The Route des Chateaux Travel Video Guide

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Scattered among the wooded hills to the west of Wissembourg are a host of ruined castles that once stood guard over the frontier with Germany, and the winding D3 and its smaller tributaries, which cross the now untenanted frontier, take you close to most of them. The ruins of the Chateau du Fleckenstein (daily March 15-March 31 & Nov 1-Nov 15 10am-5pm; April-June & Sept-Oct 10am-6pm; July & Aug 9.30am-6.30pm; 17F/?2.59 in the summer and at weekends, otherwise 12F/?1.83), 7km north of Lembach , are perhaps the most spectacular, rising above the forest on a narrow sandstone outcrop, just a stone's throw from the German border. Six kilometres further on at Obersteinbach, the Maison des Chateaux-Forts , at 42 rue Principal (March-Oct Wed 2-5pm, Sat & Sun 3-6pm; call in advance because opening hours are susceptible to change; tel 03.88.09.56.34; 10F/?1.52), is an information centre, with displays and maps on the other castles in the area. A rather more modern fortress, just outside Lembach, is the Four a Chaux , part of the Maginot Line (guided tours: mid-March to June & Sept to mid-Nov 10am, 2pm & 3pm; July & Aug 10am, 11am & hourly 2-5pm; tel 03.88.94.48.62; 25F/?3.81).

An agreeable base for exploring this area is the village of LEMBACH , where the homely and unpretentious Hotel au Heimbach , 15 rue de Wissembourg (tel 03.88.94.43.46, fax 03.88.94.20.85; 220-300F/?34-46), is a pleasant place to stay . Directly opposite, the Auberge du Cheval Blanc (tel 03.88.94.41.86, fax 03.88.94.20.74; closed Mon & Tues Feb & July; menu at 190-475F/?28.97-72.41) serves exquisite but expensive cuisine.

The road continues westwards through wet, sparsely

populated country to the big French army camp at Bitche (in Lorraine), around 32km from Lembach. This garrison town, dominated by a squat dark Vauban fort atop its commanding bluff, has nothing to detain you, but if you need a bed , you could do worse than the Hotel de la Gare , 2 av Trumelet-Faber (tel & fax 03.87.96.00.14; under 160F/?24; closed Sat, Sun & hols), which is friendly and clean; its restaurant is acceptable, too, with a menu at 49F/?7.47.

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