COMMUNE DE SARRALBE

As its name indicates, Sarralbe was formed at the confluence of the valleys of the Saar and the Alba, the two rivers that cross it. A river stop at the entrance of the old medieval town can welcome boaters and cyclists in a park planted with trees To see: - The church of St. Martin and the Alba Gate: Nicknamed the "Cathedral of the Saar", the church of St. Martin has two majestic Gothic spires rising 70 meters above the ground. Built in pink Vosges sandstone, with a narrow, high and very bright nave, the church overlooks the old Porte d'Albe (12th century), classified as a historical monument in 1922. The only vestige of the medieval city walls, this monument was raised by three floors in the 16th century and topped by a beautiful bulb with a skylight to serve as a belfry. Since 1987, a prestigious Aubertin organ magnifies the church. - The "House of the heads" and the museum of the country of Alba: Former town hall and cantonal court, this elegant communal building dating from the 16th century, superbly restored in 1998, owes its current name to the admirable sculptures which decorate its facade. Since 1995, it has housed the seven rooms of the Historical Museum of the Alba Country and the Aquatic Maginot Line. - The Sarralbe mill : Property of the bishops of Metz in the Middle Ages, then of the dukes of Lorraine, modernized throughout the centuries and still in activity, it is the most important mill of the Moselle department. A large paddle wheel, installed in 1992 on the forebay, stirs the water of the Sarre for the great pleasure of visitors and tourists. - The chapel of "La montagne": A high place dear to the inhabitants of the Pays d'Albe, this ancient sanctuary with its old squat bell tower from the 10th century, dominates the nearby valley of the Albe from its promontory located west of the town. Dedicated to the Holy Trinity, it was a particularly revered place of pilgrimage. In the past, there was a hermitage there. Three commemorative stones from the 15th century, inlaid around the choir, remind us of the former lords of Sarralbe: the Bayers of Boppard. The graves of the town cemetery are spread out on the wooded slopes of the hill and below is a British military cemetery from 1914-1918. - The Knopp panorama : Highest point of the Albenian country, built by the strategists as an advanced post of the Maginot Aquatic Line, bitterly defended by a group of Marsouins during the massive German attack of June 14, 1940, this high place of our history offers an exceptional panorama which extends to the distant "Blue Line" of the Vosges, where the typical silhouette of the Donon is profiled. - Saltzbronn and the Saint Wendelin chapel : Of the two saltworks of Saltzbronn, only the residential buildings remain, while the mineral water spring, known for its medicinal properties, still gushes under the foliage of the old park, reminding us of the existence of a health resort before 1918. Only the beautiful chapel of Saint Wendelin still testifies to the thousand-year-old prosperity of the saltworks. - The arboretum and the forest house Saint-Hubert : Its observatory offers to the nature lovers the possibility of discovering on the edge of the forest many species of trees and a very varied fauna. The Maison Forestière, a former hunting lodge of Baron De Schmidt, built in pink sandstone, has two round towers topped with a slate roof and a pediment decorated with a boar's head in sandstone that are worth a visit. Nearby, in the forest, an orienteering course, as well as a footpath on the chemin des Mardelles invite you to discover this charming place. - The Stork Trail: The white stork feels at home in Sarralbe since it has taken up residence here. This tour will take you through the old town, which has many heritage and historical treasures to be discovered by following the thematic route through the streets and alleys dating back to medieval times. The white stork will explain his life and his worries as a migratory wader emblematic of our city. Follow the markings on the ground and the stork's chirping.