Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Bas-Rhin Elsass

Well, the bread must have been very hot. Or was this arson?

According to archaeologists, the first caves were used here in the Middle Ages, when they were used for storage. They were converted into semi-troglodyte dwellings in the 17th century. One of the doors of the current cave houses is dated 1760. They were inhabited until 1958 and are now used as a museum.

Not much is known about Graufthal Abbey. A legend tells, that it was founded by Saint Sigebaud, who was Bishop of Metz from 716 on. The area was given in fief of the bishopric of Metz to the Lords of Lützelburg. The Great Peasants' War came to strike a fatal blow to the abbey in 1525 and it fell in ruins. Today some parts of the cloister are unearthed.

The Lützelstein castle (Lützelstein - Little Stone - Petit Pierre) was built by the Count of Blieskastel and claimed by the Bishop of Strasbourg in 1223. The Count successfully defended it. In 1533, Lützelstein county was passed to the Palatinate-Zweibrücken and from there passed on to the Count Palatine of Veldenz. After the line got extinct in 1694 Lützelstein was returned to Palatinate-Zweibrücken, but at that time it was a French fief, so it was de facto ruled by the Kingdom of France. Vauban expanded its fortress. In 1801 Lützelstein county was formally annexed by France and was part of the Bas-Rhin department in 1801. After that, the fortress was again expanded, but after the Franco-Prussian War in 1872 it was partly demolished by the Prussians. Since 1801 Lützelstein shared the fate of Alsace. It was German, French, German, French - and changed its name from Lützestein to La Petite-Pierre back and forth. - A church existed here probably already in the 13th century. This got replaced by a Gothic building in the early 15th century. Of this church, only the choir survived, the nave was built in the 19th century. Reformation after the Lutheran confession was introduced in 1558. After 1680, when Lützelinden had become French, a Catholic parish was admitted, but it was ruled, that in villages with only one church this should be used "simultaneously", by both denominations. The Gothic choir still has frescoes from the early 15th century. After the Reformation, these paintings got whitewashed. They were discovered in 1864 and restored in the 1960s. There were at least two memorials in the church, that got both destroyed during/after the French Revolution. These are the remains of one of them.

The Lützelstein castle (Lützelstein - Little Stone - Petit Pierre) was built by the Count of Blieskastel and claimed by the Bishop of Strasbourg in 1223. The Count successfully defended it. In 1533, Lützelstein county was passed to the Palatinate-Zweibrücken and from there passed on to the Count Palatine of Veldenz. After the line got extinct in 1694 Lützelstein was returned to Palatinate-Zweibrücken, but at that time it was a French fief, so it was de facto ruled by the Kingdom of France. Vauban expanded its fortress. In 1801 Lützelstein county was formally annexed by France and was part of the Bas-Rhin department in 1801. After that, the fortress was again expanded, but after the Franco-Prussian War in 1872 it was partly demolished by the Prussians. Since 1801 Lützelstein shared the fate of Alsace. It was German, French, German, French - and changed its name from Lützestein to La Petite-Pierre back and forth. - A church existed here probably already in the 13th century. This got replaced by a Gothic building in the early 15th century. Of this church, only the choir survived, the nave was built in the 19th century. Reformation after the Lutheran confession was introduced in 1558. After 1680, when Lützelinden had become French, a Catholic parish was admitted, but it was ruled, that in villages with only one church this should be used "simultaneously", by both denominations. The Gothic choir still has frescoes from the early 15th century. After the Reformation, these paintings got whitewashed. They were discovered in 1864 and restored in the 1960s.

The Lützelstein castle (Lützelstein - Little Stone - Petit Pierre) was built by the Count of Blieskastel and claimed by the Bishop of Strasbourg in 1223. The Count successfully defended it. In 1533, Lützelstein county was passed to the Palatinate-Zweibrücken and from there passed on to the Count Palatine of Veldenz. After the line got extinct in 1694 Lützelstein was returned to Palatinate-Zweibrücken, but at that time it was a French fief, so it was de facto ruled by the Kingdom of France. Vauban expanded its fortress. In 1801 Lützelstein county was formally annexed by France and was part of the Bas-Rhin department in 1801. After that, the fortress was again expanded, but after the Franco-Prussian War in 1872 it was partly demolished by the Prussians. Since 1801 Lützelstein shared the fate of Alsace. It was German, French, German, French - and changed its name from Lützestein to La Petite-Pierre back and forth. - A church existed here probably already in the 13th century. This got replaced by a Gothic building in the early 15th century. Of this church, only the choir survived, the nave was built in the 19th century. Reformation after the Lutheran confession was introduced in 1558. After 1680, when Lützelinden had become French, a Catholic parish was admitted, but it was ruled, that in villages with only one church this should be used "simultaneously", by both denominations. The Gothic choir still has frescoes from the early 15th century. After the Reformation, these paintings got whitewashed. They were discovered in 1864 and restored in the 1960s.

The Lützelstein castle (Lützelstein - Little Stone - Petit Pierre) was built by the Count of Blieskastel and claimed by the Bishop of Strasbourg in 1223. The Count successfully defended it. In 1533, Lützelstein county was passed to the Palatinate-Zweibrücken and from there passed on to the Count Palatine of Veldenz. After the line got extinct in 1694 Lützelstein was returned to Palatinate-Zweibrücken, but at that time it was a French fief, so it was de facto ruled by the Kingdom of France. Vauban expanded its fortress. In 1801 Lützelstein county was formally annexed by France and was part of the Bas-Rhin department in 1801. After that, the fortress was again expanded, but after the Franco-Prussian War in 1872 it was partly demolished by the Prussians. Since 1801 Lützelstein shared the fate of Alsace. It was German, French, German, French - and changed its name from Lützestein to La Petite-Pierre back and forth. - A church existed here probably already in the 13th century. This got replaced by a Gothic building in the early 15th century. Of this church, only the choir survived, the nave was built in the 19th century. Reformation after the Lutheran confession was introduced in 1558. After 1680, when Lützelinden had become French, a Catholic parish was admitted, but it was ruled, that in villages with only one church this should be used "simultaneously", by both denominations.

The Lützelstein castle (Lützelstein - Little Stone - Petit Pierre) was built by the Count of Blieskastel and claimed by the Bishop of Strasbourg in 1223. The Count successfully defended it. In 1533, Lützelstein county was passed to the Palatinate-Zweibrücken and from there passed on to the Count Palatine of Veldenz. After the line got extinct in 1694 Lützelstein was returned to Palatinate-Zweibrücken, but at that time it was a French fief, so it was de facto ruled by the Kingdom of France. Vauban expanded its fortress. In 1801 Lützelstein county was formally annexed by France and was part of the Bas-Rhin department in 1801. After that, the fortress was again expanded, but after the Franco-Prussian War in 1872 it was partly demolished by the Prussians. Since 1801 Lützelstein shared the fate of Alsace. It was German, French, German, French - and changed its name from Lützestein to La Petite-Pierre back and forth.

As La Petite Pierre is in the centre of the North Vosges Biosphere Reserve, there are quite a lot of tourists undertaking hike tours around the area. So, though there are only 700 inhabitants, there are a couple of nice hotels and restaurants. One of them is the Hotel Aux Trois Roses. www.aux-trois-roses.com/ Magret de canard, boulgour, haricots verts

As La Petite Pierre is in the centre of the North Vosges Biosphere Reserve, there are quite a lot of tourists undertaking hike tours around the area. So, though there are only 700 inhabitants, there are a couple of nice hotels and restaurants. One of them is the Hotel Aux Trois Roses. www.aux-trois-roses.com/ Vol-au-vent d'escargots

Sunset in La Petite-Pierre, where the Lützelstein castle (Lützelstein - Little Stone - Petit Pierre) was built by the Count of Blieskastel and claimed by the Bishop of Strasbourg in 1223. The Count successfully defended it. In 1533, Lützelstein county was passed to the Palatinate-Zweibrücken and from there passed on to the Count Palatine of Veldenz. After the line got extinct in 1694 Lützelstein was returned to Palatinate-Zweibrücken, but at that time it was a French fief, so it was de facto ruled by the Kingdom of France. Vauban expanded its fortress. In 1801 Lützelstein county was formally annexed by France and was part of the Bas-Rhin department in 1801. After that, the fortress was again expanded, but after the Franco-Prussian War in 1872 it was partly demolished by the Prussians. Since 1801 Lützelstein shared the fate of Alsace. It was German, French, German, French - and changed its name from Lützestein to La Petite-Pierre back and forth.

Since the 12th century the fortress "Bytis Castrum" was known, located on a rock about 70 metres above the town. At that time the town belonged to the Duchy of Lorraine. Later Lorraine changed ownership to the counts of Zweibrücken-Bitsch, a line that became extinct in 1570. Bitche fell to the Lutheran County of Hanau Lichtenberg, but came back to Lorraine 36 years later and got re-catholicized. In 1680 France occupied the country. The subsequent reconstruction and redesign of the medieval castle to a modern fortress was done by Vauban. During the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, the fortress was besieged by Bavarian troops but could not be taken. After the war, Bitche was given to the German Empire as part of Alsace-Lorraine, but it changed back to France after WWI. It became German, after the French Campaign in the summer of 1940 and remained under German occupation. Since the end of WWII, it is - French again.