Attractions and Places To See around Ersdorf - Top 7

Viewpoint from one of the many bunkers along the Marginot Line. On a clear day, the view from here is fantastic, stretching all the way to the nearby Vosges Mountains. Even the Donon and Dabo peaks are easily visible to the naked eye. This shady spot with its bench is also perfect for a short break.

The village of Racrange was liberated by the Americans on November 15, 1944. Barely two weeks later, Victor Dreyer, a farmer, and his son Gilbert, were returning from Rodalbe, where they had been preparing for the return of their family, who had been expelled to the Dordogne. The German army had protected their retreat by planting mines on the path through the forest. The wheels of the wagon triggered the explosion that sent the entire team flying into the trees; Twelve-year-old Gilbert was killed instantly; his father died the next day. The explosion, heard as far away as the newly liberated village, plunged Racrange into deep disarray. His other son, Bernard, would serve as mayor of the town for 24 years. This memorial, erected in their memory on the Chemin de la Seille by the family, reminds us of our vigilance in defending peace, freedom, and our democracy.

When I passed the ordeal was no longer there 🤷🏻‍♀️

A very beautiful sandstone cross from the 17th century.

An important locomotive depot built around 1930, this roundhouse is a fascinating testament to the industrial era. This time-worn relic offers an atmosphere steeped in history and mystery. The crumbling walls and decaying metal structures evoke a glorious past, inviting you to explore its forgotten corners. Whether you're passionate about history or simply looking for adventure, this is a must-see for capturing unique images and experiencing the soul of the place.

It is one of the few chapels in the department dedicated to the great Alsatian saint. The spring found there was venerated by our Celtic ancestors as a healing goddess; its water was long known to cure eye diseases. After the Druid high priests worshipped Sirona, Mithra, and other goddesses there, an Irish monk likely settled in this Thebaid, creating a hermitage. In 1267, the village's lord, Guillaume de Deneuvre-Blamont (54), had a chapel dedicated to Saint Luce and Saint Odile built there in honor of his wife, Odile de Hénamenil. The latter was born around 700, the daughter of Count Aldaric of Alsace, from whom the line of Dukes of Lorraine descended. Her father had wanted to kill her because she was born blind, her mother saved her and entrusted her to a convent where she miraculously recovered. Her father, a convert, offered her the castle of Hohenburg, today Mount St. Odile, where she founded a convent and became the patron saint of Alsace.

“Each of these crosses can tell its own story and what motivated people to erect “their” cross at this spot. (...) These wayside crosses were erected as visible signs and attract the attention of many people. The cross is a symbol of life. It stands as a sign of our Christian hope and aims to direct our gaze to Jesus Christ, who has overcome death (...). The cross is part of our lives, just as it was part of the life of Jesus. So I hope that many people ... will visit the wayside crosses, whether as places of silence and breathing before God, whether as places of community gathering, prayer and praise of God.” (Text source: Dean Rainald M. Ollig in: “Wayside crosses... small sacred monuments as signs of popular piety”)

In 1621, Duke Heinrich II granted market rights to Isming, but the town then suffered during the Thirty Years' War. During the war, an officer saved the city archives in the town hall tower via an underground passage and was able to hold the town for a long time, but then it was also depopulated and the town hall was destroyed. In 1664 there were only 80 households. This cross was erected in front of the south-west entrance to Albestroff, where the old chapel destroyed by the Swedes is said to have stood.