Abreschviller (; german: Alberschweiler) is a

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

in the Moselle department in

Grand Est Grand Est (; gsw-FR, Grossa Oschta; Moselle Franconian/ lb, Grouss Osten; Rhine Franconian: ''Groß Oschte''; german: Großer Osten ; en, "Great East") is an administrative region in Northeastern France. It superseded three former administra ...

in northeastern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

Geography

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

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

Sarrebourg Sarrebourg (; also , ; Lorraine Franconian: ; older la, Pons Saravi) 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 ...

, and 25 kilometers from

Phalsbourg Phalsbourg (; ; Lorraine Franconian: ''Phalsburch'') is a commune in the Moselle department in Grand Est in north-eastern France, with a population of about 5,000. It lies high on the west slopes of the Vosges, northwest of Strasbourg by rail. ...

, at the border between

Lorraine Lorraine , also , , ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; german: Lothringen ; lb, Loutrengen; nl, Lotharingen is a cultural and historical region in Northeastern France, now located in the administrative region of Gra ...

and

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 ...

. The village is crossed by the Red Saar. The highest point of the

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 is a Japanese hip-hop rapper. He first appeared on the Japanese hip-hop scene in the 1990s, collaborating in a Shakkazombie song, ''"Tomo ni ikkou"''. Since 2002, he has released three albums: ''Hitman'' (2002), ''Diamond'' (2003), and ''The Fo ...

(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 Alexandre Chatrian (18 December 1826 – 3 September 1890) was a French writer, associated with the region of Alsace-Lorraine. Almost all of his works were written jointly with Émile Erckmann under the name Erckmann-Chatrian. Life Youth He w ...

(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.