Circular historical loop on the heights of Spicheren - Path of Remembrance

Departure from the car park of the restaurant "Chez Woll" opposite the imposing French War Memorial Cross.

(S/E) From the car park, follow the^GR® 5G and head south-west on the pavement to the end of the fenced field.

(1) At the signpost ("Les hauteurs de Spicheren" - marked "promenade et randonnée", yellow), turn left onto the gravel path that climbs uphill (towards Alsting). Pass between a Second World War American tank and a blockhouse called "Wotan". Stay on the beautiful path and enter a forest, which you will not leave until you reach the finish.

(2) After about 500 metres, at the junction of this path with the "walking and hiking" route, stay on the main path and continue straight ahead (east).

(3) At the crossroads, stay on the main path and continue straight ahead. After a left-hand bend, you will enter Germany (the border is marked by a barrier that is always raised and a section of wall). Continue straight ahead.

(4) At the crossroads, turn right onto the stabilised gravel path. After about 1 km, when you reach a clearing, continue straight ahead. The path narrows to become a track. The track descends, makes a sharp left turn and continues downhill.

(5) The track joins a path and German signposting (blue St Andrew's cross, "Saarland Rundwanderweg"). You will follow this signposting - which is sometimes faded - practically all the way to the finish. Follow the path and signposting to the left (west). Stay on the main path, which makes several turns.

(6) At the crossroads, enter the "Sonnenberg" private clinic. Continue to follow the blue cross markings. The path then becomes a tarmac road, which you should stay on as it descends to an elevated car park on the left.

(7) After the entrance (Einfahrt) to the car park, turn left (be careful, there are no more markings at this point!) and pass between the white technical buildings (on your right) and the car park (on your left). After about 100 metres, leave the clinic site. The road then becomes a path that leads back into the forest (view of Saarbrücken on the right). Continue along the path to the Keltenstein crossroads (Celtic stone, small stele on the left at the edge of the path).

(8) Cross the crossroads and continue straight ahead on the path marked with a blue cross, which begins to descend slightly towards the end.

(9) The path then joins a wider path and the "Saarbrücker Stadtrundweg" sign (Saarbrücken city tour, vertical white and red sign): take this path and follow the double Blue Cross and Red and White signs.

(10) At the crossroads between the path and the track, leave the main path by turning right and continuing along the double markings. You will then enter the site of the Battle of Spicheren (several monuments). Stay on the path that winds through the forest; you cannot go wrong.

(11) Note the beautiful commemorative column and, after about 200 metres, you will come to a clearing (with numerous monuments). Leave the double markings that descend to the right and take the path that branches off to the left, climbing very slightly between the trees. Pass between the commemorative monuments and return to the car park (S/E).

A few water sources along the way. Benches to rest on, some with tables. Bring water or water purification tablets and sturdy shoes.

Witnesses to the 1870 war, the Second World War and ancient history! A Franco-German journey to the heart of the history of our two countries!

(S/E) Site of the Battle of Spicheren in 1870 - French 1870 Memorial Cross and American World War II monument. Panorama of the town of Stiring-Wendel and its industrial mining heritage.

(1) We pass between an American M24 Chaffee tank and a Westerwall (or Siegfried Line, the German equivalent of the Maginot Line) blockhouse named "Wotan". Take the beautiful path and note the various blockhouses and trenches, remnants of the fighting in early 1945 for the capture of Saarbrücken. Note the remains of bunkers and trenches up to the German border, remnants of the terrible fighting for the defence and capture of Saarbrücken during the winter of 1944-1945.

Between (5) and (6), you will find yourself at a place called "Römischer Kopf". On this path, which follows the contour line, you will notice the remains of a very old paved road that probably led to an ancient Roman camp

(7). Leaving the clinic, you enter the grounds of a Celtic oppidum, the contours of which can be seen in winter. The grounds ended at the "Keltenstein". There is a beautiful view of Saarbrücken on the right, especially in winter and spring.

(10) At the crossroads, you enter the site of the Battle of Spicheren (6 August 1870), where, on returning to the starting point, you will see a cross marking a Prussian grave on the right-hand side of the path and, further on, a romantic-style monument. There are many monuments at the end of the walk.
In 1870, the site of the battle was not wooded.

(S/E) Near the car park is a mass grave where more than 1,000 soldiers from both nations who died on 6 August 1944 are buried. Nearly 4,000 soldiers lost their lives or were wounded on 6 August 1870. There is also a German military cemetery near the car park where German soldiers who died in the battles of 1940 and 1944-1954 are buried.

Information about the Battle of Spicheren

Information about:
the Second World War,
the Battle of Metz
the Chaffe tank