LE MARKSTEIN
Mountain resort in Haut-Rhin (68) New stage site
Altitude: 1,040 to 1,265 m
Population: 1,260 in Oderen (the commune to which the resort belongs). 12,700 in the 15 communes of the Saint-Amarin valley Community of communes.
Specialities: Alsatian specialities, bäckeoffe, sauerkraut...
Personalities: Serge Lang (1920-1999, creator of the Ski World Cup, he covered the Tour de France more than 40 times for daily newspaper La Suisse). Catherine Hubscher (aka Madame Sans Gêne).
Sport: skiing, cycling. Wesserling equestrian centre. Tour of the Saint-Amarin valley (walking)
Economy: tourism, winter and summer sports.
Heritage: ND du Bon-Secours chapel in Oderen, Saint-Nicolas church in Oderen, Lautenbach collegiate church, Moulin vivarium in Lautenbach, Seebach waterfall, Wildenstein castle in Kruth. Lake Lauch.
Festivals: Amarinois Jazz Festival. Hiking Festival of Haut-Alsace.
Websites: https://hautes-vosges-alsace.fr/fr/ / https://ccvsa.fr/ / https://www.lemarkstein.net/fr/
LE MARKSTEIN AND CYCLING
It was on the climb to Le Markstein last year that Annemiek van Vleuten built up her historic victory in the first edition of the Tour de France Femmes with Zwift. The Dutch rider went solo from the very first hill and outclassed all her rivals to reach the Vosges ski resort more than three minutes ahead of Demi Vollering and more than five minutes ahead of her other rivals. The Tour was over and an exceptional season was about to begin for the forty-year-old, winner of the three major Tours and the world championship! This winter sports resort forms a cross-country skiing complex with the Breitfirst site and the toll Nordic high route, which also links it to the Grand Ballon. It was a stage in the Ski World Cup in 1983 and 1987, and twice saw the legendary Swedish slalom skier Ingemar Stenmark win. In the men's Tour in 2014, Tony Martin led a long breakaway between Gérardmer and Mulhouse to lead at the summit. In 2019, it was Belgian Tim Wellens who was leading the way at the top. Le Markstein has also hosted three Tour d'Alsace finishes.
SIGHTS
Serret Museum (in Saint-Amarin, 11 km away)
Serret was the general who commanded the terrible fighting at Hartmannswillerkopf. The museum inherited his name and history. It is housed in the former courthouse, which became the "mobile military hospital" as soon as the first fighting broke out in 1914. The entire ground floor is devoted to the Vosges front from 1914-18 and the Alsatian Resistance from 1940-45. The Valley, its history... We are here on the land of the former abbey of Murbach, which also founded a glassworks, of which the museum has a unique collection. Other excavated objects come from the châteaux of Friedbourg and Wildenstein.
Château de Wildenstein (16 km away)
Construction: 14th century.
Style: fortified castle.
Features: situated on a rocky outcrop of glacial origin, access to the castle is via a 20-metre-long tunnel dug into the rock. Two round towers, ramparts and remains of the stable.
History: in 1312, the Count of Ferrette, protector of Murbach Abbey, was authorised to build a castle on Mount Wildenstein and cede it in fief to the Sires of Bollwiller. When the Ferrette family died out in 1324, their heirs, the Habsburgs, saw little 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, was used as a stone quarry.
Current use: since 2006, it has been the subject of archaeological excavations and restoration work.
Vivarium du Moulin (16 km away)
Get to know insects, tarantulas, centipedes and other creatures. A wide variety of arthropods, most of them from tropical regions, occupy the three levels of this former mill.
Saint-Michel-et-Gangolphe collegiate church in Lautenbach (17 km away)
Construction: 11th, 12th and 19th centuries.
Style: Romanesque.
History: the former collegiate church of Saint-Michel-et-Gangolphe has undergone numerous transformations 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, implemented by the 19th-century architect are questionable, 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.
Lake Kruth (19 km away)
Surrounded by forests and the highest peaks in the Vosges mountains, Lake Kruth offers a relaxing and exotic setting in which to unwind all year round. Whether in the air, on land or in the water, there are numerous activities organised around the lake: swimming, canoeing, pedal-boating, tree climbing, fishing, climbing, scuba diving, etc. You can also discover the flora and fauna of the Vosges, the ruins of Wildenstein castle or the Bockloch and Vorderbocklochruntz waterfalls.
Wesserling Park (20 km away)
Wesserling Park, covering an area of 42 hectares, is part of a heritage and innovative environment. It comprises five sumptuous gardens listed as Remarkable Gardens: a regular garden, an English park, Mediterranean terraces, a vegetable garden and the farm's rural park. Wesserling Park is an integral part of local life. Its former multi-functional role (as a place to work and live) has been maintained, with the addition of a leisure and tourism function: walks, textile eco-museum, gardens, artists workshops, pocket theatre, designers pavilion... In this green setting, numerous events take place throughout the year: the mixed gardens festival, Christmas in the Gardens, concerts, plays, art and cultural exhibitions.
TO EAT
Bäckeoffe
Stew made from potatoes and three meats marinated in Alsatian white wine and cooked in a terrine for 24 hours (literally meaning "bread oven"). The Alsatian Lutheran Protestant denomination respects the Old Testament tradition of the Sabbath. Baeckeoffe was inspired by hamin, a traditional Jewish Sabbath dish.
