Auberge du Cheval Blanc Lembach

The four castles hiking trail

by robertbaum

The tour starts at the hotel-restaurant Gimbelhof, which is some 7km or 10 minutes by car towards the German border in the North. During the tour you will cross the French-German border twice near the town Nothweiler.

The tour includes four ruines of castles built in th 12th / 13th century, the castles Fleckenstein, Loewenstein, Hohenbourg and Wengelnburg in Germany. The views from there and also from the cliff Krappenfels just below castle Loewenstein are magnificent.

The tour has a length of about 11km and can be done easily in three hours. If you want to enter and visit the castle Fleckenstein, add some 30 minutes. You will only need light equipment.

We haven't seen any border guards or so, but you may take your passport just as a matter of precaution.

My Lembach

by robertbaum

Lembach is a small Alsatian town with less than 2000 inhabitants. But although it is very remote from any of the major travel spots, it has plenty to offer for the interested visitor.

The main attractions in the town itself are the Evangelical church from the 13th century, the town house from 1957 and the former post relais station, where the famous restaurant Auberge du Cheval Blanc has its location.

Not far from the town itself lies the Ouvrage Four à Chaux with six combat blocks as part of the Maginot Line.

"Four Castles Hiking Trail"

Much older are the surrounding castles from the 12th/13th century. Four of them are beautifully located on top of sandstone summits and ideally linked by a three hours hiking trail, see my Sports Travel Tip, starting from the Hotel-Restaurant Gimbelhof. You will need a car to reach the starting point, which is a 10/15 minutes drive from Lembach.

Lembach for work

by estella2703

"Just a simple Alsacienne town"

A small boutique, a small shop, a small bakery, a small coiffure.. not many people living there, but you can find anything essential.. cold in the mornings and evenings, you have to wear a cardigan in the morning. good restaurants to eat or you have to drive a half an hour or one hour to reach to a larger centre to eat your lunch or dinner.. you can reach there from germany by train, but someone has to pick you up from Wissembourg station, where is a French location. From Wissembourg, you can go to Strasbourg or any other place you like in Germany or France.