Schoenenbourg Fort: the Invincible Guardian of the Maginot Line
Immerse yourself in French military history with a visit to Fort de Schoenenbourg, located between the charming villages of Hunspach and Ingolsheim in Alsace. The largest artillery fort open to the public in Alsace, the fort offers a unique insight into the daily lives of soldiers between the wars. Built between 1931 and 1935 as part of the Maginot Line, this historic site, restored since 1978 by passionate volunteers, has retained all its original equipment.
Explore 3 kilometers of underground galleries at a depth of 30 meters and discover the kitchen, dormitories and infirmary, which reflected the daily life of 630 men in 1939. The tour also highlights the technical innovations of the period, such as the power plant that ensured the fort’s autonomy. Outside, you can observe the eclipsible turrets and combat blocks equipped with 81 mm mortars and 75 mm cannons.
Fort Schoenenbourg is also a place of remembrance. It was the most heavily bombed site between May and June 1940, but its crew remained undefeated, surrendering only at the request of the French High Command on July 1, 1940. Each visit is an opportunity to relive history through preserved installations and poignant testimonies.
Whether in its underground galleries or through its defense equipment, the Schoenenbourg fort offers a captivating immersion in history and military architecture. Book your visit now!
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Average duration 2.5 hours
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Languages spoken French, English, German
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Difficulty Suitable for all
From 21.11.2024 to 31.12.2025
Self-guided tour
– Adult price: €10
– Children (6 to 18): €5
– Students and schoolchildren: €5
Guided tour (by reservation only)
– Adult rate: €10 (groups of 15 or more)
– Student and school group rate: €5 (groups of 20 or more)
– Adult group rate for less than 15 participants: fixed price €150 (admission and guide included)
– School group rate for less than 20 participants: fixed price €100 (admission and guidance included)
- Self-guided tour
November 12 to December 21, 2024
Open every Saturday and Sunday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
December 22 to January 6, 2025 inclusive
Open every day from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
January 07 to March 31, 2025
Open every Saturday and Sunday from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
April 01 to June 30 and September 01 to November 11, 2025
Open weekdays from 14:00 to 16:00
Open weekends from 09:30 to 16:00 (see opening hours on www.lignemaginot.com)
July and August
Open daily from 09h30 to 16h00
- Explore a fully restored fort with original equipment
- A spectacular tour with 3 km of underground galleries and unique eclipse turrets
- A site steeped in history: a key witness to the Maginot Line and a symbol of military resistance
FORT DE SCHOENENBOURG
Fort de Schoenenbourg is the largest visitable fort on the Maginot Line in Alsace. With its 3 kilometers of internal galleries 30 meters below ground, its surface area of over 15,000 square meters and its complete original equipment, it offers an unprecedented return to the past.
Immerse yourself in the daily life of the soldiers of the Maginot Line, and discover the underground life of the early days of the Second World War in Alsace.
Visit the premises occupied by these men for more than 10 months: the collective kitchen, the dormitories, the electrical production plant, the infirmary and the blanks.
67250 HUNSPACH