Alsatian battlegrounds

Hatten and Baden-Baden (week 35)

cupola atop Casement Esch

The Maginot line runs through much of Alsace, our next stop after emerging from Switzerland (and trying a section of the Autobahn where we kept our speed to a mere 150 km/h).  Unfortunately, there are so many pieces and so few volunteers that they are open on a rotating basis, so of the top 10 listed by the Alsace Tourism website, only two were open this day.  The Four à Chaux fortress only had guided tours (in French or German), so we went to the Musée de l'Abri de Hatten - an abri is a fortified bunker-barracks.  At this site you can tour the bunker (featuring period equipment and mannequins in costume) and stroll the equipment park featuring a large and eclectic array of military equipment, including several East German Cold-War vehicles.  Some of the equipment is showing its age and is in need of restoration - the website says the museum is actively seeking volunteers.  Finally, the museum has a memorial to the Malgré-Nous (against their will): because the Nazis considered Alsace-Lorraine to be part of Germany, all able-bodied men in the region were conscripted into the Wehrmacht and sent to the Eastern Front.  

David looking in the cockpit of a MiG21

Just before Hatten is the Casement Esch, closed to interior tours but we could stroll around the outside.  For some reason, an Sherman tank with American markings is parked on top of it.

don't worry - David's cup has apple juice in it

Since everything in Alsace appears to shut down for Sunday, we headed across the border to Baden-Baden to find some lunch: most of the menu was pork of some sort (schnitzel, sausages, roast) and cabbage (the children's menu had fries instead).  It was very tasty and went well with the beer (the Provençals do not understand beer!).  We then strolled through the spa part of town.  Known to the Romans and throughout the centuries since then, there are a number of hot springs in town, with temperatures ranging from 50 to 65C.  Unfortunately, the archeological site is closed for the season, so we had to be content with seeing the modern spas and some of the medieval buildings in the old town.