Camp Turenne, Ostein Rock via the Rangen Cross, Engelbourg from Thann

Car park at Kattenbach, at the end of Rue du Kattenbachi in Thann.

(S/E) From the car park, head north-east to the crossroads; take the^{first path} on the right – unmarked – towards the Croix du Rangen.

(1) Follow the path on the left, which climbs through the vineyard, until you reach a Fork in the road.

(2) Take the path climbing up to the left through the vineyards until you reach another fork.

(3) Take the left-hand path and continue to a hairpin bend.

(4) Turn left at the hairpin bend. As you approach the Croix du Rangen, take the signposted path on the right, marked with a Green Cross and a Red Ring. When the path becomes a forest track, head up to the right.

(5) When the path becomes a forest track, take the path climbing to the right and head towards a junction of marked paths leading to the Waldkapelle.

(6) Turn onto the^second forest track on the left, marked with a red and white Rectangle and a Blue Ring, and follow it to the next fork.

(7) At the junction, leave the forest track and follow the signposted path (same markings) to the right until you reach the junction with another signposted path.

(8) At the junction of the footpath and the signposted tracks, turn right towards the nearby Pastetenzplatz.

(9) Turn left onto the path marked with red and white rectangles and head up towards the Becherkopf shelter.

(10) Continue along the ascending forest track which leads to Camp Turenne.

(11) Take the^second path on the left to reach the Rocher d’Ostein viewpoint.

(12) Retrace your steps back to the junction of paths at Camp Turenne.

(11) Take the^first path (^GR®5) on the far right to descend to Camp des Pyramides.

(13) Take the^secondpath on the right, signposted^GR®5, towards the Col de Grumbachite and arrive at the Place des Canaries.

(14) Continue straight on, following the same^GR®5markings, to reach the Col de Grumbach.

(15) Take the^second path on the right, signposted^GR®5, towards the ruins.

(16) Following the^GR®5, turn right at a right angle and carry on to reach the entrance to the ruins of Engelbourg Castle.

(17) At the junction of the signposted paths, take the path on the right which climbs towards the ruins of Engelbourg Castle, known as the ‘Witch’s Eye’.

(18) Retrace your steps.

(17) Turn right and walk for 50 metres to reach a track.

(19) Turn left onto this track and continue downhill until you reach the bend in the track.

(20) Leave the main road and take the footbridge on the left to reach the Kattenbach car park (S/E).

Picnic area with tables and benches at Waldkapelle and, in particular, at Camp Turenne.
Possible shelters include the one at Rehbrunnel near Wotan’s Oak close to Pastetenplatz and the one at Becherkopf;

Camp Turenne: this site was formerly known as Thomannsplatz (Thomann Square) when Alsace was part of the German Empire (from France’s defeat in 1871 until the end of the^First World War) and became Camp Turenne during that war. This site quickly became strategic for the French army during the fighting at Steinbach and during the terrible and bloody Battle of Hartmannswillerkopf (HWK – known as the ‘man-eater’).
This site served as an observation post for monitoring enemy lines from the nearby Ostein rock below, as a supply point for ammunition and provisions – as it was supplied via a cable from the Baerenthal sector below – and, from mid-1915, as a surgical hospital for the wounded who could not be transported.

Camp des Pyramides: this camp was one of the French camps around the Hartmannswillerkopf, following the French army’s occupation of the Thur Valley in 1914. There are no pyramids at Camp des Pyramides; the camp’s name relates to the history of the regiments that took part in the Battle of the Pyramids alongside the French army commanded by Bonaparte.

Engelbourg Castle (Œil de la Sorcière): this castle was built in the 13th century by the Count of Ferrette to keep watch over the Thur Valley. Following the Treaties of Westphalia, which annexed Alsace to France, the border was pushed back from the Vosges to the Rhine and the castle lost its strategic importance. Louis XIV therefore ordered its dismantling in February 1673. After several attempts at demolition, the large tower of the keep broke into several pieces; one of these fell to the ground, forming what has come to be known as the ‘Witch’s Eye’ (source: Wikipedia).