Ferrette, a town of character at the foot of its castle
If I only had one day to discover the Sundgau , I would start with Ferrette , a small town of character where children and adults like to scramble around, especially to get to its castle.
Ferrette is unique: the town was built at the foot of this now-ruined fortress. The site is truly worth a visit, if only for the splendid panorama it offers at an altitude of 612 m.
Visiting Ferrette Castle is not just visiting one castle, but two, as it was originally comprised of two separate fortifications. Besides the castle itself, the town at its foot is well worth exploring, particularly its listed town hall, which recently opened a small museum, and the church dedicated to Saint Bernard of Menthon , patron saint of mountain dwellers. Indeed, Ferrette is the capital of the Alsatian Jura, the only small mountain range in the Sundgau region and a unique feature of the Alsatian landscape.
The Rossberg tower: a 360° view of the Alsatian Jura
If the view from the castle isn't enough for you, I recommend continuing on to the Rossberg tour, which sits enthroned atop the eponymous mountain.
This 20m high metal tower offers a 360 ° panorama for those who brave vertigo.
The Dwarfs' Cave: Legends and Natural Cliffs
Ferrette cannot be left without having seen the cave of the dwarves where a famous legend is told that I tell and retell endlessly to my daughter not without a certain pleasure. Beyond the small crevice serving as a natural theater for our story, the site is visited more for its natural cliffs almost incongruous in this place. They are also accessible in complete safety and there again a very beautiful viewpoint awaits the visitor.
Local beers, cheeses and fine dining
If you're visiting Ferrette on a Saturday, don't leave the county town without sampling a beer or two at Radwulf , the local brewery that creates countless beers according to the seasons in a very pleasant setting. And of course, you can take a few beers home with you!
If it's time to eat, I would head to either the Cheval Blanc in Ferrette or the Hôtel Restaurant Chez Collin. Both are family-run restaurants, offering good, simple, and authentic cuisine. They're both excellent choices in Ferrette. If the weather is nice and you'd prefer a picnic, then I would recommend a visit to the most famous cheesemonger in the area, Maître Antony , who will take you on a journey across France with his carefully curated selection of cheeses, accompanied by good country bread and, of course, a good bottle of red wine. His shop offers this quintessentially French trio!
Oltingue: Merovingian history and rural charm
After Ferrette, I would head towards Oltingue, home to a rather mysterious church nestled in a bucolic, rural setting. Inside, you'll discover Merovingian tombs unearthed during excavations carried out in the late 1980s. What makes this church so unique is that these tombs have remained intact, open, with the skeletons still visible!
At its heart, besides beautiful 13th-century frescoes, a rope escapes from the roof... ask the children to pull on it! They will be frightened when the tension sounds the death knell!
Depending on the season and the day, a quick trip to the Peasant Museum in the center of Oltingue is a must! For three francs six sous (actually €2,5), you will discover the peasant life of yesteryear so characteristic of our beloved Sundgau.
Landskron Castle: views of the Jura Mountains and Basel
After Oltingue , I would visit Landskron Castle , overlooking the Leimental Valley . It is the best preserved of the three castles in the Alsatian Jura. There again, you will have to climb a few steps to reach a breathtaking view of the Alsatian Jura and the city of Basel.
