Colmar-Abri du Staufen

Early morning, I started the trip on Maintal-West, where I lived until 2000. I took the local train to Frankfurt. I had to change the train, but the ICE was retard. At the next interchange station, I got a move on the next train. After I changed the trains 4 times, I reached Colmar.
I turned right at the unterpass and went alongside the rail. After 10min, the road had a dead end. I followed the dirt road through fields. At the factory building, I turned right and crossed the Route Nationale. At Wettolsheim, I took the first road at the left side and went through vineyards. At Eguisheim, I turned right and went in direction of the camping site. I passed the camping site and went into the forest. A small foot path traverses the trail, I turned left and went around the Schlossberg. On the summmit of the hill are les Trois Châtaeux. You see the ruins from the Rhine-valley. I followed a small path and after 20min I joined a tarred road. At the car park, a small path leaves the road on the left side, the waymark is a yellow cross. The path ascends the hill and ends on a junction. Here is the Abri de Staufen, a stony shelter. The hut has a stove, some benches and tables. In autumn 99 was enough wood. So I used the stove, after 20min the stove gave off a god head. I cooked something and used a bench to sleep.

Abri du Staufen-Ferme Auberge Steinlebach

The next morning, I left the hut at 7:00. The GR532 (yellow rectangle) leads uphill to the Staufen(898m ASL). At the summit you have a nice view to Munster and Turkheim. At the dirt road in direction of Col de Marbach is a source. So I followed the dirt road, filled up by bottels and went to the Col. Here the GR532 joins the dirt road. It leads to the Col de Boenlesgrab. At the Col, the GR532 climbs up steeply. The GR532 passes a youth hostel. It turns right and leads through pastures. The GR532 crosses some gates and fences. Below the Petit Ballon, it turns left, passes two huts and descends to the Col de Hilsenfirst. The GR532 climbs uphill to the le Langenfeldkopf. Here begins a protected area, the GR532 follows a dirt road to Spitzkopf. There is a stone hut, but it is very simple and dirty. The route across the Klinzkopf is closed from 15. December to 15 July, so I followed the dirt road to the Col d'Oberlauchen. I left the GR532 and followed the waymark blue circle to the Col d'Hahnenbrunn. Here you join the GR5 (red rectangle). The wind blew strong, I turned left and followed the GR5. On the sunny afternoon were a lot of excursions. I went to the Breitfirst and Markstein. The Ferme Auberge Steinlebach is a good choice for a overnight accommodation.

Ferme Auberge Steinlebach-Rouffach

After breakfast, I left the Ferme Auberge at 9 a.m.. The GR5 leads alongside the road, this morning was no traffic on the road. After 3km you join the GR532 again, after 1km the GR5 turns right. I followed the GR532. At the Ferme Auberge le Haag, I followed a small path (waymark red/white/red) to the car park below the Grand Ballon. It is the highest peak in the vosges and it is a protected area. But on the top is a ugly radar station. The path in direction of Col de Judenhut leads through pastures and forest. After 1h I reached the Col. Here is a hut, a source and some benches. I cooked a bootle of tea and ate something. I went down to the valley, the trail is marked red-white-red. I used the trail into direction of the Col de Peternit and Bildstoeckle. The waymark yellow circle leads to Guebwiller. At the village boundary is a military cemetery, a few thousand french and germam soldiers was buried. The Hartmannswillerkopf/le Vieil Armand near Guebwiller was one of the battle field during the Great War.
I passed the village and went in direction of the swimming pool (Piscine ). The road D3 passes Issenheim and crosses the motor highway. After 100m, I turned left and followed the dirt road to Merxheim. In the village, I turned left and went to Gundoldsheim. A women gave me a lift to Rouffach. At the railway station the ticket mashine did not work, so I sold a ticket to Collmar at the train. In Collmar, the next ticket machine did not work, so I had to wait at the ticket office and I missed the train Strasbourg. I had to change the train in Strasbourg, Karlsruhe, Mannheim and Frankfurt. The train reached Frankfurt with 20min delay, but the regional train in direction of Maintal-West was delayed too.