Three distinct themes come together in Cattenom: the Gros ouvrage du Galgenberg with its underground structure, the ossuary at Place de la Fontaine, and walking routes focused on cultural history or the lake. One route passes through Cattenom, Husange and Sentzich, taking in 30 cultural and historical sights; another goes around Lac du Mirgenbach. When choosing, consider both the theme and the stated route length.
The Gros ouvrage du Galgenberg
The Gros ouvrage du Galgenberg was built from 1931 to 1936. It comprises two entrances and six combat blocks, connected by underground galleries. The connections between the blocks describe the layout of the structure: they are not separate, isolated points, but are linked by the galleries. The ouvrage also had an observatory on the summit of the hill, used to observe the Moselle Valley. This brings out two different aspects of the same structure: its underground layout and the observation point at the summit. The construction dates, 1931 to 1936, place its origins in time, while the observatory highlights its observation role at the time.
The ossuary and the history of its protection
The Cattenom ossuary is located beneath the cemetery chapel at Place de la Fontaine. Its construction campaign dates to 1723. It is protected as a historic monument; it was listed by decree on November 23, 1987. The dates mark different milestones: 1723 relates to the construction campaign, while 1987 relates to its protected status. This makes it easy to distinguish the building’s history from its later designation as a protected monument.
Saint-Martin Church is also a notable landmark in the history of the town. It is closed to the public because of structural damage. Check current access arrangements before visiting rather than assuming you can go inside.
Two walking routes, two different focuses
The 12 km “Circuit à vélo à travers le patrimoine local de Cattenom” passes through Cattenom, Husange and Sentzich and takes in 30 cultural and historical sights. It is designated for both cycling and walking. The 6 km “Circuit autour du Lac du Mirgenbach” runs around Lac du Mirgenbach and is designated for cyclists, pedestrians and mountain bikers.
The route lengths make for a direct comparison: the route through the three towns is 12 km, compared with 6 km around the lake. Their focus differs too: one route takes in cultural and historical sights, while the other goes around Lac du Mirgenbach. Access to the Mirgenbach reservoir has been temporarily closed to the public since June 27, 2026. If you are planning to do the lakeside route, check access arrangements in advance.
2026 tour dates: dates through September have passed; November 11 remains
Tours of the Gros ouvrage were scheduled for 2026 on the following dates, at 2:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. each day: July 26; August 2 and 30; and September 6, 13, 20 and 27. These dates had already passed by October 12. A further tour was scheduled for November 11, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Tours of the Petit ouvrage de Sentzich were scheduled every Saturday from April 4 to September 26, 2026, starting at 2:30 p.m.; this period had already ended by October 12.
The schedules differed: individual dates were set for Galgenberg, while Sentzich had a series of Saturday tours that ended on September 26, 2026. If a tour is important to your trip, check before travelling whether a current schedule applies to your travel dates.
Discover more destinations: Saint-Jean-Kourtzerode, Meisenthal, Volmunster, Kédange-Sur-Canner, Vasperviller, Chérisey, Maizières-Les-Vic, Hayange
For the broader travel overview: Moselle.
