the summit of Raemelsberg at Wolschwiller

The Raemel chain, two kilometers long, blocks the horizon and rises to 832 meters altitude. It is the highest point of the Alsatian Jura, reached by a picturesque limestone ridge called the customs officers’ or smugglers’ trail, which follows the Franco-Swiss border. A rather sporty walk, enhanced by magnificent views of the Swiss Jura.

Wolschwiller is located at 440 m altitude at the foot of the Raemel chain, in the Oltingue basin which lies between the Ferrette fold and the Landskron fold. Wolschwiller, along with Oberlarg, is one of the hotspots for thunderstorm formation in the Alsatian Jura, hence the intensity of hailstorms. In June 1934, it took only 20 minutes to cover meadows and fields with a thick layer of hail. Similarly, in July 1969, the press headlined "terrible night in Wolschwiller" following a storm. On March 5, 2006, the Wolschwiller commune and surroundings were covered by a thick layer of snow about sixty centimeters deep, which took several days to melt away.