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The Artillery Tour	Sites & History > Cernay

This massif round tour, high on the strip of water bank, used to protect the south east angle of the town past fortifications. Built in 1422, its walls are more than 3 meter thick at the ground.

Before the first World War the Tour was transformed in a brewery and embellished with railings.

Now the Tour is registered as historic monument.

La tour d'artillerie

The City Hall

Cityhall
Previously the City Hall was an inn « Au palais Royal » run by Jean-François during the XVIIth century. Then Pierre Meunier became the owner of the house during the French Revolution. He chose « Le Soleil d'Or » ( the Golden Sun) as an ensign. Around the middle of the XIXth century the owner of the hostel changed once more. It belonged then to Auguste Bornot who renamed it « La pomme d'or » (the golden apple)
In 1920 the town bought the Hotel Bornot who had become Hotel Bristol during the First World War. It was made new City Hall the 11^th November 1931 when Joseph Lemblé was mayor.

The Villa Carrère

The Carrère Villa
The Villa Carrère was built after the First World War. The half-timbering, the staircase and the windowsills are made out of Vosges sandstones. It is sometimes called « Villa Bunny Rabbit » because of the rabbit sculpture above one of the entry.
The house used to belong to the Carrère couple. Jean Paul Carrère, born in Bordeaux was a painter who made plenty of still life, nude and some landscape paintings. The building is now home to the Tourist Board.

The Marshal de Schönbeck Hostel

The Marshal de Schönbeck Hostel
In 1643 Louis XIII offered the Cernay territory to the General Major de Schönberg, colonel of an infantry regiment for the Duke of Weimar's Swedish army. In 1639 after the death of the Duke the army fell under the French command. The Marshal de Schönbeck acquired the house in 1647. The duke and his sons- in- law made the house larger and added a dungeon.
Sold after the French Revolution, the hostel would then belong to a notary until the beginning of the 1870 war.

The « Cercle Famillial Saint Etienne »

The « Cercle Famillial Saint Etienne »
In 1891 the heads of the Church in Cernay bought the former buildings of a school for boys and girls from the town. The building called Oberhof belonged to the barons of Ferrette. During the Revolution it was sold and the town of Cernay bought it in 1818. Founded in 1889, the catholic circle from Cernay was created for « education and recreation » with a section for gymnastics and another one for music.
After the First World War a new building located at the same place as the past Oberhof constructions was built. The « Cercle Familial » building is now used as an auditorium where lots of Alsatian plays are performed. It also houses accommodations for pin.

The Thur biotope footpath

.Between Vieux-Thann and Cernay the Thur River keeps active fluvial dynamics seldom to observe in Alsace. Besides the upstream river sections- the part between Vieux-Thann and Cernay- is the area where the river is still wild (over 2,5 kilometre) In Alsace on the Thur, Doller, Fecht and Bruche rivers only a few parts of those areas where the river is liable to flooding still exist. The landscape is in a constant change : the bed of the river is deeply unsteady because of the alluvium mobility and the flood strength. During strong floods the river overflows on a large expanse called the “flood field of the Thur River”.
You will need 2 hours to discover the 3,5 kilometre (2.18 miles) footpath helped by some 13 informative boards spread all over it. A ringed plover is used to mark the path to follow. This bird was chosen as a mascot because it lives on the white pebbles of the river. If the weather is rainy you should bring good shoes or even boots. The path is also impracticable during huge floods.
Two leaflets to guide your visit are for sale at the tourist board: - a leaflet presenting the different stages of the path (1€) - an overall brochure which gives indication concerning the path to follow but also explanations about the wild life and plant life (3€)

The path of the Oratory

The path of the Oratory

Wandering on the oratory path

The oratories are a mark of faith and gratitude hand down from generation to generation. More than some simple cultural buildings, those oratories are also rooted in the local landscape. They enable us to get closer to the old age history of our region.

The veneration of Notre Dame or the Saints most often reveals a move or a popular display which finds its origin in the traditions or an event that had marked the memories of the people. We are suggesting you singular itinerary to do in 3 parts: a long way connecting the oratories in the hills, a more urban way inside the villages and a last one more far away.

Documentation available by request at the tourist board.

The scenic steam train

For the greatest pleasure of all its passengers an authentic 1892 steam train wriggles through the Piedmont of the Vosges. The coaches come from the Montpellier train in Palavas.
Schedule: Saturday and bank holidays from the 1st June to the 30th September 2008: departure from Cernay Saint André at 11am and 3.30 pm. Each Wednesday in July and August: departure from Cernay Saint André at 10pm and 2am. Price list: Round trip adult ticket : 10€ Round trip children ticket : 8,50€ Family round trip ( 2 adults and till 3 children ) : 32€
Events during all the tourism season: www.train-doller.org
En gare de Sentheim : buvettes, expositions artistiques ou culturelles.

The Red Band Cernay

An historical 1 hour sightseeing tour called « Red Band » ( Fil Rouge) will lead the walker trough the remarkable places of the town of Cernay
Aleaflet explaining the history of the architectural heritage isavailable for free by simple request at the tourist board.(only in french) . InJuly and August, free guided tours of the town ( in french) . Informations 00 33 3 89 75 50 35 or info@cernay.net

Cernay's historical heritage

Former fortified town during the Middle Age, Cernay was able to keep some vestiges of this time : the town streets stick with the old square plan and the « Porte de Thann » - an one time fortification tower- houses today the Historical Museum. Once specialized in the textile industry during the XIXth century to town has since become an economic and industrial pole.

Come and discover

The Thann Tour Museum

The Former fortification vestiges

The Storks park

The Church Saint Etienne

The Artillery Tour

The City hall

The Villa "Carrère" (tourist board)

The Marshal de Schönbeck Hostel

Cercle Familial Saint Etienne

The Thur biotope footpath

The scenic steam train

The Oratory path

The « red band »

The Thann Tour Museum

The Thann Tour Museum was created in 1983 in Cernay.

The administration and activities of this town museum is provided by an equip of volunteers grouped in the « Société d'Histoire et d'Archéologie de Cernay et Environs » ( society for history and archaeology of Cernay and its surroundings)

The Museum is partly set up into the medieval tour built in the town fortifications during the XIIth century and registered as historic monument since 1920. Its goal is to present to the large public the historic heritage of the town from Antiquity to the Second World War, and to promote temporary exhibitions (2007/2008 : Cernay, a medieval town). The name of famous Cernéens (inhabitants of Cernay) was given to the different rooms:

• Ingold room : the beginning of our History

• Oberreiner room : from the Roman Empire to the invasions

• Weinstoerffer room : Cernay under the Nazi yoke

• Sutter room : from the fortification to the car park , 800 years of archaeological memories

Practical information:

Opening hours :

From 1st April to 31st October

Monday, Tuesday and Saturday 2pm – 5pm

Sunday and bank holidays: 10am – 12am and 2pm - 6pm

Group on appointment all the year long

November, December and March :

Sundays and bank holidays:

Closed in January and February except for the groups

Price list 2007 / 2008:

Adults : 2€

Senior citizen ( +60 years old), students, handicapped people ( partial access) and groups : 1€

Free under 16

Contact details :

Musée de la Porte de Thann

1, rue de Thann

68700 CERNAY

Phone Number : 0033 3 89 75 88 80

www.musees-alsace.org

The former fortification vestiges

By walking parallel to the past town ditches now transformed in gardens the visitor can notice the aligning of the houses referring to the erstwhile fortifications.

Fortification angle tour

The word « oppudium » meaning « fortified town » appears for the first time for Cernay in the 1271 charter sealing the sale of count Ulrich de Ferrette's territories to the bishop of Bâle .

The Storks Park

The Storks Park
The stork is the symbol of Alsace, but also of the town of Cernay. In 1938 there used to be about 140 stork couples living here, their population decreased after the war to reach the critical number of 7 couples in 1967
Influenced by the mayor at this time and in collaboration with the regional centre for collaring birds a stork reintroduction centre was created in 1978 in cernay.
After 10 years of attempt, patience and a lot of love , the results did live up to the expectations: Cernay become once more « Cernay, the town of the storks ».	You can visit the park every days of the year, free entrance. Feeding hours: during the week : 9.30am during the week-end : 10am and every days on 3pm

The Saint Etienne Church

Built in a neo-gotic style in 1925, the erstwhile church was completely destroyed during the First World War.
The transept hosts a outstanding piece : the Great Good Lord, a 5 meter high Christ Cross