MONDAY, 4th SEPTEMBER : SAVERNE to ROTHAU

We hit the history trail today - leaving Saverne at 8.30a.m., 

we were very quickly out in the countryside  and began to wriggle our way up into the mountains.   The road was narrow in places, we took a wrong turn and drove up the Col du Valsburg 

and back down again when we could turn around, finding the right road then driving through pretty villages, stopping to buy a loaf of bread in one of them

 reaching our destination 20 minutes later.

The Alsace-Moselle Memorial is the result of regional determination.  It attempts to explain the complicated history of Alsace and Moselle, and in particular, what occurred during the Second World War.  This place offers a history lesson which is universal in scope, teaching us the necessity to unite Europeans in their diversity, with respect and dignity to everyone, in order to offer them peace and freedom.

A replica of one of the trains used to deport citizens of Alsace from their homes

We spent a couple of hours wandering through  the Memorial and learnt just a little of the history of the region and afterwards had a picnic lunch in the sunshine, overlooking Schirmeck

before moving on to our next history lesson. 

Fort de Mutzig, part ot the Maginot line, is the first concrete, armoured and electrified fortress in the world, built by the German army to defend the Rhine Valley.  The 2km long self guided tour is underground and outside, we learnt a little of the daily life of 7,000 soldiers between 1914-1918.  

Sleeping Quarters

Latrines

Kitchen

It would be easy to get lost in the myriad tunnels but for the orange arrows painted on the floor for visitors to follow.  There are many stairs and narrow passageways, it would not be easy for anyone 

with claustrophobia to live and work in such conditions.  It was a very interesting day, one which we enjoyed but involved a lot of walking and climbing stairs, which is a bit hard on the old legs, and a couple of knees were complaining by the end of the day.  

We made our way to Rothau and booked into a camping ground in between a river and a railway line, it is actually quite peaceful and we expect to sleep well tonight.