Abreschviller (; ) is a commune in the

Moselle The Moselle ( , ; ; ) is a river that rises in the Vosges mountains and flows through north-eastern France and Luxembourg to western Germany. It is a bank (geography), left bank tributary of the Rhine, which it joins at Koblenz. A sm ...

department in

Grand Est Grand Est (; ) is an Regions of France, administrative region in northeastern France. It superseded three former administrative regions, Alsace, Champagne-Ardenne and Lorraine, on 1 January 2016 under the provisional name of Alsace-Champagne-A ...

in northeastern

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

Geography

Abreschviller is a small, long-drawn-out, village in the

Vosges mountains The Vosges ( , ; ; Franconian (linguistics), Franconian and ) is a range of medium mountains in Eastern France, near its France–Germany border, border with Germany. Together with the Palatine Forest to the north on the German side of the bor ...

, surrounded by vast forests. It is located 15 kilometers south of

Sarrebourg Sarrebourg (; also , ; Lorraine Franconian: ; older ) is a commune of northeastern France. In 1895 a Mithraeum was discovered at Sarrebourg at the mouth of the pass leading from the Vosges Mountains. Geography Sarrebourg is located in the ...

, and 25 kilometers from Phalsbourg, at the border between

Lorraine Lorraine, also , ; ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; ; ; is a cultural and historical region in Eastern France, now located in the administrative region of Grand Est. Its name stems from the medieval kingdom of ...

and

Alsace Alsace (, ; ) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in the Grand Est administrative region of northeastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine, next to Germany and Switzerland. In January 2021, it had a population of 1,9 ...

. The village is crossed by the Red Saar. The highest point of the commune is the Grossmann forest house at 968 meters above sea level.

History

The origin of this village is rather recent. However this location was populated since the Antiquity. In 1660, there were only 48 houses there. The counts of Dabo (or Dachsbourg), with the concessions they granted them, the rights to exploit the forests of their domain, attracted French families who built houses on the banks of the Red Saar and populated Abreschviller gradually. In the course of the 17th and 18th centuries, fifteen sawmills and two paper mills were built on the village territory.

Chèchs

Many workers came from all over the region to work in the forest of Abreschviller. They arrived on Monday and left on Saturday. The forestry workers were called the "Chèchs" (the bags). The population recognized them, when they crossed the numerous villages before reaching Abreschviller, since they were used to walking with a stick and carrying their week's supply bag in an original way. Hence the name "Chèchs" (the bags).

Population

Sights

Civilian and industrial buildings

* Forest railway: this small tourist train, linking the center of the village to the hamlet of Grand-Soldat, welcomes about 30 000 tourists per year.

Historical monuments

* Old castle: vestiges of a feudal castle having belonged to the counts of Dabo. Located on the rock of Schlossfels, in the Streitwald forest. * Franco-German military cemetery. * Devil's rock: a remarkable sand-stone rock with a sculpture of the devil on it. It is surrounded by many folk tales.

Cultural events and festivities

The Abreschviller - Saint-Quirin hill climb race takes place every year at the end of April, or the beginning of May.

Notable people

Alexandre Chatrian (1826-1890): He was a French writer, known for his literary collaboration with Emile Erckmann. Alexandre Chatrian was born in Abreschviller. Pierre Marie Bournique (1888-1911): He was also known as Pierre Marie. He was born in Abreschviller and was a pilot from Lorraine as well as a pioneer of French aviation.

References

External links

* {{Authority control Communes of Moselle (department)