The best traffic-free bike rides around Schwoben

Altkirch is definitely worth a visit. The small town in Sundgau boasts a diverse architectural heritage that reflects its medieval and religious history. The Priory of Saint-Morand, the church Notre-Dame, the old city walls, and various medieval ruins bear witness to this richness.

Typical village of Sundgau with its half-timbered houses which are becoming rare these days.

At border post 111, on the French-Swiss border near Pfetterhouse, the Western Front of the First World War officially began in the autumn of 1914. This spot, where the borders of France, Germany and Switzerland had previously met, became the symbolic Kilometre Zero of a front line that stretched over 750 kilometres to the North Sea. Today it is a peaceful spot along a hiking and cycling trail, where you literally stand at the start of one of the most defining fronts in modern history.

This 7.5 km loop takes you through the wooded border area around Pfetterhouse, where the borders of France, Germany and Switzerland met from 1871 to 1914. During the First World War, the Western Front began here at border post 111, the official Kilometre Zero. Along the path you will discover restored bunkers, observation posts and boundary stones of the French, German and Swiss lines. A unique journey through a landscape where neutrality, conflict and memory come together.

Near the border stone 111, the official Kilometre Zero of the Western Front, there was a wooden observation post of the Swiss army during the First World War. This Poste d'observation N°2 offered a view of the French and German lines, while Switzerland maintained its neutrality 1. The post was a symbol of the tense calm at this unique border location, where three armies followed each other closely. Today, the site has been partly reconstructed and forms a special historical point along the hiking and cycling path in the far south of Alsace.

Ferme du Largin – border farm between war and neutrality: The Ferme du Largin is located on a Swiss border spur near Pfetterhouse, at a symbolic place where France, Germany and Switzerland met. During the First World War, it was an important observation point on the edge of the front, guarded by neutral Switzerland. The farm was shelled in October 1914, which led to a diplomatic incident between Germany and Switzerland. During the Second World War, it became a refuge for resistance fighters and refugees. Today, the farm has been partly restored and is a silent witness to border history, war and human resilience.

Here, you can find ready-made meals from the 24-hour vending machine. They still need to be heated in the oven.

Altkirch forms a hub for cycling, where various routes converge. The route down from Folgensbourg. From the valley of Oltingen / Waldighoffen. Coming from Mulhouse / Illfurth as well as heading towards Dannemarie / Belfort. And finally from the north from the Vosges from the Cernay / Thann area. Furthermore, the Rhine-Rhone Canal passes nearby. Altkirch itself, situated on a hill, has retained the charm of many somewhat forgotten provincial towns with a past of industrialization. There are a few cafes as well as the view over the plain towards the Vosges.