Wasselonne travel guide

Visit Wasselonne (Grand-Est, France)

The town of Wasselonne is situated west of Strasbourg and south of Marmoutier in the Bas-Rhin department of Alsace, in the rolling countryside of vines, fields and woodlands on the edge of the Vosges region.

The village originally developed around a fortified castle built here in the 13th century although only two towers now remain of this once imposing structure.

Exploring Wasselonne

A pleasant town to explore, Wasselonne town centre has a good selection of half-timber houses, many painted in the bright colours common to the region. Most of these are in the streets around the castle, such as Rue du Puits, an attractive cobbled street.

There are also a few minor highlights to admire in Wasselonne, such as the two towers (one round, one square) that remain of the ancient castle. The square tower stood in the centre of the castle (and is open to the public during the summer), while the round tower is the lower part of the castle keep. The clocktower on top of the square tower was added in the 18th century.

The original castle was surrounded by extensive fortified walls and more than 20 towers but apart from a part of the walls these have all disappeared.

There are also several shops and restaurants and all other facilities.

You will also see the baroque style Church of Saint-Laurent - this protestant church is well known for having a famous Silbermann organ - and the Town Hall, in a building that was once the town wheat storage hall.

Wasselonne has a particularly high number of emblems on buildings, usually on door lintels, signifying the trades of previous inhabitants and it is possible to do a guided tour to see these - ask at the Wasselonne tourist office for the leaflet 'Circuit des Emblèmes des Métiers d’Autrefois'.

Attractions nearby

The tourist office can suggest several walks that leave from Wasselonne and pass through the vineyards and forests of the Vosges region which is an excellent way to explore the countryside.

Wasselonne is also very close to the northern end of the Alsace route des Vins, a popular tourist trail to follow by car that passes through many of the vineyards and picturesque villages of Alsace.

You can find more travel ideas in the Bas-Rhin guide and the Alsace guide.