The “À la découverte de Sausheim” route gives your stay in Sausheim a clear focus: it passes through the town centre and follows the banks of the Quatelbach and the Ill through a rural landscape. This 6.5-kilometre circular route is well suited to exploring with the family. Several local heritage sites lie along the route and are marked by information panels provided by the “Amis du Vieux Sausheim”.
The appeal of the route lies in its changing themes: the town centre and the banks of the two waterways provide the geographical framework, while the panels explain individual heritage sites. If you would like to combine exercise and local history in one outing, the circular route brings both together in an easy-to-follow walk around the town.
Church and the history of water
The route begins in front of the Church of Saint-Laurent de Sausheim. It was built in 1865 and rebuilt in 1951 after the destruction caused by the fighting during the liberation in 1944/45. The starting point thus brings together two clearly distinct dates: its construction in the 19th century and its reconstruction after the fighting.
The history of the Quatelbach is also linked to the development of the town. The stream was probably developed in the Middle Ages to supply villages and mills with water. The former mill in Sausheim on the Quatelbach also dates back to the Middle Ages. Together, the waterway and the mill offer insight into the earlier history of water supply.
From milling to industrial heritage
The former Dollfus-Noack factory tells a story from a different period: it operated from 1889 to 1991 and produced felts for industrial use. The medieval mill on the Quatelbach and the later factory production thus represent distinct historical themes. If you would like to get to know Sausheim through its history, you can consider water management and industrial felt production as two separate perspectives rather than combining them into a single line of development.
Cultural traces and an event venue
The Hansi roundabout commemorates Jean-Jacques Waltz (1873–1951), an Alsatian illustrator, caricaturist and poet known as Hansi. Another cultural landmark is the geodetic stele, also called the Sausheim Pyramid. It was erected under Napoleon’s rule to serve as a basis for creating a map of Switzerland. While the roundabout is dedicated to an artist, the stele had a cartographic purpose: both give the townscape a distinctive historical connection.
The Espace Culturel Dollfus & Noack (ED&N) is an events hall that was inaugurated in October 2008. If you are considering adding ED&N to your itinerary, check the current programme of events in advance.
Discover more destinations: Markirch, Mulhouse, Jebsheim, Saint-Louis, Bollwiller, Oberhergheim, Zimmersheim, Nambsheim.
For the main travel overview: Haut-Rhin.
