The best traffic-free bike rides around Hagenbach

This large lake is a popular stop along the cycling routes around Belfort, with beautiful views over the water and the surrounding nature.

The Étang du Malsaucy (often also called Lac du Malsaucy) is, with an area of 55 hectares, the largest lake in the French department of Territoire de Belfort. It is nestled in the Parc naturel régional des Ballons des Vosges, spread across the municipalities of Évette-Salbert, Lachapelle-sous-Chaux, and Sermamagny. Originally built at the end of the 15th century for fish farming, it is now one of the most important recreational and natural areas in the region.

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.

This old chapel was erected after the French Revolution on the old path to Thann and fell into disrepair over time. In 1932, the community decided to rebuild it. The current small building has a simple nave, an open porch, and a small bell tower with a bell. In front of the chapel stands a statue of the Virgin Mary, which underscores the character of the place as a pilgrimage and devotional site. The chapel is dedicated to the "Mother of God of Perpetual Help" and belongs to the typical small religious monuments of southern Alsace.

Virtually no incline, good asphalt – everything invites you to pedal briskly through beautiful nature.

The former railway line between Dannemarie and Pfetterhouse has been redesigned according to the well-known French principle as a perfect "piste cyclable" or "voie vert." Good asphalt, gentle gradients, and, above all, a lack of motorized traffic entice you to glide along at a brisk pace. Often through beautiful forests or through fields, only occasionally do you have to cross a road where there used to be a tunnel or bridge, which has unfortunately been dismantled.

A long, flat viaduct carries the railway between two hills across the plain. The structure's many small arches create a steady rhythm in this landscape, which is also characterized by a constant mix of plains and low elevations.

A well-maintained fish pond outside Ballersdorf – so well maintained that it stands out from similar ponds in the area. Caution and also worth mentioning: directly in front of it, there's a substantial traffic calming barrier: two concrete elements rise almost waist-high to the left and right. Fortunately, there's space in the middle for bicycles.