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Military heritage
A free 70-page guide tracing the Sundgauvian remains of the last three great wars (1870, 1914-1918 and 1939-1945) is available in our offices or on request. This Sundgau remembrance tourism guide offers thematic discovery itineraries, complete with maps, illustrations and articles on important subjects, such as the delimitation of the Franco-German border in 1871.
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Aerial view of the site of the Grand Canon - Zillisheim
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Guided tour of the site of the Grand Canon - Zillisheim
Under the forest cover and around the bends, you can discover a multitude of remains that are still visible or legible. Only the "barracks" have disappeared. The buried civil engineering works are rather well preserved. During a guided tour with one of the passionate volunteers of the site, you will be able to browse the underground galleries, and discover the organization of this impressive military infrastructure. On a free visit, you will discover the surface infrastructures by following a route marked out with explanatory panels.
An application "Site du Grand Canon de Zillisheim" can be downloaded to explore this historic site.
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Optical station from Stolzenfels
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Obermorschwiller Church
On August 3, 1914, Germany declared war on France, Alsace has been German since 1871. Three marked trails recount the battles of August 1914 which took place in this sector. They are embellished with panels which relate testimonies, present the fallen men, and place in their context these battles which aimed to retake Alsace. Departure from Wittersdorf (8,4 km), Luemschwiller / Obermorschwiller (6 km), Heiwiller / Tagsdorf (7 km).
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Winkel Moroccans Trail
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Winkel Moroccans Trail
The town of Winkel welcomes you on this tourist trail called "Moroccan Trail" for a meeting with its history and heritage.
Between 1929 and 1940, to guard against any enemy invasion, France built along its borders to the North East a veritable wall of fortified works: the Maginot Line.
In Winkel, in its southernmost part, its unfinished construction between 1939 and 1940 was closely linked to the life of a Moroccan infantry regiment. In their memory, a path already bore their name. It is now quite a journey.
Three circuits are offered: 2,6 km - 3,6 km, 5,6 km.
You will also discover rich, varied environments, typical of the Alsatian Jura, made up of forests, pastures and remarkable landscapes, as well as a set of remains of the Maginot line (casemates, anti-tank defenses, shelters, etc.) today witnesses of history and an authentic element of local identity.
Take advantage of your visit to Winkel to discover the source of the Ill, the main waterway in Alsace, located a few steps from the Sentier des Marocains.
Koestlach has a rich heritage that we offer to discover thanks to the heritage circuit. You have two choices :
1) The historical circuit through the village to discover the prestigious furniture of the Saint-Léger church, but also the Notre Dame des Sept Douleurs chapel, the legends of Kugele and the village of Erzach, the presbytery of Nicolas Delfis and the remains of 'a former Gallo-Roman establishment.
2) The walking tour lasting 2h30 / 3h which will take you up the slopes of the Burgerwald to explore the Celtic oppidum of Kasteberg before visiting the village (blue ring markings, distance 7 km, altitude difference 215 m).
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Altkirch Sundgauvien Museum
CLOSED DURING THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2022
Housed in a beautiful Renaissance building, residence of the former bailiffs, the Sundgauvien Museum presents the history, life and customs of southern Alsace and more particularly of Sundgau.
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View of a gallery of Kilianstollen
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Aerial view of the excavations
The Kilian de Carspach gallery, or Kilianstollen (in German), is a German military underground gallery, a vestige of the First World War, partially buried on March 18, 1918 during a French artillery bombardment and discovered during development work road (Aspach deviation). Between 1914 and 1918, this shelter was located on the first German front line, fixed to the west of Altkirch on the Lerchenberg hill,
Archaeological excavations carried out in 2011 by the Pôle d'Archéologie Interdépartemental Rhénan unearthed the remains of Kilianstollen as well as the 21 remains of German soldiers until then still buried in an old gallery, allowing the identification of 18 of them. .
The Kilianstollen 1918 association, created in 2015, aims to perpetuate the memory of this tragedy, extended to all the conflicts that occurred in southern Alsace in the 19st and 20st centuries, through the organization of exhibitions, events, publication of documents, conferences, visits, etc.
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Redevelopment of the entrance to a blockhouse, Km 0 circuit
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French soldiers on the Franco-Swiss border in 1916
The Km 0 trail allows you to discover on a 7,5 km course, in flat and wooded terrain, the various vestiges of the three fronts: French, Swiss and German. The route can be done in both directions.
From 1871 to 1914, Pfetterhouse was the village of the three borders. The terminal of the three powers, where the borders of France, Switzerland and Germany met, had become a tourist attraction and a place of international conviviality.
In the fall of 1914, the French fixed the start of the Front at the Swiss border of Largin. The boundary marker n ° 111 then became the Zero Kilometer of the Western Front.
The Friends of the Zero Kilometer association works, through this discovery trail, to promote and promote this place steeped in history and symbols.
The work it has undertaken has made it possible to restore several concrete structures on the front line, freely accessible and secure.
Topoguide on sale at the Tourist Office for the price of 1 € the sheet or 10 € the 17 pedestrian topos. Topoguide downloadable from the website of our partner Visorando.
This reinforced concrete casemate has an armored observation bell, 2 47 mm anti-tank guns, 2 8 mm machine guns, 3 machine guns and 3 grenade launchers.
About 15 men occupied the structure, commanded by a lieutenant and 3 non-commissioned officers.
This former military structure, decommissioned in 1970, was taken over in 1991 and, as local historical heritage, has been completely restored by the members of the Maginot Memorial Association of Haute-Alsace. Today it is the only witness of this type that can be visited on the Maginot line.
Porte du Sundgau, Illfurth is also a high place of history. The fighting of the 1st World War fell in the Sundgau from August 1914. Indeed the French blew up the viaduct of Dannemarie and the front stabilized and extended from the Vosges to the Swiss border.
The front line passed a few kilometers from Illfurth on the Heidwiller side. During this visit, you will discover several bunkers with multiple uses, both ammunition depot, observation post or location of artillery pieces, also the location of a second large cannon located near the Church de la Burnkirch and several casemates.
Topoguide downloadable from the website of our partner Visorando.
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Bettlach Casemate
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Bettlach Casemates Trail
In the forest of Bettlach, directly accessible from the town, a path called "casemates" of about 2km, connects three imposing forts of the Maginot Line, built between 1937 and 1940.
This path is lined with excellent explanatory panels that tell the story of this Maginot Line, the colossal efforts it required and the ephemeral role it played at the start of the Second World War.
A beautiful view of the Jura massif spices up this little loop.
