Circular route to the north of Sentheim

Head to Sentheim (Haut-Rhin). On the Grand Rue, turn right or left depending on which direction you’re coming from, onto Rue du Tissage, and head towards the banks of the Doller: look out for signs for the industrial estate – geological trail. Park in the car park on the right before the bridge.

(S/E) Cross the bridge, whose parapets are covered with information panels on the formation of the earth.

(1)Take the first path on the right (marked with a Yellow Ring and Green Disc) until you reach a small crossroads with the first station of the Way of the Cross.

(2) Turn left to follow this path marked with a Yellow Ring and Red Triangle. At station no. 2, look out for the small path on your right leading to the entrance of a small cavity that turns out to be a sort of bunker:it is in fact a former French army telephone exchange built during the First World War. Resume the route by following the path marked by the Stations of the Cross, up to the Virgin of Rollenberg.

(3) Continue for about fifty metres, then turn left to cross a large pasture. At the edge of the pasture, walk along the edge of the woods, taking in the beautiful view of the Alsace plain on a clear day.

(4) Turn left again and, via a good path lined with watchtowers, you’ll reach the fitness trail. 

(5) Turn left: benches and tables are available. At the far end of the car park, follow the path marked with a Yellow Ring and a Red Rectangle crossed with White to the right. You’ll reach a lovely tarmac road with numerous signposts. 

(6) Cross it and take the path almost opposite, following only the Red Rectangle with a White Rectangle, which climbs notably to La Roche du Poilu. Join a forest track. 

(7) Follow it to the right for about fifty metres, negotiating the bend, then leave it to rejoin the marked path on the left. Continue the relatively gentle climb through the forest to reach the junction with the forest track leading up from Bourbach.

(8) Turn left, follow this track keeping to the Red Rectangle with a white bar markings, now accompanied by the Yellow Triangle. 

(9) Turn left again, following only the Yellow Triangle.First follow a logging track which quickly gives way to a narrow path where the climb becomes a little steeper. After a hairpin bend, cross the forest road and take the path opposite, which continues to climb to a small junction. 

(10) Turn left to reach, a little further on, the Rocher du Poilu with its viewpoint and well-maintained area. Return to the path, turn left and climb to the summit of the Buchberg, which you reach after 300 m on a fairly steep slope (around 17%). At 762 m, this is the highest point of this hike. Continue to the viewpoint over Masevaux: opposite, the Sudel, the Ballon Saint-Nicolas and the Barenkopf. 

(11) Retrace your steps slightly, descend to the right for about 150 m, then take the Yellow Triangle trail on the left, which follows the boundary between the municipalities. Note the boundary marker for the four municipalities in the middle of the path:Lauw, Masevaux, Bourbach-le-Haut & Bourbach-le-Bas. Continue descending, following the Yellow Triangle markings, to the Gros Chêne.

(12) Opposite the tree, take the wrong path (Yellow Triangle and Yellow Disc) which descends to the Saegenkopf-Hütte refuge : a very welcoming and pleasant spot for a picnic, with tables, benches and even a barbecue. 

(13) Behind the chalet, take the path leading towards Sentheim, marked with a Yellow Disc. 

(14) At the next junction, follow the left-hand branch (still Yellow Disc) to reach the mining site. Cross the nature trail, stop for a moment to read the information on the explanatory panel and continue to the Miners’ Chapel.

(15) Follow the path marked with a Yellow Ring and Yellow Triangle to the right (south-east), which later passes close to a beautiful mine entrance. At the crossroads, turn left at a 90° angle to reach a large pasture. 

(16) At the end of this, back at the edge of the woods, turn left following the Yellow Ring + Blue Triangle markings. Continue to the junction with the geological site discovery trail. 

(17) Head down to the right via the metal staircase and follow the route marked by cliffs, rocks and caves, all accompanied by small information boards. At the end of the path, follow the flat track along the edge of the woodland to reach a good road opposite a bench. 

(18) Turn right, follow the connecting path (Blue Triangle), noting the small, often neglected gardens on the left.

(1) Cross the bridge to reach the car park where you started (S/E). 

Picnic breaks are possible at the fitness trail (5), at La Roche du Poilu (10), at Gros Chêne (12) or, better still, at the shelter of Saegenkopf-Hütte (13). 

(2) Way of the Cross

The history of this path dates back to the^First World War. Indeed, French soldiers dug it to transport the necessary ammunition to the Aspach front. After the battle of 19 June 1940, which resulted in no casualties, the inhabitants of Sentheim vowed to thank God for sparing them. Thus, on 9 March 1945, Father Riotte proposed to the Municipal Council that a chapel and a Way of the Cross be erected. The chapel was never built. However, the fourteen stations, carved from Saales sandstone, were installed in the valley and blessed on 14 September.

After (2) Telephone exchange

At the start of the First World War, the front stabilised around Burnhaupt-le-Haut and Cernay. The Masevaux valley remained French. The general staff set up in Senthem and required telephone links. A switchboard was dug out beneath Rollenberg hill, sheltered from German artillery. The shelter consists of a tunnel approximately 25 m long, connected to the outside by three entrance corridors. The walls and vaults are lined with bricks.

(3) Our Lady of Rollenberg

The monument depicts the Virgin Mary holding out the Baby Jesus towards humanity to call for peace; the statue, carved from Jura stone, is set upon a plinth of Sundgau stone. This project was completed in 1966 and the blessing of Our Lady of Rollenberg took place on 15 August 1966 by the Dean, Father Kueny of Masevaux.

(10) Rocher du Poilu

The Rocher du Poilu is a promontory on the slope of the Buchberg. From here, there is an exceptional view over the Alsace plain. This site, where remains can still be seen, notably the built-up position of the lookout, served as an observation post for the French army towards the German front during the 1914–1918 war.

(12) The Great Oak

Known as the Gros Chêne de Masevaux, this magnificent tree has a circumference of over 4.50 m. 

(14) The Mining Trail

It was in the 18th century that a few residents of Sentheim decided to explore the area in search of coal. A 60 cm seam was discovered but proved difficult to exploit. Later, industrialists from the region, such as those from Mulhouse, took an interest in this exploration work (1870 to 1903), which ultimately came to nothing. Potash had just been discovered in the lowlands, and the lignite from Ronchamp-Belfort was sufficient to meet local needs. A blackish spoil heap remains on the hillside, with no access to the excavated areas. Only a few furrows, which must have led to the beginnings of tunnels, are still visible.

(15) Miners’ Chapel

Originally, a chapel was built in the 17th century by the miners; it was, in fact, the focal point of the hamlet of Knapphütte. It was first restored in 1867, shortly after the mines were abandoned: damaged by the explosion of an anti-tank mine at the end of the Second World War, it gradually fell into ruin, eventually disappearing completely. In 1985, during roadworks, the foundations were discovered, featuring beautiful paving and the remains of an altar. Local councillors agreed to alter the route of the road and encouraged the restoration of this small oratory. Most of the work was carried out by volunteers and the ‘Trolls’ association.

Between (15) and (16) Iron mine

It was towards the end of the 17th century that iron ore in the form of goethite grains was found in the upper reaches of the massif. The site was worked by a colony of miners, most of whom were of Swiss origin. The ore was destined for the blast furnaces in the Masevaux valley. This gallery, dug into the barren rock (known as a ‘travers-banc’), is175 metreslongand opens onto two large veins: it served both to drain infiltrating water during rain and to remove excavated spoil. The veins were mined from the surface, and all these upper sections were filled in when operations ceased in 1860.

(17) Geological trail

With its numerous stops, the Sentheim geological trail recounts 350 million years of our region’s history and the evolution of geological time. From the tropical seas of the Jurassic period to the great glaciations of the Quaternary, from the Rossberg volcanoes to the collapse of the Alsatian rift. Further information and guided tours: Maison de la géologie in Sentheim. Tel: 03 69 77 12 41. geologie.sentheim@estvideo.fr

Information gathered on site and from various websites.