The best cycling routes around Sankt Bernhard

A picturesque mountain lake at the foot of the Ballon d'Alsace, surrounded by forests and steep slopes. 🚴‍♂️🏞️⛰️

Een karakteristieke dorpskerk met opvallende torenspits en ommuurde begraafplaats, gelegen in het centrum van Sewen.

The Doller-fietspad (Voie Verte de la Vallée de la Doller) between Masevaux and Sewen largely follows a former railway line through the Doller valley in the southern Vosges. The route is approximately 10 to 12 km long, almost entirely car-free and asphalted. The gradient towards Sewen is very gradual, around 1%, making it a pleasant approach to the surroundings of the Ballon d'Alsace.

Altkirch Altkirch is the historic capital of the Sundgau and lies on a striking rocky spur above the valley of the Ill. The town's origins date back to the Middle Ages. The Counts of Ferrette built Altkirch into a fortified town; from 1215 onwards, it was protected by town walls and towers. The characteristic layout, narrow streets, and remnants of the fortifications have been preserved from this medieval town plan to this day. Particularly worth seeing is the Vieille Porte, a former town gate from around 1245. For centuries, Altkirch was an important administrative and commercial center of the Sundgau. After the destructions of the Thirty Years' War, numerous buildings were newly erected. The representative town hall dates from the 18th century, built in 1778 according to plans by the Swabian architect Jean Nissler. In the 19th century, the town continued to develop: alongside its traditional importance as a market and trading place, industrial enterprises emerged, including the well-known Gilardoni brickworks. The 20th century also left its mark. After the First World War, Altkirch became part of the re-Frenchified Alsace. The memory of this period is evident, among other things, at the Vieille Porte, where a Borne Vauthier commemorates the former front line of 1918. The original Altkirch war memorial from 1927 was destroyed during the German occupation in the Second World War; preserved parts were later integrated into a new memorial. Today, Altkirch, with around 6,000 inhabitants, is an important center of the Sundgau. The historic upper town with its old houses, remnants of fortifications, the town hall, and the Sundgau Museum continues to shape the townscape. Source: Ville d’Altkirch – History of the town

Bahnhof Burnhaupt-le-Haut The Bahnhof Burnhaupt-le-Haut is located on the former railway line from Cernay to Sewen, which led through the Dollertal. The line was built in the 19th century and was of great importance for passenger and freight transport in the region. During the First World War, the station gained particular strategic importance. Burnhaupt was located immediately behind or close to the front line between German and French troops. The railway was used to transport soldiers, weapons, ammunition, and other supplies. Due to the fighting, the station was heavily damaged. After the war, the station building was rebuilt between 1921 and 1923. A building typical of the region with elements of Alsatian architecture was created. The station has largely been preserved to this day and serves as a reminder of the importance of the railway for the region's development and the destruction of the First World War. Regular passenger service on the line was discontinued in 1967, and the line was later closed. Part of the former railway line is now operated as a museum railway by Train Thur Doller Alsace. Historic locomotives and wagons run on the line through the Dollertal, making the history of the railway tangible for visitors. The Bahnhof Burnhaupt-le-Haut is therefore not only a former transport hub, but also a historic site where the history of the region, the railway, and the First World War converge. Further information and historical photos: Train Thur Doller Alsace – Bahnhof Burnhaupt

At the gate, a so-called Borne Vauthier can be seen in the middle. These memorial stones mark the course of the Western Front in World War I and, in particular, the position that German troops had reached on July 18, 1918 – the furthest extent of their advance at that time. The stones are named after the French sculptor and former soldier Paul Moreau-Vauthier. A total of 118 such Bornes were created between 1921 and 1927: 96 in France and 22 in Belgium. Originally, significantly more locations were planned. The stones were erected along a front line from the Belgian coast to the Franco-Swiss border. The monoliths, about one meter high, are mostly made of pink granite. On their top, there is a soldier's helmet on a laurel wreath. The sides depict typical soldier's equipment, including a gas mask, a canteen, and hand grenades. Many stones bear the inscription “Ici fut repoussé l’envahisseur 1918” – “Here the invader was repulsed in 1918”. The Bornes Vauthier are therefore not only monuments but also historical landmarks: they make the former front line visible in the terrain and commemorate the battles of 1918. However, it is important to note that they are not located exactly on the former front line everywhere, as some stones were moved for practical reasons, for example, to roads or intersections.

calm and well-rolling section

Altkirch is definitely worth a visit. The small town in Sundgau boasts a diverse architectural heritage that reflects its medieval and religious history. The Priory of Saint-Morand, the church Notre-Dame, the old city walls, and various medieval ruins bear witness to this richness.