Lapoutroie brings together a variety of travel interests: Munster cheese-making and spirits, nature, and historic sites of remembrance. The options become especially tangible when you compare how much time to spend outdoors: a roughly 30-minute forest walk versus an approximately two-hour hike to the Tour du Faudé. There is also a high moor, a cheese dairy with visitor facilities, and a guided tour of a distillery. This makes it easy to shape your stay around the balance of good food, exercise and history you prefer.
High Moor and Traces of the First World War
Etang du Devin is a two-hectare high moor in a glacial cirque shaped by northerly winds. The site also preserves extensive remnants of the First World War. Etang du Devin is therefore both a natural area and a place with wartime relics.
Near Lapoutroie lies Tête des Faux, a mountain battlefield from 1914 to 1918. French and German remains can be found there; Tête des Faux is listed as a historic monument. The two sites of remembrance therefore differ in their specific designation: extensive remnants have been preserved at Etang du Devin, while Tête des Faux is identified and dated as a mountain battlefield.
The Kahm German military cemetery is in a wooded area and is classified by UNESCO. The cemetery, battlefield and remnants at Etang du Devin represent different forms of remembrance of the war.
Hikes with Different Time Commitments
The Petit tour du Faudé is an approximately 30-minute forest walk for children and adults. The route is also accessible by mountain bike for older children who no longer need a stroller. The Tour du Faudé is a different time commitment: this approximately two-hour hike leads from Lapoutroie to a viewpoint overlooking the valley. You can therefore choose between a short forest walk and a longer hike to a viewpoint. Information about the Petit tour du Faudé may be updated; check the latest route guidance before setting out.
Munster, Spirits and the Market
At Fromagerie Haxaire, visitors can watch traditional Munster cheese being made; admission and tastings are free. Since 1929, the Fromagerie has made its own Munster using traditional methods. Here, making and tasting the cheese go hand in hand. Distillerie Miclo offers a different experience: a guided tour explores the distillery’s history, the distilling room and the aging cellar. It also includes a tasting of three spirits of your choice. Haxaire offers insight into Munster cheese-making, while Miclo combines its history and production areas with a spirits tasting.
The weekly market in Lapoutroie brings visitors together with local producers and fresh regional products. If you plan to visit the market, check the date in advance.
Culture Between a Former Post House and a Church
The Musée des Eaux de Vie is housed in a former post house dating from the 18th century. The Church of Sainte-Odile in Lapoutroie was consecrated on October 3, 1912. The two historical references differ in timing and in kind: the former post house associated with the museum dates to the 18th century, while the church has a precisely dated consecration. Together, these details offer a cultural counterpoint to the themes of landscape and war history.
Discover more destinations: Jungholtz, Rammersmatt, Wasserbourg, Oberhergheim, Eguisheim, Galfingue, Grentzingen, Berrwiller
For the broader travel overview: Haut-Rhin.
