Climont
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Climont, formerly called "Clivemont" in
Old French Old French (, , ; Modern French: ) was the language spoken in most of the northern half of France from approximately the 8th to the 14th centuries. Rather than a unified language, Old French was a linkage of Romance dialects, mutually intelligib ...
, and "Winberg" in Old Alsatian, is a conical sandstone peak of the
Vosges mountains The Vosges ( , ; german: Vogesen ; Franconian and gsw, Vogese) are a range of low mountains in Eastern France, near its border with Germany. Together with the Palatine Forest to the north on the German side of the border, they form a single ...
. The mountain, with a cut-off shape, is known from afar by walkers and modern-day travellers. Situated today in
Alsace Alsace (, ; ; Low Alemannic German/ gsw-FR, Elsàss ; german: Elsass ; la, Alsatia) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in eastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland. In 2020, it had ...
to the south-west of the Champ du Feu, Clivemont's 965 metre peak is recognizable from a distance by its trapezoidal shape. The solitary tomb-shaped hill has long been a landmark to the south of the straight ''voie des saulniers'' (a salt trading route), at the start of the massif running from
Ormont Ormont is an ''Ortsgemeinde'' (a municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality) situated in the Vulkaneifel district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' of Gerolstein, whos ...
.


Geography

Climont offers an exceptional panorama of the various surrounding valleys. The waterways which originate there include the river
Fave The Fave () is a river in France in the eastern region of Lorraine. It flows in the Vosges département. It is a tributary of the Meurthe, thus a sub-tributary of the Moselle and of the Rhine. It is long. Geography The Fave rises at Lubine at ...
in the south-west which flows into the Meurthe above Saint-Dié, the Bruche and several streams such as the winding Climontaise, which flow into
Bourg-Bruche Bourg-Bruche (; ''or Burg-Breusch'') is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. See also * Communes of the Bas-Rhin department The following is a list of the 514 communes of the Bas-Rhin department of F ...
and
Schirmeck Schirmeck () is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. It is the location of the Alsace-Moselle Memorial museum. The name of the town means "protected place". In Lorraine dialect it is called "Chermec". T ...
to the north and finally the Giessen river to the south-east which flows towards Urbeis. The 360° view reveals
Donon Mont Donon is the highest peak in the northern Vosges. It is a Category 2 climb in the Tour de France. On Donon, there is an 80 metre tall lattice tower for TV transmission. Its TV transmission antennas are covered by a polymeric cylinder, which ...
and the Val de Bruche to the north, the Val de Villé to the east, the middle Vosges to the south, and the Saint-Dié basin to the west. The mountains, which beyond 650 or 700 metres up belong to the territory of the Urbeis commune, are highly prized by hill-walkers. The GR532 walking route passes by the south, and two routes marked by the
Vosges Club The Vosges Club (french: Club Vosgien, officially the ''Fédération du Club Vosgien'', german: Vogesenclub) is a French rambling organization that covers the Vosges Mountains in the regions of Alsace, eastern Lorraine and the northeastern part ...
(''Club Vosgien'') lead to the summit where a tower stands in memory of Julius Euting, commonly referred to as the "Tour Jules". Climont has given pleasure to travellers from Lorraine on the Saulniers way, announcing the proximity of the Ungersberg massif and its hills overlooking the Alsatian plain. It is also a useful landmark for mountain-dwellers; its wide-ranging views of over the Saint-Dié basin allow humidity testing of air layers, and wind forecasting in case of unusual wind patterns such as the coldest winter breezes or east winds coming down from the mountains. The cone of Climont is easily identifiable from the Roche Saint-Martin and from the heights of Hadremont north or east of the
Kemberg Kemberg () is a town in Wittenberg district in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. The town lies on the north edge of the Düben Heath Nature Park. Subdivisions The town Kemberg consists of the following ''Ortschaften'' or municipal districts:
massif, byt also at different height to the south of the Fave valley. Today drivers who take the fast route passing around Saint-Dié or entering the Fave valley in the direction of the Lusse tunnel or the
Saales Saales (; ) is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. Geography and geology Saales is at the center of a two kilometer long plateau with an average elevation of 560 meters. It sits on the Fraize creek. The v ...
col can contemplate the splendid isolation and magnificent evening lighting of Climont's slopes.


Toponymy and legends

The dialect name, whether of
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
or
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
origin, means a cut-off shape, referring to the abrupt slopes which fall from Climont's ledged summit. "Winberg" probably comes from a corruption of "Winkberg" or "Winkleberg", just as "Climont" comes from the
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
"clivus mons". The oldest written name for Climont is "cilkenberg", dating from 1195. Legend associates Climont with celibate, lonely or isolated people, or groups at odds with the norm. Monks and sects, notably
Anabaptist Anabaptism (from New Latin language, Neo-Latin , from the Greek language, Greek : 're-' and 'baptism', german: Täufer, earlier also )Since the middle of the 20th century, the German-speaking world no longer uses the term (translation: "Re- ...
s, lived on the mountain's slopes. Magical beings living on Climont, spirits of grass, shrubs ad trees said to be the sole examples of their kind, are described as much by their shapes and movements as by their appearances to observers. Paradoxically, a large number of these singular creatures presided over meetings and particularly amorous liaisons. The plants gathered by Saint Jain would have powers of love potions for
Tristan and Isolde Tristan and Iseult, also known as Tristan and Isolde and other names, is a medieval chivalric romance told in numerous variations since the 12th century. Based on a Celtic legend and possibly other sources, the tale is a tragedy about the illic ...
.


Geology

Climont is a mound bearing witness to sandstone of the
Triassic The Triassic ( ) is a geologic period and system which spans 50.6 million years from the end of the Permian Period 251.902 million years ago ( Mya), to the beginning of the Jurassic Period 201.36 Mya. The Triassic is the first and shortest period ...
, a vestige resulting from effective erosion pushed onto the pedestal of Permian sandstone. This latter formation basically corresponds to the post-Hercynian
peneplain 390px, Sketch of a hypothetical peneplain formation after an orogeny. In geomorphology and geology, a peneplain is a low-relief plain formed by protracted erosion. This is the definition in the broadest of terms, albeit with frequency the usage ...
characteristic of the Primary era. In the Saales col, whose flat horizons appear as a peneplain to the eye, there is similarity between the mounds of Climont, Voyemont, Houssot or the hills which continue from Ormont, all to a greater or lesser extent released by erosion. Note that the final and most recent erosion has arisen from the enclosing faults, which emerged transverse to the Alsatian rift and stretch out towards the Saint-Dié area. They have also induced the collapse of Ormont and are active today, creating the sharp relief of the sandstone massif. The countryside of Climont, shaped at the level of deep layers, is effectively an
isthmus An isthmus (; ; ) is a narrow piece of land connecting two larger areas across an expanse of water by which they are otherwise separated. A tombolo is an isthmus that consists of a spit or bar, and a strait is the sea counterpart of an isthmu ...
between the
Permian The Permian ( ) is a geologic period and stratigraphic system which spans 47 million years from the end of the Carboniferous Period million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Triassic Period 251.9 Mya. It is the last period of the Paleoz ...
basin of Saint-Dié and lLe Villé. The sandstone mass of Climont is neither strongly nor deeply
fissure A fissure is a long, narrow crack opening along the surface of Earth. The term is derived from the Latin word , which means 'cleft' or 'crack'. Fissures emerge in Earth's crust, on ice sheets and glaciers, and on volcanoes. Ground fissure A ...
d, which has made it resistant to
erosion Erosion is the action of surface processes (such as water flow or wind) that removes soil, rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth's crust, and then transports it to another location where it is deposited. Erosion is distin ...
. The waters on a conical prominence to the west descend via a waterfall towards Le Hang, forming the source of the Bruche. Beneath Le Hang, a dam has allowed a pond to form. Filled by the copious waters in the spring season, it was partially emptied by a floating of lost logs towards
Schirmeck Schirmeck () is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. It is the location of the Alsace-Moselle Memorial museum. The name of the town means "protected place". In Lorraine dialect it is called "Chermec". T ...
et
Strasbourg Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...
before 1890. To the west of the hamlet of Climont, going towards Colroy-la-Grande, are the oldest rocks in the Vosges, in the shape of a blade of stones observable at the surface over about 100 meters. These "formations of scales" belong to an old
Precambrian The Precambrian (or Pre-Cambrian, sometimes abbreviated pꞒ, or Cryptozoic) is the earliest part of Earth's history, set before the current Phanerozoic Eon. The Precambrian is so named because it preceded the Cambrian, the first period of the ...
pedestal; they are characterized by the
shale Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock formed from mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4) and tiny fragments (silt-sized particles) of other minerals, especial ...
s of Le Villé dating to over 600 million years in the past. These formations, submitted to intense pressures, friction and crushing by the action of faults, contain
gneiss Gneiss ( ) is a common and widely distributed type of metamorphic rock. It is formed by high-temperature and high-pressure metamorphic processes acting on formations composed of igneous or sedimentary rocks. Gneiss forms at higher temperatures an ...
with
amphibole Amphibole () is a group of inosilicate minerals, forming prism or needlelike crystals, composed of double chain tetrahedra, linked at the vertices and generally containing ions of iron and/or magnesium in their structures. Its IMA symbol is A ...
and
garnet Garnets () are a group of silicate minerals that have been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones and abrasives. All species of garnets possess similar physical properties and crystal forms, but differ in chemical composition. The different s ...
, known as Climont gneiss, but also syenitic granite. These crushed rocks or myelonites witness to an ancient metamorphism which occurred well before the shale deposits of Le Villé.


History

A former stubble for cow grazing, once wider and now uncultivated, occupied the landmark summit of the Saulniers path. Herds of goats appreciated the tough pasture of the slopes, partially exposed and covered with small young oaks, deciduous trees for the most part eclipsing the little surviving softwood, pines on the soil of gullies and firs in the shady basins. At the edges of the mound, particularly under the Easter basin near the houses of the Climont hamlet, meadows, pasture and fields show the agricultural vitality of the mountain communities during cold periods. The hamlet is a separate area to the east of the limits of Urbeis, parish and commune centre. It is traversed by the road linking the Urbeis col with the La Salcée col. The ''terram de cilkenbergh cultam and incultam'' (land of Climont in its cultivated and uncultivated parts) appears in the list of property of the Baumgarten Abbey in 1195. Beyond the property received from the Duke of Lorraine at Fouchy in 1172, The Cistercian Baumgarten Abbey in Lorraine kept a temporary lordship over the ban de Provenchères, extended to the border of Saâles, recorded as the ''grangiam de Hanso'' (the Hang Grange, which became simply "Le Hang") and the ''grangiam de Fossa'' (The Fosse Grange, which became "La Grande-Fosse"), two other pieces of land in the same list. Oral tradition associates these pieces of land with persistent mining activity. Proper limits of Climont were not known outside the 17th century. A
Mennonite Mennonites are groups of Anabaptist Christian church communities of denominations. The name is derived from the founder of the movement, Menno Simons (1496–1561) of Friesland. Through his writings about Reformed Christianity during the Radic ...
community from 1683, reinforced by
anabaptist Anabaptism (from New Latin language, Neo-Latin , from the Greek language, Greek : 're-' and 'baptism', german: Täufer, earlier also )Since the middle of the 20th century, the German-speaking world no longer uses the term (translation: "Re- ...
and then
reformed protestant Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the Christian theology, theological tradition and forms of Christianity, Christ ...
s families found a late refuge on the mountain slopes. They lived in relative harmony with the modest
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
families who had occupied Climont for centuries. According to land, habitat family and community details, an arbitrary initial distinction can be shown between two slopes of Climont, one belonging to Urbeis, and the other to Bourg-Bruche and Saâles. Under the
Ancien Régime ''Ancien'' may refer to * the French word for "ancient, old" ** Société des anciens textes français * the French for "former, senior" ** Virelai ancien ** Ancien Régime ** Ancien Régime in France {{disambig ...
, this distinction retained an occasional relevance, although both areas were part of the manor of Le Villé.


Hamlet, farms, and Anabaptist censes of Climont

The hamlet of Climont, at an altitude of 670 metres around a small temple, is part of the Urbeis commune. Its Alsacian name of "Winberg" has been altered to "Weinberg". The use of
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
by a sizable Mennonite community from 1690 onwards, then a simultaneous mix of Anabaptists and Reformed after intermarriages during the 19th century, has progressively Germanized the old placenames, for instance: The altitude may seem modest but the permanent cultivation of the fields at the start of the 20th century after the coldest observed temperature in 1850 rarely extends past 600 metres within the Vosges massif. Some gardens and farmed fields in Climont are even higher than the 650 metres in altitude achieved by the
Bellefosse Bellefosse (; german: Schöngrund) is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Grand Est in northeastern France, historically and culturally part of Alsace. Geography The village is located on a mountain terrace on the west slope of the in ...
cultivations. Other cultivated areas extend from 470 m (on the plain), 500 m (at Bourg-Bruche), 550 m (Natzviller and the clearing at Le Hand on the sun-facing slope belonging to Saales. In 1760, a manorial map probably raised by the Christiani shows five buildings which are taken to be large farms. Although it has not been possible to count these "censes", they are described a century later, perhaps by the Rebers, as a house built of stone, covered with shingles, containing a kitchen, two bedrooms, a storeroom, shed and barn. Upstairs are two bedrooms, and two rooms characterized by an attic with several compartments, some full of grain and some stuffed with fodder. Three neighbouring buildings contain * the barn, the stable, the pigpen mounted on the haylofts near the fountain. * the oven and the forge. * workers' quarters. A large farm in Climont might contain six family dwellings. The men were both farmers of
oats The oat (''Avena sativa''), sometimes called the common oat, is a species of cereal grain grown for its seed, which is known by the same name (usually in the plural, unlike other cereals and pseudocereals). While oats are suitable for human con ...
and grain, and
breeders A breeder is a person who selectively breeds carefully selected mates, normally of the same breed to sexually reproduce offspring with specific, consistently replicable qualities and characteristics. This might be as a farmer, agriculturalist, ...
, tending their cattle and managing their hayfields to provide fodder. The workable land represented 105 acres, meadows 96 poles and gardens and orchards 316 feet. In 1780, an inventory of the bailiwick of the county of Villé mentioned 90 Mennonites, composed of 1 widow, 17 couples, 29 boys and 26 girls. This may have represented the Anabaptists of the ban of Urbeis, of whom the majority lived on the lands of Climont. En 1796, six farms were sold as national property. This included the white house which belonged to François Joseph Choiseul. In 1850, 12 dwellings were recorded as well as a house in the forest. The inhabitants had a modest way of life, as suggested by the timid Climont Mennonites who in no way imposed themselves in meetings of the Le Hang council. Jean Dellenbach, a Climont labourer belonging to one of the leading Anabaptist families, left the inventory of his goods with the Boersch notary on 16 February 1848. The total amounted to 223
Francs The franc is any of various units of currency. One franc is typically divided into 100 centimes. The name is said to derive from the Latin inscription ''francorum rex'' (King of the Franks) used on early French coins and until the 18th centu ...
, of which the following is a part: A sometimes distant rural exodus had begun on Climont, but those who lived there were persevering and developing non-farming-related pursuits: stonecutting,
distilling Distillation, or classical distillation, is the process of separating the components or substances from a liquid mixture by using selective boiling and condensation, usually inside an apparatus known as a still. Dry distillation is the heat ...
, and weaving after the arrival of weavers who had relocated their small clothesmaking businesses for economic reasons from the textile towns. During the Second Empire, Joseph Elias, a Jewish trader from Scherviller, sold 11 ares of Climont land to Adam Brua, a weaver. He noted that the land parcel sold was beside Jacques Schlabach, who had left for America, disembarking at
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
or
New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster.
; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...
. The number of Mennonites and Reformed on Climont in 1889 was 53. After over a century, three large, prominent and related families controlled the Climont community, Dellenbach (Dellembach), Bacher (Boecher, Becher, Pacher, Pêcheur) and Beller. Without attaching religious claims, they quickly tolerated mixed marriages between Anabaptists and Protestants at the level of elite farmers and proprietors. In 1790, Elisabeth, a 25-year-old Dellenbach girl, married a Protestant from Plaine, provoking the first break in the Anabaptist community's management of the former manorial lands of Villé. By 1970 there were no Mennonites in the hamlet. A private cemetery with three tombstones hosts the remains of, among others, the last member of the Bacher family who died forty years prior.


Le Hang valley to the west

The valley of Le Hang, containing the source of the Bruche, today forms a vast clearing, mostly within the Bourg-Bruche commune with a part of its western edge in Saales. In 1710, this dry valley was covered with scrub oak in sparse thickets. A crystal glass factory employed a large number of workers and loggers on a seasonal basis. Mennonites from Switzerland employed in this difficult work gradually settled in the valley situated beneath Le Hang. In 1780, 70 anabaptists were hired to work in the clearing of Le Hang for the glass manufacturers.


The tour Julius

Climont's panoramic tower, the "Tour Julius", was built in 1897 by the Strasbourg section of the Club vosgien. Mr. Gérardin, owner of the Climont peak, donated the land required for it to be built. The tower is built in a square neo-medieval style, corbelled at the top and with a southern oriel. It is 17 metres high, and was inaugurated in October 1897 by the German authorities. It has 78 steps and a commemorative plaque in honour of
Julius Euting Julius Euting (11 July 1839 – 2 January 1913) was a German Orientalist. Life Director of the National and University Library of Strasbourg, he completed his first studies at the Eberhard-Ludwigs-Gymnasium in Stuttgart and at the local semi ...
, a famous orientalist and president-founder of the Club vosgien. The tower cost 4,000
German marks The Deutsche Mark (; English: ''German mark''), abbreviated "DM" or "D-Mark" (), was the official currency of West Germany from 1948 until 1990 and later the unified Germany from 1990 until the adoption of the euro in 2002. In English, it was ...
to construct. Beneath the entry portal, under the portrait of Euting, is posted a
quatrain A quatrain is a type of stanza, or a complete poem, consisting of four lines. Existing in a variety of forms, the quatrain appears in poems from the poetic traditions of various ancient civilizations including Persia, Ancient India, Ancient Greec ...
in German with a French translation. :''Gennant bin ich der "Juliusturm",'' :''Trotz biet'ich jedem Wettersturm;'' :''Hochwacht halt ich im Wasgauland,'' :''Mit ihm steh'ich in Gotteshand.'' :''Tour "Julius", tel est mon nom,'' :''Je brave les tempêtes en toute saison;'' :''Je veille sur les Vosges de mes hauteurs'' :''Et confie notre sort aux mains du Seigneur !'' ("I am called the Julius tower - I brave storms in all seasons - I watch over the Vosges from my heights, and I entrust our fate to the Lord"). The tower was renovated in 1986.


Music and folklore

It appears that Climont is known in legend for solitary people and for meetings. ''Annuaire de la Société d'Histoire du Val de Villé'', 1977, ISSN 0399-2330 Without doubt there existed a plethora of songs, whistles and fiddle-pieces dedicated to the beings of Climont. Current folklore realizes this tradition to a greater or lesser extent, or reinvents it wholesale with German tourists in mind. Gérard Durand, in his album ''La Climontaise'' published Kobra, based at the Neuve Eglise, attempted to do this, synthesising
polka Polka is a dance and genre of dance music originating in nineteenth-century Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. Though associated with Czech culture, polka is popular throughout Europe and the Americas. History Etymology The term ...
, waltzes and marches. To stay in a more austere or protestant aesthetic,
J. S. Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard wo ...
's six suites for solo cello are good to listen to there.


Notes and references


External links

*
Photojournal of an ascent of Climont on foot
*
Photojournal of an ascent of Climont using snowshoes
*

* {{in lang, fr}

Mountains of the Vosges Mountains under 1000 metres