Weisweil: Rhine floodplains, trails and local history

Weisweil offers several clearly distinct starting points for planning a trip: the Rhine and its floodplains, walking and cycling routes, as well as a fruit information trail and local history. If you are looking for a hotel, these themes can help you decide what to focus on during your stay.

The Rhine, its floodplains and the water

The Rhine side canal and the construction of the French Rhine hydroelectric power stations created a barrage. As a result, the Rhine is about 600 metres wide at Weisweil and has become a popular watersports area for locals and visitors. Here, the water is therefore both a feature of the landscape and a focal point for leisure activities.

The Rhine floodplains invite visitors to enjoy long hikes, cycling tours and picnics beside one of the many small, hidden lakes. Alongside watersports on the Rhine, longer routes and breaks by the lakes are therefore also possible focuses for a visit. At the bathing lake on the Rhine in Weisweil, water samples taken during regular inspections by the Emmendingen Health Department fully met bathing water requirements. If you plan to swim, it is advisable to check the current conditions before your visit.

There is also a specific place for visitors arriving by boat: the Weisweil Motorboat and Yacht Club offers various guest moorings. Check their current availability with the club in advance.

Exploring on foot and by bike

The Rhine forest can be explored on foot or by bicycle. A hike with children takes about an hour; this estimate applies to the walking route. Another option for a shorter activity with a clearly defined theme is the 860-metre-long fruit information trail in Weisweil.

The fruit information trail includes around 108 mature trees and about 40 new plantings of various apple, pear, plum and cherry varieties. The new plantings are accompanied by information about their special characteristics and uses, as well as their soil and climate requirements. The trail thus combines a visit to fruit trees with specific information about the varieties and their growing conditions.

The route of the Rhine Valley Cycle Route is also relevant for cyclists: it runs from Breisach railway station through Burkheim, Sasbach and Wyhl, continuing through Weisweil to Rheinhausen and Rust. If you plan to ride this route, check the current signage and trail conditions before setting off. In the wider destination of Emmendingen, Emmendingen district has 900 kilometres of cycling routes, including 250 kilometres of signposted routes. The district’s network also includes 800 kilometres of hiking trails and hiking tours.

Local history and traditions

Germany’s most beautiful and largest inn sign is in the council chamber at Weisweil Town Hall, next to the local history museum. It hung at the Gasthaus zum Erbprinz in Weisweil until 1939. The sign depicts Karl Ludwig, Hereditary Prince of Baden (1755–1801), with various hunting motifs. Its former location, the person depicted and the motifs each give the object a distinct historical connection.

The Weisweil Sculpture Trail is a special attraction at any time of year. Another form of local cultural life is Weisweil’s Pfingsthoppen: every year, children dress up and go door to door asking for treats, much like on Halloween. The sculpture trail and this annual custom thus bring into focus both a year-round cultural feature and a recurring local tradition.

Discover more destinations: Denzlingen, Sasbach Am Kaiserstuhl, Vörstetten, Rheinhausen, Gutach im Breisgau, Riegel Am Kaiserstuhl, Biederbach, Sexau.

See the wider travel overview: Emmendingen.