Set within an exceptional woodland environment, the convent of Mont Saint-Odile is a major pilgrimage site dedicated to the patron saint of Alsace, and one of the area's unmissable destinations. Perched at an altitude of 763 metres, near Obernai, this religious site overlooking the Alsace Plain welcomes many tourists and pilgrims each year. It pays tribute to Odile of Alsace, a Merovingian noblewoman who was the founder and abbess of the Hohenburg monastery, built in the 7th century on top of the mountain. When visiting the sanctuary, you can see the Saint's tomb as well as several chapels: the Chapel of Tears, where Odile is said to have mourned the death of her father, and the 12th-century Chapel of the Angels, which strikingly overhangs a steep incline. On the convent terrace with its two orientation tables, you can enjoy a superb view over the surrounding forest, the Alsace Plain, and the Black Forest on a clear day!
Accessible via a footpath, the famous miraculous spring downhill from the convent is thought to heal eye problems. St. Odile is said to have brought it forth from the ground with her staff in order to help a blind woman in distress.
Another sight to see is the pagan wall, with a forest trail running alongside it offering a pleasant walk for families. This wall of eleven kilometres, surrounding the Mont Saint-Odile plateau, is formed of some 300,000 blocks of sandstone. Its width varies between 1.60 and 1.80 metres, and it stands up to 3 metres tall in places. The origins of this rampart remain a mystery, which has fuelled a number of tales and legends...
