The best traffic-free bike rides around Willer

Altkirch Altkirch is the historic capital of the Sundgau and lies on a striking rocky spur above the valley of the Ill. The town's origins date back to the Middle Ages. The Counts of Ferrette built Altkirch into a fortified town; from 1215 onwards, it was protected by town walls and towers. The characteristic layout, narrow streets, and remnants of the fortifications have been preserved from this medieval town plan to this day. Particularly worth seeing is the Vieille Porte, a former town gate from around 1245. For centuries, Altkirch was an important administrative and commercial center of the Sundgau. After the destructions of the Thirty Years' War, numerous buildings were newly erected. The representative town hall dates from the 18th century, built in 1778 according to plans by the Swabian architect Jean Nissler. In the 19th century, the town continued to develop: alongside its traditional importance as a market and trading place, industrial enterprises emerged, including the well-known Gilardoni brickworks. The 20th century also left its mark. After the First World War, Altkirch became part of the re-Frenchified Alsace. The memory of this period is evident, among other things, at the Vieille Porte, where a Borne Vauthier commemorates the former front line of 1918. The original Altkirch war memorial from 1927 was destroyed during the German occupation in the Second World War; preserved parts were later integrated into a new memorial. Today, Altkirch, with around 6,000 inhabitants, is an important center of the Sundgau. The historic upper town with its old houses, remnants of fortifications, the town hall, and the Sundgau Museum continues to shape the townscape. Source: Ville d’Altkirch – History of the town

At the gate, a so-called Borne Vauthier can be seen in the middle. These memorial stones mark the course of the Western Front in World War I and, in particular, the position that German troops had reached on July 18, 1918 – the furthest extent of their advance at that time. The stones are named after the French sculptor and former soldier Paul Moreau-Vauthier. A total of 118 such Bornes were created between 1921 and 1927: 96 in France and 22 in Belgium. Originally, significantly more locations were planned. The stones were erected along a front line from the Belgian coast to the Franco-Swiss border. The monoliths, about one meter high, are mostly made of pink granite. On their top, there is a soldier's helmet on a laurel wreath. The sides depict typical soldier's equipment, including a gas mask, a canteen, and hand grenades. Many stones bear the inscription “Ici fut repoussé l’envahisseur 1918” – “Here the invader was repulsed in 1918”. The Bornes Vauthier are therefore not only monuments but also historical landmarks: they make the former front line visible in the terrain and commemorate the battles of 1918. However, it is important to note that they are not located exactly on the former front line everywhere, as some stones were moved for practical reasons, for example, to roads or intersections.

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

Small regional museum in a restored farmhouse in the centre of Oltingue. The museum shows the daily life of farmers in the Sundgau in the 19th and early 20th century. The collection includes utensils, tools, religious objects and furniture, spread over several rooms and an old barn. The original faience stove, a ‘Chunscht’ bench and a baroque outdoor pulpit are striking. Visits are possible from March to November, usually on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 15:00 to 18:00.

The current parish church of Oltingue was built between 1827 and 1831 in late classicist style. Striking features include the triangular pediment above the round-arched portal and the Callinet organ from 1843, which is still in use. Together with the presbytery and the former school, the church forms a well-preserved village ensemble from the Louis-Philippe period. The church replaced an older mother church outside the village.

Oltingue is a quiet village in the Sundgau with a late-classical village ensemble around the church of Saint-Martin (1827–1831), the rectory and the former school. The Callinet organ (1843), the double staircase of the rectory and the facade details are striking. There are several historic houses in the village, including half-timbered houses from 1695 and a farm from the 16th century. To the east lies the chapel of Saint-Brice, a former place of pilgrimage with a baroque altar and an outdoor pulpit.

Small, flower-decorated highlight along the way

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.