Hunspach – Half-timbered houses of Hoffen loop from Drachenbronn-Birlenbach
Hunspach – Half-timbered houses of Hoffen loop from Drachenbronn-Birlenbach
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Hunspach – Half-timbered houses of Hoffen loop from Drachenbronn-Birlenbach
02:55
46.9km
440m
Cycling
Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.
Last updated: June 19, 2026
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Waypoints
Start point
Bus stop
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43 m
Napoleon's Bench Drachenbronn
Highlight • Monument
Anyone who drives through northern Alsace on historic roads will often pass strange stone structures whose meaning and purpose cannot be recognized at first glance. There are the so-called Napoleon benches, benches for women to rest on the market.
There are several legends about its creation: Napoleon rested here or held an army parade - or: he personally ordered its formation to make the women's work easier. And since the Southern Palatinate belonged to the Lower Rhine department (Bas-Rhin) at the time, the order naturally also applied there.
What is certain is that the order to erect such benches came from the Strasbourg prefect Adrien Lezay-Marnesia. On the occasion of the birth of the long-awaited heir to the throne on March 20, 1811 - the "King of Rome", the later Napoleon II and Duke of Reichstadt - large celebrations were to be held to give the population the opportunity to pay proper homage to the emperor.
Our far-sighted prefect now knew how to combine the pleasant with the useful: On April 14, 1811, the mayors of Strasbourg were asked to send in plans within eight days. By Pentecost Sunday, June 2nd, the baptismal festival of the imperial offspring, tree-shaded resting places and tube wells were to be created along the country roads. In the arrondissement of Strasbourg alone, 125 benches were set up at a distance of “une demi-lieue” (half an hour’s walk), which were called “Bancs du Roi de Rome” or “Bancs Marie-Louise”.
Such benches had already existed before: in the Palatinate, one is documented in the town of Ruhbank near Pirmasens in 1748, even if its exact appearance is not known. In Alsace, the bench was placed under the high lintel. In order to ensure headroom when sitting, a greater height of the upper lintel is required.
[Text Rudolf Wild, Annweiler]
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14.5 km
Pamina Cycle Path: Wissembourg–Schleithal
Highlight (Segment) • Cycleway
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18.6 km
Cycle path from Wissembourg to Lauterbourg-Gare
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24.9 km
Napoleonsbank Seebach
Highlight • Monument
From DeWiki > Benches in Alsace
Story
On market days, the farmers carried their goods in baskets or huts to the markets in the surrounding towns. To take a short rest, they sat down on benches and set down their goods. Trees planted near the benches provided shade.
There are two types of benches in Alsace:
those built in 1811/12, named after the Roi de Rome
those built in 1854, named after the Empress Eugénie
"Bancs-reposoirs du Roi de Rome"
On the initiative of the prefect of the French department of Bas-Rhin, Adrien de Lezay-Marnésia, the benches were set up in 1811/12 to commemorate the birth of Napoléon-François-Joseph-Charles Bonaparte, Napoleon Bonaparte's son . In a letter to the municipal authorities dated April 22, 1811, he stated that these stone benches should be set up along the country roads and that shady trees should be planted behind them. The costs had to be borne by the municipalities. The Alsatians called them in their dialect the Nabele Bänk (Napoleonsbank, bancs de Napoléon); this designation is also common in the neighboring Palatinate.
"Bancs-reposoirs de l'Impératrice Eugénie"
Also on the initiative of a prefect of the Bas-Rhin department, Auguste-César West, stone benches were set up to commemorate the first wedding anniversary of Empress Eugénie, married to Napoleon III. This time the département covered the costs, so the municipalities showed more interest in putting up the benches.
More than 400 of these benches, made of Vosges sandstone, were built and a few dozen remain. In the 1980s they were added to the list of monuments historiques.
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27.4 km
Hunspach
Highlight • Settlement
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28.3 km
Napoleon Bench
Highlight • Structure
de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruheb%C3%A4nke_im_Elsass
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30.9 km
Half-timbered houses of Hoffen
Highlight • Monument
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46.2 km
Farmhouse Inn of the Mill of Seven Springs
Highlight • Restaurant
We prefer to go there at lunchtime, so no reservation is necessary and there are nice menus.
A tart for dessert, if there is still something left. 🤗
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46.9 km
End point
Bus stop
Way Types & Surfaces
Way Types
32.1 km
6.03 km
4.39 km
3.34 km
1.02 km
Surfaces
41.7 km
3.70 km
1.05 km
454 m
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Elevation
Highest point (280 m)
Lowest point (140 m)
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Weather
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Sunday 12 July
33°C
19°C
0 %
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Max wind speed: 18.0 km/h
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