Sewen: Lac de Sewen, hiking trails and village history

Sewen is located in the Ballons des Vosges Regional Nature Park and has miles of hiking trails. Lac de Sewen, forest paths and the history of Notre-Dame Church showcase different aspects of the village. When planning your visit, you can consider lakeside walks, hikes and village architecture as separate activities.

Lac de Sewen and its surroundings

Lac de Sewen is one of the rarest glacial overdeepened lakes in the Vosges in Alsace and is considered by geologists to be the best-preserved. Its flora and fauna are protected. Walks around the lake are possible; Lac de Sewen is a 15-minute walk from the village. Parking is available at the church square. Check local conditions before your visit.

Hikes with different starting points

The circular route around Lac de Sewen and Lac d’Alfeld begins in the village center, passes Lac de Sewen and continues to Lac d’Alfeld. Along the way, it follows Club Vosgien-marked trails through a beech and fir forest. Conditions may vary depending on the season; take this into account when planning your hike. The dam at Lac d’Alfeld is also part of the area’s history: it was built in 1883 and inaugurated in 1888.

From the dam at Lac d’Alfeld, an approximately 40-minute hike leads to the chalet and the Wasserfall waterfall; it offers views of the Doller Valley. A different time estimate applies to the two-hour walk from the Ferme-auberge du Grand Langenberg, which passes through a wild, unspoiled forest landscape. These details refer to different activities and starting points, not to different durations for the same route.

A puzzle trail through Sewen

The Balade ludique à Sewen offers three versions for children aged four to twelve and for the whole family. It leads through the village streets and around Lac de Sewen. Puzzles bring the village’s architecture to life. Alongside the lake, the activity also features Sewen’s streets and architectural history.

Church and chapel: traces of different eras

Notre-Dame Church was consecrated in 1524. A statue of the Virgin Mary in the church was the destination of a very popular pilgrimage in the 16th and early 17th centuries. The building’s history also spans several periods: the choir tower is believed to date from the 13th century; the nave was rebuilt in the late 15th or early 16th century.

The cemetery chapel is a former ossuary and has been partially protected as a historic monument since 1921. The church and chapel thus represent different aspects of Sewen’s heritage: the history of pilgrimage and church construction, and the chapel’s former, distinctive purpose.

Farm inns and practical information

The Ferme-auberge du Hinteralfeld is accessible by car; several hiking trails lead to it or from it into the surrounding area. It welcomes guests for lunch and dinner and offers homemade products such as saucisson, as well as goat, pork and beef. When planning, note the different names: the two-hour walk starts at the Ferme-auberge du Grand Langenberg; the information about car access, hiking trails and meals refers to the Ferme-auberge du Hinteralfeld.

Discover more destinations: Village-Neuf, Rombach-Le-Franc, Biesheim, Sainte-Croix-En-Plaine, Lautenbachzell, Osenbach, Traubach-le-Bas, Wattwiller.

Return to the main travel overview: Haut-Rhin.