By Vicky · Published Apr. 18th, 2023 · Updated Apr. 3rd, 2024
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A walking tour of Dambach la Ville is a wonderful way to explore both the historic buildings and picturesque vineyards of the town.
Page Contents:
Location
This walking tour starts from a car park just outside the old city walls of Dambach La Ville. Alternatively, the train station is about 1 km to the east of the centre of town (trains take about 1 hour from Strasbourg and 25 minutes from Colmar).
Dambach La Ville Walking Tour Map
Get the route by downloading the .gpx or .kml file below. For navigation with Maps.me on your mobile phone, simply download the .kml file and open to add it to the Maps.me bookmarks.
Tips for Dambach La Ville Walking Tour
- There are several wineries in Dambach La Ville which offer tastings, the train is a great way to explore Alsace without worrying about a designated driver.
- For more walking tours and hikes, see our France Hiking Page.
Top Sights in Dambach La Ville
On this self-guided walking tour, you’ll wander around the best parts of Dambach La Ville and enjoy part of the Sentier Viticole, a walk through the vineyards above town. Depending on how fast you walk and if you stop for refreshments, you could spend between 45 minutes and 2 hours on this walking tour of Dambach La Ville.
- La Porte de Blienschwiller
- La Porte d’Ebersheim
- Domaine Willy Gisselbrecht
- Domaine Schaeffer-Woerly
- Place du Marché
- Église Saint-Étienne
- La Porte de Dieffenthal
- Les Remparts
- Sentier Viticole
- Chapelle St Sébastien
Dambach La Ville Walking Tour Route
This walking tour starts from the small car park not far from the edge of Dambach La Ville town.
Directions: From the car park, walk down the road into town.
1. La Porte de Blienschwiller
La Porte de Blienschwiller, or Blienschwiller Gate, is one of the best-preserved entrance gates in the old ramparts surrounding the town. It’s one of three preserved gate towers in Dambach la Ville, all of which you’ll see on this walking tour.
Directions: Continue down the road (Rue du Maréchal Foch), which has several nice half-timbered houses on either side, until you reach the next stop.
2. La Porte d’Ebersheim
La Porte d’Ebersheim is another gate tower in the old town walls, probably built in the 14th or 15th centuries. There are several cute streets nearby.
Directions: Pass through the gate and take the next right. You’ll soon see the next stop on your right.
3. Domaine Willy Gisselbrecht
Key Information: Open every day apart from Sunday, 8am-noon and 2pm-6pm.
The Domaine Willy Gisselbrecht is a family winery that owns several vineyards on the slopes surrounding Dambach la Ville. If you visit you can do a wine-tasting and the owners will show you around the property where they store the wines. Of particular note are their pinos gris and riesling.
Directions: Continue down the street and take the first right, the second right along Rue de la Paix. A short distance down here, take the narrow alley on your left and then turn right along the back of the church. This lane brings you to the next stop.
4. Domaine Schaeffer-Woerly
Key Information: Open every day apart from Sunday, 9am-noon and 1pm-6pm on weekdays, and 9am-6pm on Saturdays.
The Domaine Schaeffer-Woerly is another family-run winery based in an old half-timbered house in Dambach la Ville. There’s a historic cellar from the 16th century and a 250-year-old wine press in the tasting run. Tastings and tours are very informative and the wine is delicious.
Directions: The main market square is just in front of Domain Schaeffer-Woerly.
5. Place du Marché
Place du Marché is the central square of Dambach la Ville and is surrounded by charming half-timbered houses and narrow cobblestone streets. The tourist office (open 10 am-noon and 2-5 pm every day apart from Sunday) is on this square.
Directions: Head to the right of the town hall and to the large church.
6. Église Saint-Étienne
Key Information: Open every day 9am-noon and 2pm-6pm.
The Église Saint-Étienne is an 18th-century church, though it was built on the remains of a 13th-century chapel. The current building is actually from the 19th century, since a large fire destroyed the former church and the locals had it entirely reconstructed it.
Directions: Continue straight onwards and turn right at the T-junction, up Rue Clemenceau. This is a lovely street full of historic buildings. Turn left at the top to the edge of town and you’ll see the next stop down to your left.
7. La Porte de Dieffenthal
La Porte de Dieffenthal leads towards the village of Dieffenthal, about 1.5 km south of Dambach la Ville. It’s the final of the three remaining towers in the old town walls.
Directions: At the edge of the village, turn right up the hill on a small path by a large stone wall at the edge of a field. Follow this path around the corner, following the walls.
8. Les Remparts
Les remparts, or the ramparts, are the old defensive walls that surrounded Dambach la Ville in medieval times. You can see how the houses today are still built into the tall stone wall, with little gardens in the old moat.
Directions: At the next junction, turn left, heading slightly back on yourself and further into the vineyards. Take the next right. At the next large junction, head straight on up the hill (the views at the top make it worth it).
9. Sentier Viticole
The Sentier Viticole, or Vineyard Trail, leads across the undulating slopes above the town of Dambach la Ville. There are great views from here, up to the woods above and down to the valley below. You get a great overview of the old town and its shape within the oval ramparts.
Directions: Continue through the fields to the white church in the distance.
10. Chapelle St Sébastien
The Chapelle St Sébastien is a beautiful 16th-century chapel that is perched on a hill overlooking the town. The chapel is dedicated to Saint Sebastian, the patron saint of plagues, and features a stunning carved wooden altar and a peaceful garden with benches and panoramic views.
Directions: After looking around the church, leave down the small road to the left and follow it as it leads back to the main road into town. Turn right here and you’ll soon be back at the car park and the end of the Dambach La Ville Walking Tour.
Best Places to Stay in Dambach La Ville
There are not so many places to stay in Dambach la Ville, which limits your options but also means that there are very few tourists left here in the evening so you have the entire village to yourself. The hotels and apartments that do exist are highly recommended:
Hotel
- Le Refuge du Rempart*: A boutique hotel with spacious and elegant rooms, great views and a delicious breakfast. The owners are also winemakers, so make sure to try their wine!
Apartment
- La Dambachoise*: This is a cute half-timbered three-bedroom house you can rent within the town walls of Dambach la Ville. It’s very atmospheric inside, yet has all the modern appliances you would expect, including an equipped kitchen.
For more walking tours and hikes, see our France Hiking Page.