Military heritage

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.

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 downloadable from the website of our partner Visorando.

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.

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).

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).

The farm of Ebourbettes, a few steps from the Swiss border, was used during the Second World War, as a clandestine base for the passage of resistance fighters and all those who refused the enlistment of force in the Wehrmacht. It was here that on April 26, 1942, General Giraud's famous escape to Switzerland took place. While the owner of the premises was talking with the soldier in charge of monitoring the border, promising him eggs and cheese to improve his everyday life, the future head of the French National Liberation Committee, accompanied by smugglers, slipped into the deep Swiss beech groves to reach Algiers some time later.

To access the farm, park at the pass between Winkel and Lucelle. Count 2 km (1/2 hour walk) on a beautiful white path to reach the site characterized by a superb view of the Voges and the Swiss Jura.

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.