The best MTB trails around Gildweiler

During the First World War, this spring was part of the German fortifications. It was redeveloped in 1931, recalling the town's military past and how water was supplied there. It is one of the points of interest on the Bunker Trail.

Ammertzwiller – destroyed front village and mine warfare Ammertzwiller was one of the particularly contested locations on the Sundgau front during World War I. From September 1914, the front line ran immediately west of the village. German troops held Ammertzwiller, while French positions were located near Gildwiller-le-Mont, among other places. On January 1, 1915, the entire population was evacuated. Shortly thereafter, the abandoned village itself became a combat zone. The church was destroyed on January 8, 1915. By the end of the war, Ammertzwiller was almost completely devastated. The place became particularly known for mine warfare. From May 1915, French sappers and German pioneers dug tunnels under the enemy positions and detonated them. The underground warfare lasted until early 1916 and left numerous explosion craters. A striking event was the German mine detonation on July 11, 1915. The explosion under the German outpost Sautter created a massive crater. The mine crater, now filled with water, is preserved as the "Entonnoir" and serves as a reminder of this form of warfare. German troops also built an extensive system of bunkers, shelters, and underground facilities. Today, the approximately 10.5 km long "Circuit de la mémoire d’Ammertzwiller" leads through this former front landscape. Around 15 information boards explain the local history. After the war, the residents returned to a largely destroyed village. Reconstruction left a lasting mark on Ammertzwiller. Today's Saint-Étienne church, with its depictions, preserves the memory of evacuation, war, and return. Particularly worth seeing: the water-filled mine crater and the Circuit de la mémoire d’Ammertzwiller.

Hagendorn Spring The Hagendorn spring near Burnhaupt-le-Bas is a very old and particularly abundant spring. Its name has been documented as a field name since 1412. The name „Hagendorn“ probably refers to a place overgrown with hawthorn. The place name Burnhaupt is also likely connected to the old word for „spring“ or „well“. The spring gained particular significance for the history of the place during the First World War. After the stabilization of the front in Upper Alsace, the German-French front ran approximately along the line Cernay – Pont d’Aspach – Ammerzwiller. East of or in the vicinity of this front line, German troops erected numerous concrete shelters, observation posts, and artillery positions. German fortifications were also built at the Hagendorn spring. Traces of the fortification from that time can still be recognized there today, including concrete components. The spring was thus part of a larger military system of positions that the German troops used during trench warfare. Numerous other shelters and observation posts from that period can be discovered along the current Sentier des Bunkers. The spring itself was rebuilt or redesigned in 1931. The current structure partially covers the preserved remains of the wartime fortification underneath. Thus, the Hagendorn spring connects two very different aspects of the place's history: a centuries-old water supply and the military landscape of the First World War. Today, the spring is station 18 of the Sentier des Bunkers, an approximately nine-kilometer-long historical circular trail through the former front landscape of Burnhaupt-le-Bas. https://burnhaupt-le-bas.fr/sentier-des-bunkers/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Anyone who wants to know more about this should visit this page: https://sundgaufront.pharmafix.com/index.php/interaktive-frontkarte

Anyone who wants to know more about it should visit this page: https://sundgaufront.pharmafix.com/index.php/interaktive-frontkarte

the Michelbach lake is a place where you can stop for a picnic during hikes or bike rides

Please take the nature conservation restrictions seriously. Otherwise, you will not only disturb the fauna, but the rangers on site are also very conscientious and ensure strict adherence. Dogs on a leash, take your trash with you, stay on the paths, and do not picnic in the grass. But that goes without saying.

here people watch birds