, turns the focus to winegrowing and discovering the Grand Cru Spiegel’s terroirs. The trails’ names and themes therefore provide a practical guide if you would like to focus your stay on the landscape, village history or winegrowing.

The LES VOIES DU PATRIMOINE app, with an audio guide in French, German and English, is available for the discovery trails. As the app’s availability may change, it is advisable to check that it is available before using it. The Les carrières de Bergholtz et Bergholtz-Zell circular route alternates between vineyards and forest and is suitable for children. Trail conditions may change; checking the latest information before setting out can help with planning.

Baroque church and medieval castle mound

Saint-Gall Church was built between 1759 and 1764 to replace the older church. It features Baroque architecture, an octagonal onion-dome bell tower and elaborate Baroque interiors. The dates and design offer different clues to the church’s history: the years 1759 to 1764 establish when it was built, while the tower’s shape and the interiors define its Baroque character.

The Bergholtz motte castrale is the surviving remnant of a castle that served as a watch post on the borders of the territory of Murbach Abbey. It is located at 32 rue de l'Eglise in Bergholtz. By decree of 15 November 1985, the motte castrale was listed as a Monument historique. The structure thus connects a specific location in the village with the history of the former castle and its role as a watch post.

The Canal Vauban is another historic landmark in the area: when it was built in 1699, the canal followed the route of an old road to Rouffach. Along with the castle remains and the church, it shows that Bergholtz’s history is not limited to a single building. The three examples differ in function and historical period: the church, castle remains and canal represent religious architecture, a former watch-post function and a historic route.

Grand Cru Spiegel and winegrowing

The Grand Cru Spiegel extends across the municipal territories of Guebwiller and Bergholtz. Its east-facing slopes lie at an altitude of 260 to 315 metres. This 18.26-hectare terroir favours the cultivation of Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Muscat on the southern slope. These details give the name Spiegel a specific context in terms of location, altitude and grape varieties; the Sentier vignoble takes up the theme with its focus on winegrowing and discovering the terroirs.

When planning your trip, you can weigh up different interests without reducing them to a single walk: the discovery trails combine walks with scenery and village history, while Saint-Gall, the motte castrale and the Canal Vauban each offer a distinct historical perspective. Winegrowing adds another dimension to this selection, with the Grand Cru Spiegel and the grape varieties associated with its terroir.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Jebsheim, Lutterbach, Saint-Amarin, Kingersheim, Herrlisheim-près-Colmar, Wintzfelden, Riedwihr, Sewen.

Go to the overarching travel guide: Haut-Rhin.