Black Forest Crossing

Level 3/5

Moderate to good walker, 5 to 7 h of effective walking and approximately twenty km per day, without technical difficulty. In a few places, the trail has an alpine character, meaning it is narrow, steep and scattered with roots and stones. You need a steady foot, but there are no climbing passages. Elevation gain: +440 to +720m per day.

Nothing to carry: you only carry a small backpack with the picnic and your day items. You find your luggage every evening at the accommodation. (1 bag per person, 20kg maximum)

No personal transfers planned in the program; however, on the High Black Forest section of the route you benefit from a guest card that allows you to take regional buses and trains for free.

From 1 person.

6 days, 5 nights and 4 days hiking.

From mid-April to mid-October.

No guided tour. Travel file with itinerary description, GPX traces and exchange vouchers. One file per room. We can provide you with a hiking guide for the Black Forest (Hikeline) with a description of each stage for an additional fee. This book is available only in German.

You receive your travel folder typically 2 to 3 weeks before departure, after settlement of the balance.

Hotel or Gasthof 3*, in a 2 room with bathroom, exceptionally in a guest house of equivalent comfort.
Single room available on request for an additional fee.
Some hotels are equipped with a swimming pool or sauna: bring your swimsuit.

For double rooms, there is rarely the same difference as we have between a double (large bed for 2) and a twin (2 separate beds): most often the bed consists of two mattresses of 90 cm placed side by side but equipped with individual sheets and duvets.

Hotel or Gasthof? Germans and Austrians themselves are often quite confused explaining the difference… The Gasthof is generally run by a family and has existed for several generations; it will often be more typical. The hotel is generally a more impersonal and newer establishment… which does not prevent Gasthofs from having impressive “facelifts” regularly! But this difference is especially valid in large cities (you will find chain hotels, never chain gasthofs).

Breakfast is included. Most hotels also offer meals; if not, a restaurant is nearby. Some stages offer little or no dining options. It is therefore essential to carry enough provisions for the entire day in your backpack! When possible, take advantage of the route to stop at an inn: German soups, hearty yet delicious, are inexpensive and ideal for a lunch break… at any time of day!

Start

Day 1, in the afternoon, in Hinterzarten.

End

Day 6, after breakfast, in Weil am Rhein.

By plane

Basel airport, then train and bus to Hinterzarten, via Basel and Freiburg am Breisgau.

By train

Hinterzarten station (about thirty km from Freiburg am Breisgau) on the outbound journey, from Basel or Weil am Rhein on the return. Trains from Paris:

• Paris - Hinterzarten (4h00 to 5h30 journey time)

Example: Departure 07h20 Gare de l’Est; Arrival 11h43 Hinterzarten station (connections at Karlsruhe and Freiburg-im-Breisgau) Check timetables and rates for German railways on Deutsche Bahn. Check timetables and rates for Swiss railways on CFF.

By car

Paris – Hinterzarten: approximately 6 hours driving. Lyon – Hinterzarten: approximately 4 hours 30 minutes driving.

Hinterzarten is about thirty km from Freiburg am Breisgau and about a hundred km from Basel. Return from Basel (or Weil am Rhein) to Hinterzarten by train + bus: 1h50 (or 2h00), via Freiburg.

Check your route on ViaMichelin.

Parking your car

You can leave your vehicle in Hinterzarten for the week (station parking; approximately 15 € per week, to be verified on site).

We provide you with train schedules between Weil am Rhein and Hinterzarten in your travel folder. The journey is at your expense. Allow approximately 1h30 to 2 hours with one or two connections.

Note: the access information above is provided as a guide, subject to availability, and should be verified before your departure.

A number of our trips offer swimming opportunities, either during the day or at the end of the day. It would be a shame not to take advantage of them! However, we emphasize that you are the sole judge of whether swimming is appropriate; these swimming activities are therefore undertaken at your own responsibility and risk.

Member of Agir pour un Tourisme Responsable (ATR)

Since 2012, Grand Angle is a member of ATR, the reference association for more responsible tourism. We design our trips – on foot, by bike, on snow – to invite everyone to discover the world differently: with curiosity, respect, and kindness.

Present on the board of directors since 2018, we actively contribute to evolving sector practices toward greater meaning. Concretely, we ensure:

• Transparency in our practices and pricing
• Respect for our partners and local communities
• Environmental protection on each of our trips

We also share the values of the traveller’s ethical charter, which encourages everyone to adopt simple actions to protect the places visited and foster meaningful encounters.

Travelife Partner

Since 2025, Grand Angle is recognized as a Travelife Partner, an international label that certifies our responsible practices regarding environment, ethics, and sustainable management, both within our company and with our partners and in the organization of our trips.

This label, the second level of a demanding international certification, certifies our concrete actions in favor of responsible tourism. We actively pursue our progress toward the higher level, Travelife Certified, in accordance with our sustainable development policy

In this section you will find links to products from our partner Alpinstore, a French e-commerce site specializing in outdoor equipment, based in Annecy.

To carry your belongings

• A comfortable backpack of 30 to 50 L with a hip belt to carry your personal belongings and picnic during the day
• A follow-on bag: a backpack, a travel bag in good condition, or not-too-bulky suitcase. One bag per person; limited to 15kg

Discover in our Mag how to pack your hiking backpack properly.

For Hiking

For maximum comfort, favor a “layering” system of clothing: warm underwear (long underwear + base layer) like “Carline” or “Capilene” (hollow fibers that wick away perspiration) + sweater or fleece jacket + mountain jacket and waterproof pants with breathable membrane (like “Gore-Tex” or equivalent) for bad weather. Generally, and outside hot climates and countries, avoid cotton, which retains moisture against the body (and dries slowly), in favor of appropriate synthetic materials.

• Mountain footwear that supports the ankle with a good grip sole, featuring a heel counter and good waterproofing
• Comfortable “hiking-specific” socks (3 pairs minimum)
• A fleece jacket
• Comfortable hiking trousers (quick-drying technical fabric)
• Comfortable and technical shorts
• T-shirts or technical undergarments (quick-drying fabric)
• A long-sleeved shirt
• Walking poles (telescopic), very important for facilitating hiking. Discover all the benefits of hiking poles in our dedicated article or how to choose your hiking poles

Note: synthetic technical clothing is highly effective. New merino wool garments have also emerged; they are very effective and pleasant to wear, and have the advantage of not developing sweat odours!

For the midday picnic

• Your “kitchen” kit: bowl, container or plastic plate, cutlery (spoon, fork, knife)
• 1 or 2 water bottles (total of 1,5 L minimum) – mandatory -; a thermos water bottle for winter

Against sun and rain

• Sunscreen (high protection)
• Sunglasses
• Hat, cap or bucket hat
• A rain cape or a waterproof jacket such as “softshell or Gore-Tex” and possibly waterproof trousers

After the effort

• A pair of jogging-style trainers for the evening
• Change of clothes and personal items
• Toiletry bag and towel (mini)
• Swimming costume and towel for fitness facilities (if specified) or swimming
• A mini first-aid kit: personal medications, surgical masks, hand sanitiser, plasters, sterile gauze and bandage, gauzes, disinfectant, arnica granules and aspirin etc (note: non-exhaustive list to be adapted according to your own medical needs).

Find these tips in our article #"what to bring on a hike".

This list is provided as an indication and should be adapted depending on the trip and the season in which you are travelling.

Valid identity card or French, Belgian or Swiss passport. Canadians must bring their passport, but are exempt from visas. Since 2012, children must have their own identity card or their own passport.

Health

Obtain the European Health Insurance Card from your Social Security office (or log into its website) which will send it to you within around two weeks. It is a blue plastic card in the same format as a national health card. It is valid for one year, free of charge, and personal (each family member must have their own, including children). This card certifies your health insurance rights and will allow you, during a temporary stay in Europe, to benefit from coverage of medically necessary care, regardless of the reason for your travel, subject to complying with the procedures in force in the country of stay. Please note: the card is not valid for care provided in private establishments.

German National Tourist Office
Website: www.germany.travel

From France to Germany: 0049 + area code + correspondent’s number.
From Germany to France: 0033 + correspondent’s number with 9 digits (do not dial the 0).

Same time as France.

The official language is German.

Each region has its own dialect with its own characteristics. In total, there are around 20 different ones. Even some cities have their own dialect, such as Berlin or Cologne. But don’t worry, you will be able to make yourself understood by everyone.

So that you don’t get lost during your trip and can also speak with Germans you meet, we have compiled some important terms for your trip to Germany:

Hello Guten Tag

Hi Hallo

Thank you Danke

Please Bitte

Yes Ja

No Nein

How are you? Wie geht es Ihnen / dir? I am well Mir geht es gut.

The Euro = €

Exchange and payment
The best solution is to withdraw cash from ATMs using an international payment card as needed. ATMs can be found almost everywhere.

For Swiss and Canadian citizens, there are exchange offices at airports, borders, and train stations in major cities. For euro withdrawals at ATMs, generally no commission if your account is in the eurozone; check with your bank if this is not the case.

In general, the climate in Germany is said to be identical to that of France. The climate is temperate, typical of Central Europe. However, the east-west and north-south distances, as well as the many different landscape features, result in significant regional climate variations.

Southwestern Germany, with its greater distance from the sea, has a temperate continental climate. Here, it is mild year-round, but mountain regions are well covered in snow. The highest average annual temperatures in Germany are measured in this region.

Cuisine

In Germany, traditional folk cuisine (or popular cuisine) is widely spread. Here, people enjoy eating the dishes that our grandparents already prepared.

You can discover great regional diversity. German recipes vary from north to south, east to west. In almost every region, there are typically German recipes that define the identity of these regions.

In the Black Forest, taste the ‘Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte’ (commonly called “Black Forest cake” in our parts), a large cake made of cherries, sponge cake, chocolate and plenty of whipped cream. It’s a real high-calorie delicacy, but you’ll love it!

Some famous festivals

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The Carnival

The carnival, also called ‘fasching’, is truly a fifth season for Germans. It starts 11 November and ends around March. Carnival in Germany is particularly celebrated in Rhineland, Mainz, Düsseldorf and Cologne. People wear colorful and creative costumes and celebrate with music. The highlight of carnival is the weekend before Ash Wednesday: from Thursday to Tuesday, the street carnival takes place, during which decorated floats accompanied by music and dances parade through the streets

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Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest, the beer festival, is the most famous German festival and the largest folk festival in the world. It takes place every year for more than 200 years from September to October during 16 to 18 days in Munich. Germans also call it ‘Wiesn’. During Oktoberfest, beer flows freely, but it’s also a huge folk festival with many attractions. Many Germans follow the traditional dress code: men wear leather pants and a shirt and women wear a ‘dirndl’ (a Bavarian costume/dress).

History

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The Berlin Wall

German history is characterized by the division between East and West Germany. The wall was built in 1961 to stop the flow of refugees from the East. On 9 November 1989, , Germany’s most hated building fell. At that time, the GDR was on the verge of collapse, it was in economic and political bankruptcy. The national border was opened and the unification of the two German states began. Even today, you can see some remnants of the wall, especially in Berlin.