There are two large geological formations which are easily distinguishable from each other and which are protected by the creation of two regional nature parks: the Northern Vosges and the Higher Vosges. The Vosges act as a natural barrier against the oceanic disturbances coming from the west. The Regional Nature Park of the Northern Vosges boasts a rich natural heritage. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. The Northern Vosges, known as “Vosges gréseuses” (the sandstone Vosges), begin in the north of Donon and are made up mostly of red sandstone. Explore history. Town Hall of Wissembourg © French Moments. He grew up in France and Germany and has also lived in Australia and England. In 1955, Famous Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier completed a chapel with lines equally modest and bold, on an ancient site of the Ronchamp pilgrimage in Franche-Comté. Some blog posts and pages may contain affiliate or sponsored links. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The Eiffel Tower Discovery Course is here! If you travel from Australia or America, you could either take a flight to Paris Charles de Gaulle, Zurich or Frankfurt Airports and rent a car from there. Climate change threatens … In fact, it is difficult to talk about the Vosges without mentioning the mineral waters (Contrexéville and Vittel), the Épinal prints, the Mirecourt stringed instrument making, as well as the luminous purity and unrivalled finesse of Baccarat crystal. The Vosges forest is not for nothing, it is its abundance that is at the origin of the manufacture of wooden toys, but also of the famous crystal of Baccarat, whose elegance crosses the centuries since 1764, and the Christmas balls of Meisenthal, in glass blown to the mouth. A tunnel will soon be built to let the TGV pass through, linking the Alsatian capital to Paris in a journey of less than two hours. Description of the Vosges mountains. The Vosges mountains are home to a variety of fauna, including deer, roe, wild boars, badgers, foxes, marten, stoats and chamois. (Grandes Randonnées) allow visitors to travel across the entire mountain range on foot from Wissembourg in the north to Belfort in the south, over nearly 300 kilometres. While many English-speakers may not be familiar with the Vosges mountains, the same certainly cannot be said for some of the names and brands that come from the region. The forest covers 65% of the area and is home to a variety of fauna. It winds through the Alsatian vineyards from north to south and is undoubtedly France’s most beautiful tourist route, featuring charming villages and countryside, which are characteristic of the foothills of the Vosges (Le Piedmont des Vosges). Day 1 - St-Dié-des-Vosges - Schirmeck. It is also the only one to have a highway running through it: the autoroute A4, which links Paris to Strasbourg. Take a second to support French Moments on Patreon! As for the legendary bears, they have been extinct since 1760 when the last animal was killed over the Munster Valley. The uniqueness of the Vosges mountains lies in the slope of its two sides: it is steep on the Alsatian side and falls gently from the Lorraine and Franche-Comté side to merge with the Paris Basin. The expression “the blue line of the Vosges” is attributed to Jules Ferry (late 19th century) in the context of post-war 1870 when it served as a reminder to the French that on the other side of the mountains, Alsace was under German power. The Ballon d’Alsace (1,247m) overlooks the valley and is located on the borders of Alsace, Franche-Comté and Lorraine. The peaceful side of the Vosges did not hide the fact that the peoples, especially France and Germany, were fighting against each other in numerous combats. Click here to get your free copy now! The Higher Vosges, known as “the cristallines Vosges” (in reference to the granite cover of the mountains) feature the mountain range’s highest peaks, which often marks the border between Lorraine and Alsace. He was drafted into the army on February 27, 1941. The length of the road enters Lorraine at times, and Alsace at others. It is characterised by its undulating hills and landscapes dotted with glades and lakes. This corner of the Vosges marks the border between the Middle Vosges and Northern Vosges, and is full of interesting places to visit, including the small walled city of Phalsbourg; the Rocher de Dabo (Dabo Rock); the Rocher du Nutzkopf, and the castles of Haut-Barr and Lutzelbourg. The alpine flora is magnificent on the crests of the Vosges, where the temperatures are harsh. Hautes chaumes in the Vosges mountains © French Moments. The winters are cold and the summers cool (an average of 11°C compared to 20°C in the Alsace Plain). The Club Vosgien (Vogesenclub) was created in 1872 in Saverne by Richard Stieve. Transferred to France, his unit fought across Southern France to the Vosges Forest. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Key events. The mountain and forest … This blog © French Moments, 2012-2020 • All Rights Reserved • Developed by, Why you should visit the Vosges mountains. As such, the term “Alsace-Lorraine” refers not to a homogenous region, but rather the contrary; it was used to describe the geographic entity corresponding to the annexation of Alsace and of the Lorraine department of Moselle by Prussia. Of these peaks, the Grand Ballon (1,424 metres) is the culminating point of the Vosges. With its fortified castles, religious buildings and vestiges of war, the Vosges Mountains are a bridge between the past and the future. The vineyards of Niedermorschwihr, Alsace Wine Route © French Moments. Last but not least, Saverne is beautifully situated at the foothills of the Vosges and features magnificent half-timbered houses (including the Katz house) and the Rohan Castle (home to a wealthy family of cardinals). His unit fought the Germans in Italy at Salerno, Monte Cassino, Anzio, and Rome to the Arno River. There are some 50 km which separate the Lorraine town of Bitche from Wissembourg in Alsace. Just before entering Alsace, the ruined castle of Falkenstein stands on a rocky outcrop that overlooks the forest from 20 metres above. The Vosges mountains lie at the natural border between the Germanic and Latin language worlds and have shared in the history of both Alsace and Lorraine. This route also serves as a track linking Lorraine to Alsace. Located on the Rhine-Marne Canal near the Col de Saverne, it is somewhat of a giant bathtub (a trolley tray) for boats which allows for them to be transported over a 44.55 metre drop, and in doing so avoiding the need to cross 17 locks. The Doller Valley is one of the southernmost valleys of the Vosges, and has the small town of Masevaux as its capital. Yet this mountainous mass still offers a variety of landscapes, including glacial lakes, wet and high altitude meadows, deep valleys, waterfalls, cliffs and rocks. This blog is run by Pierre Guernier for French Moments Ltd, a company founded by Pierre and Rachel Guernier and based in the beautiful countryside of East Sussex, England. The Vosges are easily accessible by car from Alsace’s main cities Strasbourg, Colmar, and Mulhouse, as well as from the Lorraine town of Nancy and Metz. The historical border between Alsace and Lorraine, the Vosges Massif has always been defined by its huge forest coverage. Hiking in the Vosges mountains © French Moments. The most exposed façade is protected by cladding made of small wooden boards laid out in a fish scale pattern, known as the “essis”, while the hay in the attic guards against the cold. Thann is the southern gateway of the Route des Vins d’Alsace and owes its fame to the famous Rangen vineyard and the elegant silhouette of the Saint-Thiébaut gothic church. Once inside Alsace, you can see several castles that bore witness to the territorial fragmentation during the Middle Ages and the friction between the bishops of Speyer and Strasbourg, and the Dukes of Lorraine. The trails leave the forest to reveal the Vosges high-stubble at the heart of the Tanet-Gazon du Faing nature reserve. The G.R days to spend in Vosges, France on Tripadvisor on February 27,.... The past and the future was created in 1989 des Vosges Regional nature Park the! 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