Circuit of the battle of August 6, 1870 in Woerth

My summary

Video summary

Why take this memorial tour?

The battle of August 6, 1870 was one of the major confrontations of the Franco-Prussian war. It pitted Marshal Mac-Mahon’s French army against a vastly superior German army commanded by Crown Prince Frederick of Prussia. After fierce fighting around Elsasshausen and Froeschwiller, the French troops were forced to retreat. Following this defeat, France lost Alsace-Lorraine, marking a turning point in Alsatian history.

The circuit follows the strategic battle sites, today dotted with memorials and military graves. It provides a better understanding of how the fighting unfolded and the scale of the human losses. A visit to the Woerth Museum, located at the end of the route, is a useful complement to the walk, presenting objects, maps and first-hand accounts.

What to see on the circuit

Woerth’s departure

The start of the August 6, 1870 battle trail is at the Route de Lembach parking lot in Woerth. The signposting is the red ring. I advise you to start from Elsasshausen (in the opposite direction to the tourist office information sheet), as fairly recent signs have been installed and follow a chronological order in that direction. If you start off in the direction of Froeschwiller, as I did, you’ll get the signs in the wrong order, which is a bit of a shame.

Ascent to Elsasshausen

From Woerth, first follow a small tarmac road up towards the hamlet of Elsasshausen. This is the only difficulty of the route: it climbs, but then it’s easy!

We make our way across open fields, already offering fine panoramic views. Along the way, a number of monuments mark the route: memorials, steles and statues, including the impressive stone lion that marks one of the high points of the conflict.

Just beyond Elsasshausen, a lookout offers a superb overview of the plain and the positions occupied during the battle. It’s a good time to imagine the landscape at the time, as you read the explanatory panels.

Crossing Froeschwiller

Continuing on a narrow road through the fields, we reach Froeschwiller, a village of pretty Alsatian houses. Two points of interest here: the Church of Peace, with its sober, moving style, and a private château visible from the street.

Built shortly after the 1870 war, Froeschwiller’s Church of Peace has a history directly linked to the battle. It was erected to replace a building destroyed during the fighting, in a spirit of reconciliation. Listed as a Monument Historique, the Church of Peace symbolizes the need for remembrance and appeasement after the violence of the conflict.

Visible from the main street, the Château de Froeschwiller is an elegant 18th-century private residence. During the battle, it was transformed into a command post by the French troops. It also served as a makeshift hospital for the wounded, for which it was badly damaged at the time. Although not open to the public, its silhouette in the middle of the village is a reminder of the strategic importance of the site at the time.

You then leave the village via a wooded passage and a pleasant sunken path winding through woods and hedges, before descending gently towards Woerth. Here you take part of the Promenade des Turcos, a 2km looped circuit in memory of the Algerian riflemen who fought in the war. Here too, interesting explanatory panels provide a better understanding of the story.

Back to Woerth

The loop takes us back to Woerth, where it all began. Take the opportunity to wander around Woerth, a pretty little town on the River Sauer!

Visit to the Battle of August 6, 1870 Museum

I really recommend taking the opportunity to visit the Musée de la Bataille du 6 août 1870 (Museum of the Battle of August 6, 1870), a small community museum well worth a visit. The volunteers who run it are passionate about their work, and the collections are rich: uniforms, weapons, everyday objects, maps, models… Special mention should be made of the large diorama recreating a scene from the battle. And from the museum’s panoramic terrace, there’s another fine view of the village and surrounding area.