FORTE CULTURA guided tour: Westwall Rhine-Palatinate Forest (DE)
The history of the Western Wall from the Rhine to the Palatinate Forest
The Westwall was a gigantic, 630 km long military defence line on the western border of the German Reich. Discover anti-tank ditches, hump lines, blasting funnels and bunkers of the Westwall in the section from the Rhine to the Palatinate Forest during our cycle tour.
Immerse yourself in the hidden world of defence lines and anti-tank barriers with hump lines, wet and dry trenches, walls and blasting funnels. Discover hidden defence structures from the one-man bunker to the B-Werk.
Our cycle tour starts at the train station in Wörth am Rhein and leads along the defence lines of the Westwall for around 47 kilometres to Bad Bergzabern, where we finish with a visit to the Westwall Museum in a preserved bunker complex. You then have the option of travelling back to Wörth by train. Alternatively, the tour can also be done as a round trip from Kandel, in which case the total distance is around 67 kilometres.
The experience of the First World War led to the realisation that many soldiers were able to survive the fierce trench warfare because they were protected from enemy fire in the "Hindenburg Line", which was built far behind the front line from 1916. Construction of the western fortifications began in 1936 and continued until 1940. This was occupied by the Wehrmacht from August 1939 to June 1940. With the invasion of Belgium and France, the troops were moved to the Atlantic. Large parts of the armament were also transferred to the Atlantic Wall. It was not until the retreat battles of 1944/45 that the Siegfried Line was temporarily re-equipped with hastily assembled troops and weapons.
Experience the fortified region and its charming landscape as part of the European Fortified Monuments FORTE CULTURA® cultural route.
Michael Walter
Tour guide with
FORTE CULTURA certificate
Walter Tours
Certified Rhine Park Guide
Cycling and hiking tours
Nature and adventure tours
Notes on the guided cycle tour
Durationapprox. 6 hours (47 km)
Price21.00 € per person, incl. admission to the Westwall Museum Bad Bergzabern
Meeting point:
Railway station, 76744 Wörth am Rhein
Equipment:
Mountain bike or bicycle suitable for riding on unpaved paths
Please note that participation in the guided cycle tour is always at your own risk. The legal owner of the described offer and solely liable for its contents is the organiser: Walter Touren
Michael Walter is a tour guide with FORTE CULTURA certification.
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