From the canal to the lakes, from forts to parks: the finest getaways in and around Illkirch-Graffenstaden.
Illkirch-Graffenstaden offers a fine blend of nature and heritage: the banks of the Rhône–Rhine Canal, a lost castle and its orangery, a fort from the Strasbourg belt, two swimming lakes, an animal park and the large innovation park.
The Rhône–Rhine Canal runs through Illkirch-Graffenstaden and skirts the town for several kilometres. Its flat, shaded towpath is very popular for walking, cycling and jogging, between water and nature. It notably runs alongside Fort Uhrich, letting you combine a stroll with heritage.
Built around 1730-1735 on the site of the former fort of Illhausen, this castle was designed by the architect Jean-Pierre Pflug for François-Joseph de Klinglin (1686-1753), royal treasurer in Strasbourg. He added an orangery and a large park along the Ill, adorned with statues of Greco-Roman gods carved by François Francin; the park and staircase railings, made by Sigismond Falkenhauer, are listed Historic Monuments.
The castle was destroyed during the Revolution: only the orangery remains today. The site has been a listed Historic Monument since 1970.
Former Klinglin castle — approx. 106 route de Lyon, 67400 Illkirch-Graffenstaden
Built between 1873 and 1877 by the Germans under the name Fort Werder, it is part of the belt of 19 forts built around Strasbourg between 1872 and 1882. Located south-west of Illkirch, it lines the west bank of the Rhône–Rhine Canal. Designed to withstand a siege, it could house up to 700 men.
Renamed Fort Uhrich after the First World War, it served as a fuel depot and then a military site. Bought by the town of Illkirch in 1980, its surroundings were turned into a public park in 2012. It is the only moated fort in the belt still open to the public.
Founded in 1935 at the gateway to Strasbourg, the Strasbourg Golf Club covers more than 120 hectares with 27 holes, a large driving range and 4 practice holes (covered and grass driving range, putting green, bunkers…).
The town is also home to the Golf du Fort: a compact 9-hole par-30 course (opened in 2002), with a 45-bay driving range (15 covered), a putting green and two approach greens.
Lake Achard (the Hardt pond), formed from former gravel pits, is a popular swimming spot south of Illkirch-Graffenstaden. Swimming is supervised in summer and edged by a sandy beach.
Open: mid-May to late June — Wed, Sat and Sun 1pm–7pm; July-August — every day 10am–7pm.
The Baggersee lake is one of the main swimming spots in the Strasbourg Eurométropole. A few kilometres from the town centre, it is easily reached by car or tram (about fifteen minutes). Its large beach and summer-supervised swimming make it very popular in fine weather.
Friedel Park is a free, wooded and shaded animal park along the Ill (rue du Girlenhirsch), south of Illkirch. The result of a donation by the Friedel family to the town in 1961, it received its first animal area in 1984.
Over more than 2 hectares, you can get close to many animals: sheep, goats, donkeys, ponies, pigs, rabbits, poultry, peacocks and storks. A footbridge gives access to the pond, along shaded paths — an ideal family outing.
Created in 1983, the Illkirch Innovation Park is Strasbourg's technology park. Covering about 170 hectares, it brings together nearly 8,000 people, including around a thousand researchers, and about a hundred high-tech companies and laboratories.
It is home to leading institutions such as the IGBMC (Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology), the Mouse Clinical Institute, the Strasbourg School of Biotechnology (ESBS), the faculty of pharmacy and Télécom Physique Strasbourg.