Bonfol Km 0
Overview
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Distance 18 km
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Duration 4 h 20 min
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Ascent 280 m
Intro
The focus of this hike is “Kilometre Zero“, the beginning of the World War I battlefront which extended from the Swiss border to the North Sea. In the forest, you can find the remainders of barriers, look-out posts and bunkers. The path crosses and re-crosses the border several times.
Description
Bonfol is located on the outer edge of the Ajoie region on the French border. It is known primarily for its traditional pottery craft. The reddish clay here, for example, was perfect for making fondue pots. Car designer and car racer Louis Chevrolet was a prominent resident of the small village. The area is not particularly known as a hiking destination, but the “Kilometre Zero” educational path with a number of information boards offers fascinating insights into the history of this nearly forgotten border region. “Kilometre Zero” is where the battlefront begins. It extended from the Swiss border to the North Sea.
The trail starts at the Bonfol train station. After the village it enters the majestic forests of the Ajoie region to the north. The so-called Largzipfel, a piece of land that juts out to the Larg river in the Alsace, is located at the edge of the forest. This is where Swiss, German and French soldiers were facing each other for four years during World War I. It is also where boundary stone 111 is found, the official “Kilometre Zero” of the western front. An explanation of its history is provided at the stations of an educational trail. First we cross the Larg, and thus the French border, on a wooden bridge. Other remainders of the three fronts are found along the river, such as machine gun positions, a concrete shelter, a casemate from the infantry and deteriorated barriers. The path is quite swampy here.
Just after a swimming pond a signpost points to Villa Agathe. The first French shelter on the western front contains a room with a gap in the roof where rifle grenades where launched. Later we come to an intact railway bridge near Pfetterhouse, and then the path takes a long left turn and follows the railway line. Parts of a destroyed railway bridge are found about half way, before the trail returns to Swiss territory. It passes a protected pond area in the forest at the edge of Bonfol. A dam separates the two main ponds “Etang du Mileu” and “Le Neuf Etang”. The popular recreational area is perfect for a break before returning to Bonfol.
An enjoyable tour includes the careful planning of the same. Please inform yourself in advance at the local information center about the route and weather conditions. Depending on the season and weather conditions, this route may be blocked or interrupted
| Start location |
Bonfol
|
|---|---|
| Destination |
Bonfol
|
| Direction |
Round trip
|
| Ascent |
280 m
|
| Descent |
280 m
|
| Distance |
18 km
|
| Duration |
4 h 20 min
|
| Duration back |
4 h 20 min
|
| Technical requirements |
Easy
|
| Physical requirements |
Medium
|
| Theme |
With panoramic view
|
| Signalization |
Signalisation in both directions
|
Quick Facts
Route number
