Le château de Guirbaden

Guirbaden was built between the 10th and 13th centuries as a reminder of the time when Alsace was part of the Holy Roman Empire. Surrounded by the Vosges forest, Guirbaden lies 1 km from the village of Mollkirch, on the hills overlooking the Bruche Valley. It is the largest castle in Alsace (2 hectares) and certainly one of the oldest.

Today, all that remains of the castle and its buildings are the main building, the keep, the hunger tower, sections of the surrounding walls and the Saint-Valentin chapel. It offers magnificent views over the Alsace plain and the Bruche Valley.

Location and access: From Grendelbruch on foot via the GR 531, 45 min, 3 km trail, marked red-white-red rectangle: from Fischhutte: steep 3 km trail, marked red cross, or via the "Sentier des Demoiselles de Pierre".

The "Sauver le Guirbaden" association was founded in April 2015 with a major mission: to save and restore the castle ruins. This work is taking place under the benevolent eyes of its private owner and the municipality of Mollkirch. Work days are organized throughout the year according to a pre-established monthly schedule: after a personal tour of the site with the volunteers, you'll discover the various activities available (reconstruction of a sandstone wall and filling of masonry joints, sorting and identification of pottery fragments discovered, introduction to archaeological digs, reconstitution of elements of the castle, clearing undergrowth, to name but a few). At the end of the day, you'll be able to say that you've "made a contribution". No special skills or knowledge are required. The only thing you need to bring is your good will!

Work days and visits may be cancelled in case of bad weather. Please check with the association (see above).

DATAtourisme France