Grand Est region
Departments: Ardennes, Aube, Marne, Haute-Marne, Meurthe-et-Moselle, Meuse, Moselle, Bas-Rhin, Haut-Rhin, Vosges
Population: 5.56 million inhabitants
Prefecture: Strasbourg
Area: 57,441 km²
Specialities: champagne, sauerkraut, Alsace wines, Nancy black pudding, Rethel white pudding, flammekueche, kouglof, Ardennes dry ham, rum baba, Mirabelle plums, quiche lorraine, Commercy madeleines.
Sports clubs: RC Strasbourg, Stade de Reims, FC Metz, AS Nancy-Lorraine, ESTAC Troyes, FC Mulhouse (football), SIG Strasbourg, SLUC Nancy Basket (basketball), Etoile Noire de Strasbourg, Scorpions de Mulhouse (ice hockey)
Competitions: Moselle Open, Strasbourg International Tennis Tournament (tennis), Reims International Show Jumping, Boucles de la Marne, Stanislas Meeting, Colmar Marathon, Paris-Colmar (athletics)
Economy: automotive (PSA Mulhouse and Trémery, Renault in Batilly, Bugatti, Smart), steel (Arcelor Mittal in Florange), luxury goods (Lalique), aerospace (Clemessy in Mulhouse), railways, banking (Crédit Mutuel), agriculture, beer, wine production (Champagne, Alsace wines). Tourism.
Festivals: Christmas markets in Strasbourg and Colmar, Saint Nicholas celebrations in Nancy, Livre sur la place in Nancy, Colmar book fair, Saint-Louis book forum, RenaissanceS festival in Bar-le-Duc, Sedan medieval festival, Saint-Dié-les-Vosges international geography and festival, Gérardmer fantasy film festival.
Tourist sites: Place Stanislas in Nancy, Grande Île in Strasbourg, Reims Cathedral, Saint-Rémi Basilica and Tau Archiepiscopal Palace in Reims, Notre-Dame-de-l'Épine Basilica, Longwy and Neuf-Brisach citadels, Champagne hills, Claude et Duval factory in Saint-Dié-les-Vosges, Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, Centre Pompidou Metz, École de Nancy, Christmas markets.
Website: www.grandest.fr
Haut-Rhin (68)
Population: 770,738
Prefecture: Colmar
Sub-prefectures: Mulhouse, Altkirch, Guebwiller, Ribeauvillé, Thann
Area: 3,525 km
Specialities: Alsace wines, sauerkraut, Munster cheese, fried carp from Sungdau, fleischschnacka (pasta and minced meat), melfor (vinegar).
Major clubs: FC Mulhouse, Mulhouse Scorpions (ice hockey). Mulhouse Olympic Natation.
Competitions: Colmar International Fencing Tournament, Colmar Grand Prix (track cycling) Festivals: Colmar Christmas Market, Colmar Book Festival, Colmar Music Festival, Colmar International Classical Music Festival, Mulhouse Motor Show, Bête de Scène in Mulhouse.
Tourist attractions: Train City and Automobile City (Mulhouse), Alsace Ecomuseum (Ungersheim), Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, collegiate churches (Thann and Colmar), villages of Hunawihr, Eguisheim and Riquewihr.
Economy: agriculture (rapeseed, wheat, corn, wine), automotive, textiles, tourism
Websites and social media: www.haut-rhin.fr
Km 1.2
Pulversheim (Pop. 3,100)
In Ungersheim (2 km away):
Alsace Open-Air Museum
This is France's largest open-air museum, where authentic Alsatian buildings have been transferred and reassembled to form a village: half-timbered houses, workers' houses, a shop, town hall, fortified tower, village hall, farm, school, wash house, gardens and fields. These buildings, most of which are old (some dating back to the 15th century) and open to the public, showcase the region's traditional trades and crafts. The Ecomuseum often organises traditional festivals, most of which are based on the liturgical calendar. The museum site is adjacent to the Rodolphe well, a former industrial wasteland from the potash mines of Alsace. The museum's mission is to showcase the buildings, customs and traditions of yesteryear and to ensure that this heritage is passed on by training artisans and raising awareness among young people through environmental classes and summer camps. https:/ / www.ecomusee.alsace
Km 5.3
Bollwiller (Pop. 4,180)
Bollwiller Castle, built in the 12th century, is remarkably well preserved, both inside and out, and is now one of the few stately homes in Alsace where the old stones, medieval lower rooms, galleries and state rooms reflect a past steeped in nearly a thousand years of history. This medieval castle was surrounded by moats and a magnificent park with rare trees, many of which are still standing today. It was the centre of a large seigneury that stretched to the far reaches of the Thann, Masevaux and Val-de-Villé valleys. The castle is now owned by the Adapei Papillons Blancs d'Alsace. Bollwiller prospered from the early 20th century onwards thanks to the exploitation of potash mines in Alsace. Potash was discovered in 1904 thanks to the persistence of Amélie Zurcher, daughter of the owner of the Bollwiller textile factory, who was seeking to diversify the activities of her declining business.
Bollwiller Castle
Construction: 14th, 16th and 18th centuries.
History: the original village was located on the site of the current castle, surrounded by a wall. The castle was first mentioned in 1354. The current building consists of two parts, the oldest of which, to the north, dates from the mid-16th century. In 1599, Rodolphe of Bollwiller extended it to the south, adding a second staircase turret. The castle became the property of Reinhold de Rosen in 1649. At the beginning of the 19th century, the castle was bought by industrialists who built a spinning mill on the site of the outbuildings and warehouses.
Characteristics: Renaissance castle on the plain, formerly surrounded by moats, with the entrance tower from an older building still intact. The older northern section dates from the mid-16th century and included a stair tower on the west façade. In 1589, the castle's surface area was doubled with the addition of the southern section, a with a larger stair tower on the west side. The first floor still has coffered ceilings and remnants of 18th-century décor.
Listed as: historic monument in 2007.
Km 12.6
Wattwiller (Pop. 1,640)
Wattwiller is known for its mineral water, which has been exploited since Roman times. Its 13th-century walls have been listed as a historic monument since 1938. The commune has several military cemeteries, including the Uhlans Cemetery, the Silberloch Cemetery and the Hartmannswillerkop National Monument. Katia and Maurice Krafft were united by a shared passion for volcanoes around the world. In 1977, they bought a house in Wattwiller, where they stayed between expeditions and accumulated a huge collection of photographs, films, petrographic and iconographic collections relating to volcanoes. They died together on 3 June 1991 in the heat of a pyroclastic flow during the eruption of Mount Unzen in Japan. In memory of their ties to the commune, the village's multipurpose hall now bears their name.
Vieil Armand National Monument (Hartmannswillerkopf)
Construction: 1932
History and characteristics: the Hartmannswillerkopf 14-18 National Monument is one of four national monuments to the Great War, along with Douaumont in Meuse, Dormans in Marne and Notre Dame de Lorette in Artois. This national monument was erected in memory of the battles that took place there during the First World War. Designed by architect Robert Danis and sculptor Antoine Bourdelle, this highly original monument was inaugurated in 1932 by French president Albert Lebrun. The Monument consists of two parts: an altar of the fatherland overlooking the necropolis and the crypt, which is accessed via an 80-metre walkway reminiscent of a trench.
Listed as: historic monument in 1921.
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church
Construction: 14th century.
Style: Gothic.
History: the church is mentioned in the 8th century. The nave and aisles were built in the 1220s, at the same time as an underground ossuary. In the 14th century, the eastern wall and a large part of the northern wall were rebuilt. The choir was rebuilt in its current form in the 15th century, while the aisles were vaulted. The western bell tower includes remains from the 13th century. It was renovated in 1481 and given its late Gothic belfry. In 1852, the church was enlarged. The sacristy was built at the same time. The building was hit by bombing during the 1914-18 war, with the bell tower badly damaged and the roofs destroyed.
Characteristics: the church has three naves, no transept, and a two-bay choir with an apse featuring a ribbed vault. A central bell tower rises to the west, above the entrance. The side chapel, dedicated to Saint Sebastian, is located above an ossuary. The nave has four bays lined with rectangular pillars. The two eastern bays of the south aisle form the funeral chapel of the nobles of Wattwiller, delimited by a transverse arch, where burial niches with wall paintings and a tombstone remain.
Listed as: historic monument in 1928.
Km 30.1
Soultz-Haut-Rhin (Pop. 7,000)
Located on the wine route and nestled at the foot of the Vosges mountains near their highest peak, Soultz was first mentioned in 667. Its name probably comes from Sulza, which suggests the existence of a saltwater spring. Thanks to viticulture, this town experienced a prosperous renaissance in the 16th and 17th centuries, as evidenced by the beautiful residences with stair towers, oriels and buttresses. This pleasant town charms and surprises visitors as they wander through its narrow streets and along the historic circuit of old Soultz. It is easy to be drawn into the stories of the illustrious figures who once lived here, such as Georges Heckeren d'Anthès, whose castle can still be admired today and who fought the Russian poet Pushkin in a fatal duel. As you stroll through the town, you can admire the former beguinage, the Capuchin monastery of Saint-Maurice, the old synagogue and the former commandery of the Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem. It is also the birthplace of former international footballer Bernard Genghini, who played for Sochaux and Monaco, among others, and wore the French national team jersey 27 times.
Saint-Maurice Church
Construction: 13th to 17th centuries.
History: the first reliable date goes back to 1340, when an altar was erected by Berthold Waldner; however, stylistic features suggest that the choir was built in the second half of the 13th century and the nave in the 14th century; The westernmost bay bears the coat of arms of Robert of Bavaria, Bishop of Strasbourg from 1471 to 1478, on a keystone, and the date 1489 on the door and an external buttress. In 1610, the crossing tower was raised by one level by stonemason Daniel Demaret.
Listed as: historic monument in 1920.
Bucheneck Castle Museum
Construction: 13th to 17th centuries.
History: the castle already existed in the 12th century. It belonged to several noble families, as well as to the Bishop of Strasbourg, and was then the residence of the bailiff. Sold as national property during the Revolution, it was bought back, in a very dilapidated state, by the town of Soultz in 1977.Under the impetus of Louis Wiederkehr, who oversaw its restoration and became its curator, Bucheneck became the municipal history museum, opening to the public in September 1990.
Characteristics: located in the historic Bucheneck Castle, the museum is dedicated to the town's rich past and its illustrious families. Visitors can learn about the Knights of Malta, the Waldner von Freundstein family, a family of swordsmen with possessions in Soultz, the Heeckeren von Anthès family, whose most famous member killed Pushkin in a duel in 1837, the illustrator Robert Beltz, the town's Jewish community, and more. There is also a monumental model of the town in 1838, rare documents, costumes, old views and antique marbles.
Listed as: historic monument in 1920.
Km 36.6
Grand Ballon (1,336 m)
The highest point in the Vosges mountains, the Alsace region and the Haut-Rhin department, the Grand Ballon rises to 1,424 m. It has been crossed eight times since 1969, when Lucien Van Impe was the first to conquer it. In 2019, Thomas de Gendt was leading at the summit.
Km 38.1
Lautenbachzell (Pop. 940)
Saints-Michel-et-Gangolphe Collegiate Church in Lautenbach
Construction: 11th, 12th and 19th centuries.
Style: Romanesque
History: the former Saints-Michel-et-Gangolphe collegiate church has undergone many changes over the centuries. The nave probably dates from the 11th century, while the transept, choir and flat chevet date from the 12th century. Its vaulted porch is one of the most beautiful in the region. However, the building was completely restored in 1859. The decorations and additions, such as the towers, added by the 19th-century architect are debatable, although they do not detract from the overall aesthetic.
Special features: guided tours for groups all year round by appointment with the Guebwiller Tourist Office.
Km 43.3
Le Markstein (RANSPACH)
Km 60.2
KRUTH (Pop. 860)
Lake Kruth
Surrounded by forests and the highest peaks of the Vosges Mountains, Lake Kruth offers a relaxing and exotic setting for year-round relaxation. Whether in the air, on land or in the water, there are many activities organised around the lake: swimming, canoeing, pedal boating, tree climbing, fishing, rock climbing, scuba diving... You can also discover the flora and fauna of the Vosges, the ruins of Wildenstein Castle and the Bockloch and Vorderbocklochruntz waterfalls.
Wildenstein Castle
Construction: 14th century.
Style: fortified castle.
Characteristics: located on a rocky outcrop of glacial origin, the castle is accessed via a 20-metre-long tunnel dug into the rock. Two round towers, ramparts and remains of the stables.
History: in 1312, the Count of Ferrette, protector of Murbach Abbey, was authorised to build a castle on Mount Wildenstein and to cede it as a fief to the lords of Bollwiller. In 1324, when the Ferrette family died out, their heirs, the Habsburgs, lost interest in the valley and the castle fell into ruin. Murbach Abbey acquired the castle in 1536 and had it rebuilt between 1552 and 1570 to protect its possessions. During the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), the castle was successively taken by Lorraine and French troops. It was dismantled shortly afterwards and, like many other sites, used as a stone quarry.
Current use: since 2006, it has been the subject of archaeological excavations and restoration work.
VOSGES (88)
Population: 357,248
Prefecture: Épinal
Sub-prefectures: Neufchâteau, Saint-Dié-des-Vosges
Area: 5,874 km²
Specialities: Munster Gérômé cheese, tofailles (a type of pastry), smoked meats, blueberry tart, Vosges sweets, fruit and flower liqueurs, Vosges honey, andouille du Val d'Ajol sausage, Plombières ice cream, Vosges salad.
Sports clubs: EHC (Epinal Hockey Club), SAS Football, Epinal Handball, SAS Volley, Les Louves de Saint-Dié (volleyball), ASR Table Tennis Etival-Raon, ASGE Basketball, GESN Canoeing and Kayaking.
Competitions: Granfondo Vosges, Open 88 Grand Est, Michelin Enduro des Hautes Vosges, XTerra France in Xonrupt-Longemer, Gérardmer Triathlon, Infernal Trail des Vosges in Saint Nabord, Trail de la Vallée des Lacs, Aquathlon de Vittel, XCO and Downhill Mountain Bike World Cups in La Bresse, 2021 French Cycling Championships in Épinal. Athletes: Julien Absalon, Rémy Absalon, Nacer Bouhanni, Steve Chainel, Clément Noël, Romain Febvre, Fabien Claude, Emilien Claude, Florent Claude, Paula Botet, Sarah Vieuille, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot.
Tourist sites: "Visages de Jehanne" interpretation centre in Domrémy-la-Pucelle, Jeanne d'Arc House and the Bois Chenu basilica, Gallo-Roman archaeological site of Grand, Théâtre du Peuple in Bussang, Epinal Imagery, Les Hautes Mynes in Le Thillot, The Abbeys of Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, Le Tétras 1139 at the Col de la Schlucht and its interpretation centre, René Pottier Stele in Saint Maurice sur Moselle. 4 spa resorts: Bains-les-Bains, Contrexéville, Plombières-les-Bains and Vittel. Skiing in Gérardmer and La Bresse.
Festivals: International Geography Festival in Saint-Dié, Les Imaginales (festival of imaginary worlds) in Epinal, Fantastic'art Festival (fantasy film) and daffodil festival in Gérardmer, the Festival of the Abbeys of Senones, Moyenmoutier and Etival, Saint-Dié (now a cathedral) and Autrey Abbey, and the Festival of Joan of Arc in Domrémy.
Economy: industrial gems in the wood and paper industry such as Henryot & Cie and the famous paper manufacturer Clairefontaine in Etival. Numerous artisans, including the luthier artisans of Mirecourt. More recent companies such as IN'BÔ, a leader in the manufacture of wooden glasses, skateboards and bamboo bicycles using local and bio-based resources. The textile industry is also renowned in the Vosges (Garnier-Thiébaut, Le Jaquard Français, etc.). The Vosges department has developed the Je Vois la Vie en Vosges brand.
Websites and social media: www.vosges.fr / www.tourisme.vosges.fr / https://jevoislavieenvosges.com / https://foret.vosges.fr / https://bike.vosges.fr
Km 69.7
Ventron (Pop. 800)
Ventron ski resort
The centre of the village of Ventron is located at an altitude of 640 metres. The Ermitage Frère Joseph ski resort, also known as Les Pistes de Ventron, is located 4 kilometres from the centre, at an altitude of 900 metres (the slopes range from 900 to 1,100 metres in altitude).
Km 79.2
Bussang (Pop. 1,260)
Discovered on the mountainside, the mineral waters of Bussang transformed the town into a spa resort. The water is ferruginous and restorative, recommended for combating anaemia. In the mid-19th century, a modern spa was built. In 1908 and 1909, analyses revealed that Bussang water contained radioactive elements. This was rather well received and the advertising boasted "the most radioactive water in France". After several incidents of contamination, the bottling plant closed in 1971, making way for a lemonade factory, which in turn went out of business in the late 1980s. A fountain located at an altitude of 731 metres, near the Bussang Pass, is presented as the official source of the Moselle, but it is formed by the confluence of several streams, some of which spring from more than 1,000 metres above sea level on the slopes of the Grand Drumont.
Théâtre du Peuple
Construction: 1895.
History: in 1895, Maurice Pottecher created an open-air stage on the mountainside. Spectators stood in the meadow. The following year, the stage was covered, then Maurice Pottecher opened up the back of the stage to nature with two large sliding doors in order to "purify art through contact with nature". Benches were built to seat 2,000 spectators. Electricity was installed in 1904, then in 1921 a closed auditorium was built with a capacity of just over a thousand seats; the audience was finally sheltered by a roof in 1924. Dressing rooms were installed in 1945, sewing workshops in 1950, and a set construction workshop in 1986. In 1994, the theatre's original entrance was rebuilt. During the 1950s, the theatre was run by Pierre Richard-Willm, a renowned film actor who was also a multi-talented artist: pianist, set designer and theatre director. The professional actors who came to perform in Bussang were not paid but lived in a community during the month of rehearsals and the month of performances, with all meals taken together. Julie Delille has been the theatre's director since 2023.
Characteristics: The Théâtre du Peuple is built entirely of wood and can seat up to 900 people. The vaulted ceiling resembles an upturned ship. The backdrop opens onto the Vosges forest. This atmosphere lends a certain conviviality to the theatre. However, during evening performances, the temperature can drop very low: it is not uncommon to see regulars equipped with duvets. For this reason, the theatre traditionally did not offer performances in winter. This constraint of the cold was used for the first time in January 2007, when spectators were invited to come dressed warmly to see a play with an icy atmosphere.
Trivia: Maurice Pottecher's nephew was Frédéric Pottecher, a famous court reporter on television and then on Europe 1.
Listed as: historic monument in 1976.
Km 84
Saint-Maurice-sur-Moselle (see stage 13)
Km 94.4
Ballon d'Alsace (1,247 m)
Ridden 28 times, the Ballon d'Alsace was the first major pass taken by the Tour de France riders in 1905. René Pottier was in the lead there and repeated the feat the following year, the year of his Tour victory. A plaque pays tribute to the man who committed suicide a few months after this victory in January 1907. Eddy Merckx was the first to reach the summit in 1969. In 2023, Giulio Ciccone first at the top during the last stage of the men's Tour de France. The women's Tour also came to Ballon d'Alsace in 2022, with Spain's Margarita Victoria García leading the breakaway to reach the summit first.
René Pottier
Born on 6 June 1879 in Moret-sur-Loing and died on 25 January 1907 in Levallois-Perret, he won the 1906 Tour de France, during which he won five stages. Blessed with exceptional endurance, he particularly excelled in tandem events. He notably won the Bol d'Or, a 24-hour track race, and finished twice on the podium at Paris-Roubaix. The first rider at the top of the Col du Ballon d'Alsace in the 1905 Tour de France, he was considered the first "king of the mountains" of the Tour following this feat. His professional career lasted only two years: he committed suicide by hanging himself in the premises of his team, Peugeot, just a few months after his victory in the Tour de France, without leaving any explanation. The theory that he died of a broken heart was widely supported by the press, as well as by his brother André, also a cyclist. Others put forward the theory that the champion suffered from nervous exhaustion due to the harsh nature of cycling.
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region
Departments: Côte d'Or, Doubs, Jura, Nièvre, Haute-Saône, Saône-et-Loire, Yonne, Territoire de Belfort
Population: 2.8 million.
Prefecture: Dijon
Area: 47,784 km²
Specialities: Burgundy and Maconnais wines, Jura wines, cheeses (Comté, Mont d'Or, Morbier, Bleu de Gex, Cancoillotte), beef bourguignon, Bresse poultry, kir.
Sports clubs: FC Sochaux-Montbéliard, AJ Auxerre, FC Gueugnon (football), Elan Sportif Chalonnais, JDA Dijon (basketball), Jeanne d'Arc Dijon (handball).
Competitions: motor racing at the Dijon-Prenois circuit, Franck Pineau cyclosportive in Auxerre
Economy: automotive (Peugeot-Montbéliard), Alstom, General Electric (rail), steel, mining, parachemistry, pharmaceuticals, electronics, plastics, paper, mechanical and automotive industries, agriculture (cereals, beet, cattle farming, cheese). Forestry. Watchmaking. Tourism.
Festivals: Eurockéennes de Belfort, Beaune Hospices Charity Auction, Grandes Heures de Cluny, Rencontres Musicales in Vézelay, Ecrans de l'Aventure in Dijon, Dijon International and Gastronomic Fair, Fenêtres sur Courts in Dijon. Courbet Bicentennial. Besançon Early Music Festival.
Tourist attractions: Fontenay Abbey, Vézelay Basilica, Notre-Dame-du-Haut Chapel in Ronchamp, Burgundy vineyards, Besançon Citadel, Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy in Dijon, Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans, Autun Cathedral, Guédelon Castle, Hospices de Beaune, Citadel and Lion of Belfort, Cluny Abbey, Ballon d'Alsace, Solutré Rock.
Websites and social media: www.bourgognefranchecomte.fr
Territoire de Belfort (90)
Population: 140,120
Prefecture: Belfort
Area: 609 km²
Specialities: Munster AOP (cheese), cancoillotte (cheese), blueberries, toutché (potato cake), Belflore (cake), crottes du Lion (chocolates), facettes du Territoire ( chocolates), pattes du Lion (bread), La Rebelle (beer), épaule du Ballon (lamb)
Sport: hiking, horse riding, mountain biking, cycle touring, paragliding, tree climbing, golf, downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowboarding, water sports at the Malsaucy water sports centre (dinghy sailing, canoeing, windsurfing, kayaking, rowing and stand-up paddleboarding), fishing.
Competitions: Belfort Triathlon, Lion Half Marathon, Belfort Cycling Tour, Lion Enduro, BelforTrail-GiroTrail
Festivals: Les Eurockéennes, International University Music Festival, Les Flâneries d'été, Entrevues International Film Festival, storytelling and theatre companies, Solstice de la Marionnette, Impetus Festival.
Economy: Cutting-edge industrial hub with Alstom, General Electric and PSA nearby, competitiveness clusters focused on mobility and microtechnology, Techn'Hom and La Jonxion business parks, business tourism
Websites and social media: www.territoiredebelfort.fr / www.belfort-tourisme.com / www.facebook.com/cd90.fr / www.facebook.com/belfort.tourisme.officiel / twitter.com/Departement_90
Km 96.7
Lepuix (see stage 13)
Grand Est region
Departments: Ardennes, Aube, Marne, Haute-Marne, Meurthe-et-Moselle, Meuse, Moselle, Bas-Rhin, Haut-Rhin, Vosges
Population: 5.56 million inhabitants
Prefecture: Strasbourg
Area: 57,441 km²
Specialities: champagne, sauerkraut, Alsace wines, Nancy black pudding, Rethel white pudding, flammekueche, kouglof, Ardennes dry ham, rum baba, mirabelle plums, quiche lorraine, Commercy madeleines.
Sports clubs: RC Strasbourg, Stade de Reims, FC Metz, AS Nancy-Lorraine, ESTAC Troyes, FC Mulhouse (football), SIG Strasbourg, SLUC Nancy Basket (basketball), Etoile Noire de Strasbourg, Scorpions de Mulhouse (ice hockey)
Competitions: Moselle Open, Strasbourg International Tennis Tournament (tennis), Reims International Show Jumping, Boucles de la Marne, Stanislas Meeting, Colmar Marathon, Paris-Colmar (athletics)
Economy: automotive (PSA Mulhouse and Trémery, Renault in Batilly, Bugatti, Smart), steel (Arcelor Mittal in Florange), luxury goods (Lalique), aerospace (Clemessy in Mulhouse), railways, banking (Crédit Mutuel), agriculture, beer, wine production (Champagne, Alsace wines). Tourism.
Festivals: Christmas markets in Strasbourg and Colmar, Saint Nicholas celebrations in Nancy, Livre sur la place in Nancy, Colmar book fair, Saint-Louis book forum, RenaissanceS festival in Bar-le-Duc, Sedan medieval festival, Saint-Dié-les-Vosges international geography festival, Gérardmer fantasy film festival.
Tourist attractions: Place Stanislas in Nancy, Grande Île in Strasbourg, Reims Cathedral, Saint-Rémi Basilica and Tau Archiepiscopal Palace in Reims, Notre-Dame de l'Epine Basilica, Longwy and Neuf-Brisach citadels, Champagne hills, Claude et Duval factory in Saint-Dié-les-Vosges, Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, Centre Pompidou Metz, École de Nancy, Christmas markets.
Website: www.grandest.fr
Haut-Rhin (68)
Population: 770,738
Prefecture: Colmar
Sub-prefectures: Mulhouse, Altkirch, Guebwiller, Ribeauvillé, Thann
Area: 3,525 km
Specialities: Alsace wines, sauerkraut, Munster cheese, fried carp from the Sungdau, fleischschnacka (pasta and minced meat), melfor (vinegar).
Major clubs: FC Mulhouse, Mulhouse Scorpions (ice hockey). Mulhouse Olympic Natation.
Competitions: Colmar International Fencing Tournament, Colmar Grand Prix (track cycling) Festivals: Colmar Christmas Market, Colmar Book Festival, Colmar Musicals, Colmar International Classical Music Festival, Mulhouse Motor Show, Bête de Scène in Mulhouse.
Tourist attractions: Train City and Automobile City (Mulhouse), Alsace Ecomuseum (Ungersheim), Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, collegiate churches (Thann and Colmar), villages of Hunawihr, Eguisheim and Riquewihr.
Economy: agriculture (rapeseed, wheat, corn, wine), automotive, textiles, tourism
Websites and social media: www.haut-rhin.fr
Km 103.5
Lake Alfeld
Lake Alfeld is a dam lake in the municipality of Sewen, on the eastern slope of Ballon d'Alsace. The reservoir covers an area of approximately 10 hectares. The lake was formed by glacial erosion, and a dam was built by the Germans in 1883. The lake is a water reserve in case of shortages for the rivers in the Doller Valley. Lake Alfeld is a popular place for walks (fishing is permitted). In summer, it attracts many visitors, but diving and swimming are at your own risk.
Km 106.4
Lake Sewen
This lake is one of the few glacial lakes in the Alsatian Vosges and, according to geologists, the most intact. Overgrown with peat, it now covers 6 hectares, compared to more than 30 at the end of the 14th century. The flora and fauna are protected, and the presence of beavers and carnivorous plant species such as sundews makes this lake a place of study for botanists and zoologists. Will-o'-the-wisps can sometimes be seen lighting up the peaty shores in warm, humid weather. Swimming is prohibited. According to legend, Lake Sewen is haunted and has no bottom.
Km 114.1
Masevaux-Niederbruck (Pop: 3,600)
The commune was created from the merger of the two communes of Masevaux and Niederbruck. The Church of Saint Martin in Niederbruck has been listed as a historic monument since 1937, as has the 18th-century town hall. Masevaux developed around an 8th-century abbey, of which only the choir of the church, part of the south side chapel and the buildings of the canonesses remain.
Masevaux Abbey
Founded: 8th century.
History: Masevaux Abbey was founded by Prince Mason, brother of Count Eberhard, who created Murbach Abbey. This Benedictine monastery was transformed into a chapter of noble ladies under the direction of an abbess. The first church was built between 720 and 780, then replaced by a Romanesque-style church. The choir was rebuilt in the second half of the 14th century. This church existed until 1859, when the nave was destroyed by fire, while the choir was converted into a cantonal court in 1881. Since 1990, it has housed the offices of the community of communes' tourist office. The rest of the buildings have been converted into housing.
Listed as: the chapel has been listed as a historic monument since 1898.
Km 135.1
Moosch (Pop: 1,600)
Moosch National Necropolis
Construction: 1921
History: the 3,096 m² necropolis was built on sloping ground. It contains 594 bodies in individual graves. Most of the soldiers buried in this cemetery died in the ambulances (mobile hospitals) of Moosch, wounded or killed in the battles of Vieil-Armand, the Thur Valley and the Doller Valley.The graves of General Serret, Captain Amic and Richard Hall, a volunteer with the American Field Service, are located in this necropolis.
Listed as: historic monument in 1923.
Km 135.2
Saint-Amarin (Pop. 2,170)
Serret Museum
Serret was the general who commanded the terrible battles of Hartmannswillerkopf. The museum inherited his name and history. It is housed in the former courthouse, which became a "mobile military hospital" during the early battles of 1914. The entire ground floor is devoted to the Vosges front from 1914 to 1918 and the Alsatian resistance from 1940 to 1945. The valley and its history... We are here on the grounds of the former Murbach Abbey, which also founded a glassworks, a unique collection of which is housed in the museum. Other excavated objects come from the castles of Friedburg and Wildenstein.
Km 149.4
Haag Pass (1,233 m)
This 11.2 km climb at 7.3 pc is a first for the Tour de France. Only open to vehicles since 1960, it has been restored and transformed into a greenway since 2022 with the stated aim of hosting the Tour de France.
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