The Alsace-Moselle Memorial is located in the Vosges Mountains, in Schirmeck, at the heart of the Bruche Valley.
This area offers countless nature experiences to explore on foot or by bike. Two Natura 2000 zones, preserving unique fauna and flora, extend across this territory.
The Natzweiler-Struthof concentration camp memorial (Natzwiller)
Now bringing together the former Natzweiler concentration camp, the national necropolis, and the European Center of Deported Resistance Members, this site bears witness to the history of deportation in Europe and the repressive policies implemented by the Nazi authorities during the Second World War.
Fort de Mutzig – Feste Kaiser Wilhelm II (Mutzig)
The largest reinforced, armored, and electrified fort in Europe in 1914, Fort de Mutzig was built during the German period, starting in 1893. Only part of the fort is open to visitors today, offering a 2 km discovery trail, half of which runs through underground galleries.
Oberlin Museum (Waldersbach)
Located in the former home of Jean Frédéric Oberlin, this museum traces the life of the 18th-century pastor, botanist, educator, and defender of human rights. By developing a social model centered on educating individuals within their environment, he created in 1769 the “knitting schools,” small schools that take into account the child’s pace and needs.
Hikers and cycling enthusiasts can explore the area via around 450 km of marked trails, including the three GR routes and various themed circuits such as the smugglers’ trail, the Memory and Human Rights trail, and more.
The Bruche Valley Tourist Office actively promotes these sites and enhances the appeal of this destination. Local accommodation providers and restaurateurs will be delighted to welcome you to their hotels, guesthouses, cottages, and group lodgings, helping you discover the region’s cultural, natural, and gastronomic treasures.
If your stay leads you to explore other Alsatian valleys and plains, there is no shortage of ideas for visits: Strasbourg and its cathedral, Colmar and its “Little Venice,” the Alsace Wine Route, memorial sites, and the region’s typical flower-filled towns and villages (Eguisheim, Kaysersberg, Obernai, Hunspach…), as well as the Northern Vosges Regional Natural Park. Alsace Destination Tourisme will help guide your search.
The Grand Est region is also rich in cultural and tourist sites, offering excellent opportunities to discover the area.