Mittlach brings together two distinct themes of the Vosges: a landscape shaped by glaciers and the history of alpine medical services during the First World War. The Altenweiher is a tangible point of interest in the natural landscape; the town hall and school, historic trail and museum offer historical highlights. When choosing a destination for an interest in nature and history, you can weigh these themes separately and tailor your stay to your own interests.
Landscape and the Altenweiher
Mittlach is part of the Ballons des Vosges Regional Nature Park. Parts of the municipality also belong to Natura 2000 sites, including areas around Seeberg, on the southern slope of Kastelberg, at the foot of Schweiselwasen, and between Schnepfenriedkopf and Col du Platzerwasel. These names locate the protected areas in several precisely identified parts of the municipality.
The Altenweiher lies at the end of the Mittlach valley at an altitude of 926 metres and is surrounded by the peaks of Kastelberg and Rainkopf. It is a characteristic glacial lake of the Vosges, situated in cirques heavily eroded by Quaternary glaciers. A cirque is a bowl-shaped landform created by glaciers. Those interested in how the landscape was formed will find an example of glacial shaping at the Altenweiher.
The history of the dam also adds to the landscape story: it was built between 1886 and 1893, and the Altenweiher was first filled in 1894. The construction period and first filling mark distinct stages in the history of the structure. The Altenweiher combines a landscape shaped by Quaternary glaciers with the history of its dam’s construction in the late 19th century.
Historic traces in Mittlach
Mittlach’s town hall and school was built in 1912 and housed one of six alpine medical stations in the Vosges massif. During the First World War, it housed the French medical service in the rear area; the building is preserved almost in its original condition. Its year of construction, historical function and state of preservation offer different perspectives on the building: its origins, its wartime use and its surviving form.
The Mittlach–Metzeral historic trail conveys the impact of the First World War on the built environment of both municipalities and on the people who experienced the horrors of war in this landscape. It has ten numbered panels and nine explanatory panels. The Musée de l’Ambulance Alpine is located at 9 Rue Raymond Poincaré, 68380 Mittlach.
There are therefore different perspectives to help you choose the focus of your stay: altitude, the valley’s end and glacial landforms shape the landscape theme; buildings, medical history and the historic panels turn your attention to the First World War. When looking for accommodation, you can first consider which of these themes you want to shape your stay, then choose hotels in Mittlach according to your own accommodation criteria.
Discover more destinations: Buhl, Durrenentzen, Ferrette, Wittersdorf, Niedermorschwihr, Luttenbach-près-Munster, Lautenbachzell, Lucelle
For the broader travel overview: Haut-Rhin.
