Walking tour: the forts along the river

This marked circuit, with an insignificant difference in altitude, can be followed indifferently in each direction, with a choice of departure in Fort-Louis, Place de la Mairie or Neuhaeusel, the festival hall, rue du Rhin. You will discover exceptional landscapes and an exceptional environment. The Moder, which has become a forest river with its many branches, is slowly rushing towards its confluence with the Rhine, through the Rhine forest, where reed beds and white willows compete with a large number of different plant species. On the water, the typical flat-bottomed boats, the caulkers, appear. It is also the kingdom of roe deer and wild boar, beaver and ragondin, a very numerous aquatic bird: grebes, fishing martins, dwarf blongios egrets... and the very rare starry bittern. You are in a protected biotope. On the left bank of the Moder River, you will see a typical agricultural landscape of the North Ried. Two Forts are on your way: the Fort Carré and the Fort d'Alsace, which, together with the Fort Marquisat, which has now almost disappeared, formed Fort Louis (in reference to Louis XIV, its authorizing officer). This fortification, built by Vauban from 1687, housed up to 2,000 soldiers in difficult conditions in the 18th century. It was bombed during the French Revolution, partially restored later, then razed again and finally bought by the town of Fort-Louis. Two villages dot the circuit: - to the south, on the site of a former Capuchin convent, Fort-Louis appeared with the construction of the fortification and developed into a garrison town with 34 innkeepers a century later! Its streets are rectilinear and at right angles to avoid obstructing the movement of troops of the time, - to the north, Neuhaeusel, founded on the same occasion and whose inhabitants made the bricks and tiles for the fortification. Fishing and inland navigation later took over until the middle of the 20th century. Finally, a detour to Roeschwoog is necessary to discover this commune, which testifies to an occupation dating back to 800/400 B.C. and then to the Merovingians. Its inhabitants also made bricks and tiles for Fort Louis in the past. Another circuit, "Weckmann and the Moder", starting from this commune, allows you to get to know it better. Route description: https://ignrando.fr/fr/parcours/67431-pr5-les-forts-au-fil-de-l-eau