Dry Hills Nature Reserve - Bischenberg

Located in the foothills of the Vosges mountains, Bischenberg offers a remarkable natural landscape, shaped by limestone and benefiting from a particularly favourable microclimate. This site is part of the Bischenberg, Immerschenberg and Holiesel Dry Hills Regional Nature Reserve, a protected area renowned for the richness and rarity of its natural environments.



Between vineyards, orchards and natural areas, these hills are home to dry limestone grasslands and a downy oak forest, habitats that have become rare in Alsace. The downy oak forest of Bischenberg is one of the last wooded areas of its kind in the region. A testament to ancient vegetation, it has been preserved thanks to well-drained limestone soils and specific climatic conditions.



The dry grasslands, found particularly in the Holiesel and Immerschenberg areas, are home to exceptional biodiversity, with specialised flora that is now highly endangered. Their preservation is essential, as these environments declined significantly during the 20th century.



This sensitive natural site can be explored with respect for the environment and is an ideal place for observing the landscapes, fauna and flora characteristic of the foothills of the Vosges.