Chateau du Fleckenstein

Fleckenstein is built on and into a narrow reef of red sandstone rising out of forest in the northern Vosges, right on the German border. Rather than being built on the rock, much of it is cut from it: stairs, cisterns, a well shaft and chambers are hewn directly into the sandstone, and the ruin runs along the crest in a thin line about a hundred metres long. It was a fief of the Holy Roman Empire from the twelfth century and was blown up by French troops in 1680. Visits use a puzzle-based route aimed at children, and several other ruined castles stand within walking distance in the same forest.

What you actually see

• The rock-cut rooms - chambers and stairs hewn into the sandstone.
• The reef site - a thin ruin running along a narrow rock crest.
• The forest setting - the northern Vosges woodland and border ridge.
• The neighbouring ruins - other castles on walking routes nearby.

When to go

April to October; the site closes over winter. The forest walks connecting several castles are good in autumn. Weekends bring families for the puzzle route.

Honest expectations

It is a ruin with steep steps and exposed edges, needing decent footwear. The visit format is heavily child-oriented. Explanation is mostly in French and German.

Nearby

Wissembourg lies northeast; the German border is a few hundred metres away.