Other sites

Clairegoutte Lutheran church

Little is known about the origins of Clairegoutte Church, which may date from the 12^th century and is said to be built on the ruins of an ancient, pagan temple.

In the north-east corner a niche suggests there used to be a statue. The west wall is very markedly in the Roman style. This church was thoroughly renovated in 1734 and a stone bell-tower was built in 1777 to replace two wooden bell-towers. The bell tower is in the middle of the wall overlooking the village and not at one of the ends of the nave as was traditional. The rectangular windows in the style of the architect Schickhardt, were inspired by those in the Lutheran church of Saint Martin’s in Montbéliard. An interior gallery of Wurtemburg-style oak columns, lines most of the building. Built in the 18^th century for the congregation of Frederic-Fontaine, it led to the blocking out the rose window in the choir. During the restoration of the church undertaken in 1966-67, this rose window was reinstated. It was raised and a stained glass window by Etienne Lovy, depicting the Good Shepherd installed. The old 13^th century stone altar which decorated the garden in the presbytery, was recut and reinstalled as a baptismal font. The current altar was equipped with a cross by Georges Deloraine made of Hungarian oak encrusted with enamels from Limoges. The 17^th-century pulpit, inspired by the one where Martin Luther preached, was also restored according to a drawing by Cranach. Lastly, the beautiful sandstone staircase, behind metal railings, was entirely rebuilt in 1990, giving a majestic character to the church.

Clairegoutte Nail Workshop

This typical building is next to a traditional barn. It is square and higher than the barn  and close to a now little-used  mill stream.

The nail-making workshop is situated opposite the farm. The craft activities were located close to streams, but over time these hydraulic power sources were used less frequently, as from the 18th century, work became concentrated in Montbéliard.

The Fountain Wash House in Belverne

In 1868, Pierre Pourchat, the mayor of the village had this beautiful wash house built by a local architect from Lure called Fixer. The building is of pink sandstone as are numerous others in the village and over the door an inscribed stone gives the date of construction, 1868.

It is a monument full of elegance with sculptured arches, its intricate facade where a cast iron basin takes pride of place and ornaments make it look like a small temple dedicated to the goddess of water.

This building built under Napoleon III is attractive in form but is also of remarkable architectural importance.

The Forest of Saint Antoine and the Waterfalls of the Rahin valley

The forest of Saint Antoine is on one of the last foothills of the Southern Vosges. Situated between 500 and 1200 metres above sea-level, it is dominated by the Servance and Alsace peaks (or ballons as the French call these rounded mountain tops). This forest extends over 2700 hectares on very steep hillsides upstream of the Rahin, Miellin and Fray Fonderie valleys.

These granite hills have steep-sided valleys formed by glaciers of the Quaternary period. Water erosion created the glacial cirques and the steep-sided valleys that are characteristic of the landscapes of the valley of Saint Antoine.

At this altitude, firs and beeches dominate; but numerous other species are also present because of the different types of relief. The reforestation of the 19th century introduced the spruce, still a major component in the forest today. These conditions favour rare natural habitats, such as peat bogs, but also moors or high altitude pastures. Between the granite rocks, we also find bilberries.

In addition to very rich and important flora, the protected environment in this sector allows the development of rare and unique fauna: such as capercaillies. To protect these habitats, various procedures have been organized over the years. Today, the Franche Comté peaks Nature Reserve covers 2259 hectares and manages the environmental protection and the social aspects of this protected zone.

The forest of Chérimont 

 The forest of Chérimont extends over 686 hectares. It belonged to the Prince of Wurtemburg-Montbéliard and became the property of the State when the Principality of Montbéliard was incorporated into France in 1793. Numerous boundary markers still exist with the sculptured antlers of deer, the emblem of the princes of Würtemberg.
The mountain range is a west-facing plateau with numerous springs which supply water to the local villages. It is crossed from north to south by a forestry track: a single road open to the public, joining the D4 Ronchamp-Clairegoutte to the 438 dual carriageway.

Beech is present throughout the forest, sometimes mixed with sessile oak and makes up approximately 70 % of the woodland. This forest, which was managed with the aim of converting it to a regular plantation forest from 1860 on, aims essentially to produce broadleaf wood for timber and firewood, while taking into account the protection of habitats and landscapes and increasing the diversity of broad-leaved trees (sessile oak, maple, sycamore, wild cherry and sweet chestnut etc.).

It is a pleasant place for walking; it is crossed by the GR 59 and the Dukes trail.

Frédéric-Fontaine's Town Hall – School - Church

Frédéric-Fontaine is the only village in France to have the town hall, the school, the housing for the primary school teacher and the church in the same main building of textured sandstone.
This Protestant oratory was fitted out in 1834. As it was part of the same parish, the minister of Clairegoutte also led services here. The church possesses a single engraved bell.
The church bell tower is square. Outside, thirteen straight steps lead to the main door which is topped with an arched window. The symbols of the Ten Commandments are engraved on the top of the lintel on a book symbolising the tablets of the law.

Planche des Belles Filles summer and winter resort

A small resort situated at 1148 meters above sea-level, the Planche des Belles Filles offers five alpine ski runs and fifty kilometers of tracks marked out for cross-country skiing, with the possibility of going as far as the Ballon of Alsace!
Three snow-shoe circuits are also proposed to discover the most southern of the Vosges resorts.
In the summer, at "La Planche", you can enjoy hiking on the GR 533 trail or get some winter-like thrills on ‘roll’herbe’ grass scooters. At the lake of the Planche des Belles Filles, you can fish. Both in summer and winter, the Chalet at the Planche des Belles Filles welcomes you with its terrace, its rooms and its dining room, right at the foot of the slopes!

La Planche de Belles Filles, is also the story of a legend: the Planche-des-Belles-Filles was the scene of an atrocious massacre during the Thirty Years War. Between 1618 and 1648, a terrible conflict opposing German Protestant princes and the Catholic Imperial authority, became international with the intervention of France and their ally, Sweden. The mercenary leaders who led this war were at the head of undisciplined troops from all over the place, who were cruel and devastated the area. Alsace, the Vosges and Franche Comté suffered under the Swedes, who were the cruellest: plundering, raping, setting fires, and mass killings were common, taking place on an almost daily basis. In 1635, during the snowy winter, the Swedes under the orders of Mansfeld, a brutal war chief acting for Richelieu, went back up the Rahin valley to quarter in Plancher-les-Mines. The farmers of the Rahin and Savoureuse valleys (on the Belfort side of the mountain), ran to hide on the Saint Antoine mountain with the few possessions they had and some livestock.

The Franche Comté peaks Nature reserve

The Franche Comté peaks nature reserve covers 2259 hectares and three departments (Vosges, Territoire de Belfort and Haute-Saône). The rounded mountain summits in this area are known as ‘ballons’ in French.

The aim is to protect any territory with a natural habitat of special interest for conservation. There are three main aims, Protect, Manage and Introduce people to nature, more precisely:

• Protect fragile or threatened habitats, and the species living there,
• Maintain or restore the diversity of the natural habitats, the wildlife and the flora by a integrated management of natural spaces (pastoralism, adapted forest management, non intervention),
• Be a site of discovery and study to improve the awareness of the general public and school parties.

The Franche Comté peaks nature reserve includes "25 different habitats among which 18 of major importance". 95 % of the reserve is covered in forest; it is also characterized by the presence of high prairies (moors, high mountain pastures), of peat bogs, scree and cliffs. These specific habitats are home to a wealth of fauna, including "70 protected vertebrate animal species, among which 10% are of European interest ". Among them the Capercaillie, the Tengmalm Owl, the Peregrine falcon … In addition there are numerous mountain plant species (ferns, orchids, etc.).

The regulations for the Franche Comté peaks nature reserve were fixed by the ministerial decree n°2002-692 of July 4th, 2002 which created the reserve and the order of the prefect D2 D2/R/2005 R n°15 of May 17th, 2005, which defines a Plan for the Organization of Park Frequentation. The sensitive period from December 15^th to July 14^th is always taken into account. Hiking is possible on the marked trails all year round; it is even possible to walk off these trails between 15/07 and 15/12, except for some more fragile zones (Bravouse and Rossely peat bogs). Pony trekking and mountain biking are authorized on the marked trails all year round. Skiing and hiking on snowshoes are authorized on marked trails during the winter period.

Bilberries: the picking of bilberries is authorized from 15/07 to 15/12 for up to 2 kg / person / day (family consumption). The use of the comb, is tolerated in the reserve if it is used well (no lifting or breaking of the woody parts), can be also be regulated at a local level by the prefect. It is the case in the department of the Haute-Saône, the use of the comb is forbidden here (unlike Vosges and the Territoire de Belfort where there are no orders from the prefect on this subject). The collection of mushrooms for the purposes of family consumption is authorized from 15/07 to 15/12 for up to 2 kg/ person / day.

Dogs are forbidden in the reserve as is flower-picking, mineral collection, photography using a hide, off-road motor vehicles, camping, fires, garbage dumping, noise pollution and the destruction of animal and plant species. Hunting, fishing and organized sports events have specific regulations.
The Franche Comté peaks nature reserve was created by Ministerial Decree on July 4th, 2002. The administrators are the National Forestry Office for North Franche-Comté and the Franche Comté peaks regional park. A consultative committee, including local representatives (councillors, land owners, scientists, hunters, representatives of local authorities, nature conservation associations, sports or leisure associations, administrations and public institutions) and chaired by the Prefect, meets at least once a year and " expresses its opinion on the function of the reserve, on its management and on the conditions of application of the measures planned to the present decree " (Decree n°2002-962).

Alfred Schwartzentrüber's sawmill

Plancher-bas had numerous sawmills during the 20th century. Alfred Schwartzentrüber's sawmill, the biggest one, still exists today. Equipped with a multi-blade gantry, it had a very high work rate. The adjustment of the blades allowed flexibility as to plank widths and its saw bench could saw 11,5 metre-long pieces of lumber.

Originally it worked using water powder; the driving force of the water from the canal, fed by the Rahin river. This mechanism was then replaced by a heavy diesel engine, the characteristic noise resounded throughout the district.

As time went by, a circular saw, a planing machine and a joiner's workshop were set up on the other bank of the canal. Bernard Michaud acquired the saw mill in 1979 and used it occasionally until the end of the ‘80s. Totally neglected since then, it got very rundown.
In 2004, the Association for the Rehabilitation and the Protection of the Municipal Sawmill of Lepuix-Gy acquired the sawmill in Plancher-Bas.
Volunteers carried out the most urgent work, repairing the damage caused by water and changing the wooden posts of the basic structure. The remains of the water wheel were found in the canal, which allowed an identical copy to be made.

The diesel engine is currently being restored, but because of its rare construction the task is complicated. Visits have been organized since 2005 for European Heritage Day, every second weekend of September, as well as during International Plancher-Bas walks in April and September.

Champagney Lake

Surface: 107 hectares (1,07 Km2)

Maximum volume of water: 13 million m3 of water

Length of the dam: 785 metres

Height: 411,85 m

Perimeter: approximately 7kms

The dam-reservoir at Champagney was built to feed the Canal from Montbéliard to Haûte-Saône. It is the main structure on the canal. After the war of 1870-71, when Alsace and Lorraine were lost to Germany, the waterways which were of considerable economic interest at the time were no longer completely accessible (Rhine - Rhone Canal Rhine – Marne canal). It was decided that the Eastern Canal should be built to connect these two canals. It was built in record time (1875-1887), a Montbéliard-Nancy link was added that also served the coal field in Ronchamp.

The Montbéliard - Haûte-Saône canal project was approved in 1882. The 85 km-long canal was to connect the Rhone canal to the Rhine (at Fesches-le-Chatel) to the Saône (at Conflandey). The canal watershed reach between Châlonvillars (Haute-Saône) and the exit of the tunnel at Chérimont to the Southeast of Ronchamp (Haute-Saône) over about 10 km. At this height (374,75 m), there is no waterway with a high enough flow rate to feed the canal all year round. Only a torrent: the Rahin, coming off the Vosges mountains is capable of bringing a certain volume of water.

The solution was a reservoir that was created by blocking the higher part of the Seruillot stream valley, which could receive and hold a volume of water estimated at 11 000 000 cubic meters. A channel 3 km 500 in length and of a section which can take a 7000 litre / second flow rate feeds the dam from the water intake situated on the Rahin at Plancher-Bas. The definitive project for the dam was drawn up in 1881. It was approved by a minister on January 27th, 1882.

The same year, the work began and it continued until 1905. However there were problems, in particular with the watertightness of the dam. Other major work had to be carried out which meant that the reservoir was first filled in 1938: 56 years after work began! Meanwhile, the work on the water link between Montbéliard and the Haute-Saône had been stopped, and only the section ending at the Port of Botans (close to Belfort), from the Rhône-Rhine canal, was put into service in 1932.

A feeder channel from Bavilliers on the Haute-Saône canal up to the watershed reach of the Rhône-Rhine canal was built between 1937 and 1949. It currently allows water from the Dam at Champagney to feed the Rhône-Rhine canal.

 The Carillon in Champagney

The wonderful instrument which almost disappeared is part of the heritage of Champagney.

1929: Creation of a carillon encouraged by a talented musician: Canon Gaillard. He lived out a dream which he had had for a very long time.

Luck was on his side, because the typical Franche-Comté style bell tower was not really designed to take such an instrument but was big enough for the project.
Without a doubt the north of France is the home to many more of these carillons. This large-scale carillon singles out our village because even now, no bigger carillon exists in a 150 km radius.

On June 16th, 1929, his Eminence Cardinal BINET blessed the carillon, paid for out of Church funds. 21 bells tuned from DO to LA of the next octave, on the chromatic scale could be heard throughout the village.
It should be remembered that life in times gone by was closely linked to the bell-ringing which told the time, just as the farmers’ lives were governed by the rhythm of the Angelus. However the bombardments of World War II seriously damaged the wooden structure. The poor state of the roof led to damage to the carillon. The weakened state of the structure meant that the carillon could not be used safely – the vibrations could cause more damage. The last time the inhabitants heard the carillon was for the liberation of Champagney.

1961: A turning point for the carillon. Priest CARAVATTI decided to get them going again. Modernism was in full swing, so the bell tower was electrified by BODET Company, specialised in this kind of work. A cabin fitted out in a passage under the church porch controlled the bells. It was very easy for the carillonist, as he had a 25 touch keyboard which requires a minimum of effort to get the sounds he wanted.
The clappers had been replaced by hammers controlled by electric engines. Three hymns could be played as required or automatically. What progress!!!

1975: More bad luck for the carillon. A lightning strike meant the carillon was out of use once more to the great disappointment of all.
1982: Some still remembered the melodious carillon, Doctor FRECHIN in particular, who came from Champagney, announced that he wanted to restore the instrument. An assembly on February 19th, 1982, led to the creation of the association: "THE FRIENDS OF the carillon ". This association led work on the restoration of the bells.

Everyone got involved in the work, the original makers of the instrument, the Paccard company was contacted. Mister PACCARD Junior came to Champagney, happy to carry on the work which his father had begun. His analysis was clear: a return to mechanical activation was required to restore all its artistic value to the carillon and avoid any further risks from lightning strikes. The profile of the bells made in 1929 in an ‘economy series’ was relatively thin, this meant the tone could not be corrected. The bells did not have a high-quality tone. Taking this into account, 4 were kept, 9 bells from 1929 were recast in1984 and 1985, and their inscriptions were kept, 4 of them were recast in front of 50 people from Champagney on December 19th, 1984, 8 bells cast in 1985 were obtained by recasting bells from 1929 and 7 new ones completed the carillon in 1985.
The keyboard still exists and also dates from 1985. It was designed in such a way as to take into account possible future extensions.

The task OF THE FRIENDS OF the CARILLON continued. A carillon school was created to ensure the future of the instrument.
1997: Roger CAMPREDON had for several years wanted to extend the instrument. However there was only enough free space to add three extra bells.
For any further information, contact the carillonist
Chistian Luxeuil, 13, rue des Chênes 70290 Champagney-
Such 03 84 27 92 62 and christian.luxeuil@wanadoo.fr

The Horsetail Cube 

 In 1989, the village of Ronchamp began the renovation of its centre, in particular its two main squares: the first in front of the Post office and the Church, the second in the Market place.

The partnership between the Departmental office for infrastructure, the Chamber of commerce and industry in Lure, the State and the Region, the Department, the European FEDER funds, led to an urban architecture competition launched in 1990.

These two spaces had not undergone any notable changes since the thirties and were making a poor impression on the growing numbers of visitors, who found there was not much to link the famous work of Le Corbusier and the village below.

The winning idea was the one from the team of the Parisian sculptor Polska who suggested integrating into a real metamorphosis of the center of Ronchamp both historic axes of its past: coal and mining to which the village owes a large part of its existence and Le Corbusier’s Chapel Notre-Dame du Haut which has led to Ronchamp being famous world-wide.

The group of artists had the idea to stack on the ground alignments of diverse materials suggesting the deep geological strata and sculptures and urban objects with lines and colours in the spirit of "Ronchamp from above ". In the centre of a complex associating progresses, squares, car parks and living spaces, the Horsetails Cube crystallizes the whole idea.
The purity of its black granite plates protecting a group of bronze horsetails symbolizes the whole history of Ronchamp. Horsetails, plants from a distant carboniferous era at the origin of the formation of coal, are here the deep roots of the village, linked to its present and its new youth, expressed by the creation of original urban architecture.

Situated in the marketplace, this monument is part of the mining trails which are proposed to the visitors to Ronchamp.

The port of Frahier and the irrigation canal

The canal is not very well-known to the people of Champagney. These notes taken from topographic accounts and departmental archives will tell you a little more about it.

The lock:
It is 48 metres long, 5,20m wide and 4m deep. The height clearance under bridges is 4 m. It is beautiful with its 20 x 50cm Vosges sandstone blocks. The feeder canal had to be filled in (for safety reasons) but the internal canal is accessible. The double gates were never installed.

The underground passage through the forest:
Situated between Frahier and Châlonvillars, it is 640m long, it looks like the older Chérimont part with three shafts, but its coping and facing are in worse state, the masonry was of poor quality.

The two west locks:
Visible from the Châlonvillars end, they now allow the free passage of water from the Rahin via the reservoir.

The underground passage at Chérimont:
It is 1330 meters long and has a total internal height of 8m. The 80cm coping which runs the full length of the passage is still in good condition except for the parts opposite the shafts and the east part where several coping stones have collapsed. The pink stone facing is in very good condition.

Six shafts spaced out at 180m intervals are used for ventilation, they are between 50 and 70m deep. The last unfinished shaft was dug to a depth of 10m. A respectable coping 3m high and of an outside diameter of 4m protects them.

The walls of the canal:
They are still visible several hundred meters away on both sides of the tunnel. They have been eroded by the vegetation and the water which cannot get through the blocked pipes any more. This canal reappears after the Main road 19 from the Port of Frahier, it passes over several bridges in Frahier. The underground passage of 35 meters planned for the passage of the RN 19 has been filled in.

Saint Marie’s Mine Shaft 

 Boring of Saint Marie’s mine shaft began on April 1^st 1864, at the foot of Bourlémont hill. 359 meters deep, through sandstone and red clay, this mine shaft produced very little coal.
In 1880, this concrete shaft became the main ventilation shaft for the other extraction shafts.
Its role gradually declined in importance and activity stopped. In 1921, the use of the Chanois shaft, not far off, boosted activity at the Saint Marie shaft. A new concrete pit head frame was installed in 1924.

In coal fields, ventilation is essential to fight against problems caused by:
· the carbon dioxide produced by breathing and the decomposition of the woodwork,
· coal dust,
· high temperatures,
· firedamp, that is methane gas released from the coal layers. There is a danger of explosion when it reaches concentrations of more than 5% methane in the air.

After closure in 1958, the galleries of the Saint Marie shaft were filled in. Thanks to Doctor Maulini, doctor of the mine and founder of the Mining museum, it was not destroyed.

The site was fitted out and secured in 1994.

Today, the Saint Marie shaft is the only visible vestige of the mining activity in Ronchamp.

Altarpiece of the church of Plancher-Bas 

 The church at Plancher-Bas dates from 1488 and is dedicated to Saint-Pancrace. (known in English as Saint-Pancras). The building was destroyed by a violent fire in 1771. The nave and the bell tower were quickly rebuilt the following year.

Inside there are two altarpieces dating the 18th century, one representing the Virgin of the Rosary and the other representing the martyr of Saint-Pancrace.

There are also two wooden statues from the 18th century, representing Saint-Guérin and Saint Joachim.