Katzenthal: Château du Wineck, Church and Wine

Katzenthal offers several ways to shape your stay: the history of Château du Wineck, the architectural history of Église Saint-Nicolas, routes through the village and wine tastings. When choosing a hotel in Katzenthal, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your trip: Would you like to explore historic sites, take a designated hike or visit wine cellars?

Château du Wineck and routes through Katzenthal

Château du Wineck was built around 1200 by the Counts of Eguisheim-Dabo. Its ruins and the outer curtain wall are protected as historic monuments. The castle is also surrounded by vineyards. Objects found during excavations are on display in the keep. If you would like to visit this exhibition, check seasonal access before your trip.

The “Circuit rando - du Sommerberg au château du Wineck” circular hiking trail starts at Katzenthal Town Hall. It is 6.5 kilometres long, takes two hours, has 321 metres of ascent and is suitable for everyone. As route details may change, check the information before your hike.

Another way to explore Katzenthal is the “Au fil de la vallée des chats” puzzle walk. It leads through the village’s winding lanes and past Château du Wineck. The two options have different focuses: the circular hiking trail has a specified distance, duration and amount of ascent; the puzzle walk combines a route through the lanes with riddles. You can then choose which format better suits your planned outing.

Church history and protected monuments

Église Saint-Nicolas was built in 1719 to complement an existing chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Its bell tower was built in 1895. The church was largely destroyed during the war and restored ten years later. These details trace a building history spanning several periods, from the earlier chapel through the church and tower to its destruction and restoration.

Église Saint-Nicolas is listed as being open Monday to Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Check these hours before your visit. The statue of Saint Nicholas is also a protected object: it has been classified as such since 1 September 1978.

Wine cellar tours and tastings

Vins Stoecklé Jean-Luc et Michèle offers free wine cellar tours without booking, followed by a wine tasting. Vins Schmitt Pierre-Paul et fils offers a wine cellar tour followed by a full tasting of its own wines. Both visits combine a look inside a wine cellar with a tasting, but differ in the conditions and details explicitly stated.

When planning, it is therefore worth considering which offer best matches your interests: Vins Stoecklé specifies a free visit with no booking required; Vins Schmitt focuses on a full tasting of its own wines. As visit arrangements may change, check the details in advance. Along with the castle’s history, the routes and Église Saint-Nicolas, the wine cellar tours offer another possible focus for your stay in Katzenthal.

Discover more destinations: Niederhergheim, Kientzheim, Münster, Beblenheim, Illzach, Rantzwiller, Soultz-Haut-Rhin, Neuf-Brisach

For the regional travel overview: Haut-Rhin.