Ferrette: Castle Ruins, Heritage and Karst Landscape

When planning a stay in Ferrette, you can focus on different things: historic buildings and routes to natural attractions. These include the ruins of Château de Ferrette, Saint-Bernard-de-Menthon Church and a municipal heritage trail. The Grotte des Nains and Tour du Rossberg offer further specific points of interest for outings.

Heritage in Ferrette

The ruins of Château de Ferrette have been classified as a historic monument since 16 February 1930. You can visit them independently year-round. As access information may change, check it before you arrive.

Saint-Bernard-de-Menthon Church has a Gothic choir dating from the 13th century. Its massive tower may date from the 12th century. The church is notable for these two architectural elements, each with its own qualified dating.

The Re-Naissance museum area is on the ground floor of Ferrette Town Hall, which dates from 1572. The medieval garden Courtil de St Fiacre reveals another facet of local heritage: its separate beds are dedicated to aromatic plants, medicinal plants, legumes and magical plants.

The official municipal heritage trail passes through the commune’s main historic sites, notable buildings and emblematic places. As the route may be updated, check the current route before your visit. A guided tour is available for groups at Courtil de St Fiacre; advance booking is required.

Grotte des Nains and trails around Rossberg

The Grotte des Nains is a gorge about 25 metres high, formed by water erosion in karst limestone. Access begins at the Communauté de Communes car park in Ferrette, 3A route de Lucelle. From there, follow the red-marked diamond trail along the road towards Sondersdorf. The approach is 1.8 kilometres long and takes about 30 to 35 minutes. Trail information may change; check it before setting out.

Tour du Rossberg is about a 20-minute walk from the car park at the Ferrette motorhome site. From the summit, the panorama takes in the Jura, the Black Forest, the Vosges and, in clear weather, the Bernese Alps. When planning your time, consider the information for the cave and Rossberg separately: they refer to different starting points and separate routes.

The Ferrette–Château–Grotte des Nains hike can be extended into an eight-kilometre loop that includes the Rossberg observation tower. The route may change depending on trail conditions. Before setting out, check which route applies to your planned hike.

Plan your journey

Ferrette is served by a regular bus or tram line. Check the timetable for your travel dates when planning your journey. In the area, the municipal heritage trail and the various routes offer different ways to plan your day; for hikes, the respective starting points and approximate walking times can help you estimate how long they will take.

Discover more destinations: Baldersheim, Rouffach, Winkel, Hirtzbach, Wahlbach, Rombach-Le-Franc, Levoncourt, Ammerschwihr

Back to the broader travel overview: Haut-Rhin.