Between Munster and Orbey, just over 1,000 metres up, two sites sit close together without resembling each other at all: Lac Vert, a natural body of water in the Tanet massif, and the Linge battlefield, where French and German forces fought through the summer and autumn of 1915. Few guides to the area suggest combining the two in a single outing, even though the road serving the Col du Wettstein passes right by each of them. Here is what to know before setting out: access, opening hours, prices, and what there actually is to see on site.
Lac Vert du Tanet: a mountain lake, not a war crater
Lac Vert lies in the Tanet massif at 1,053 metres, covering 7.2 hectares. Its name comes from the reflection of the surrounding fir trees and from an algae that proliferates from late June to late July, tinting the water a distinctive emerald colour, according to the Munster valley tourist office.
One point is worth clarifying: despite what its proximity to a battlefield might suggest, Lac Vert has no connection to the fighting. It is a natural body of water in the massif, with no geological link to the artillery fire that shaped the craters visible a little further on at the Linge. The two sites simply share the same stretch of the Hautes Vosges, a few kilometres apart by road or by the massif’s trails.
Access: from Munster, take the road toward the Col de la Schlucht, then turn onto the forest road that starts at kilometre 12. A car park sits right next to the lake.
Activities: the lake is classed as second-category fishing water (carp, pike, perch, tench, roach). It is not among the lakes set up for swimming in the Vosges: anyone looking for a supervised beach should turn to the lakes listed for swimming in the Vosges, notably Gérardmer and Longemer.
Short hike: a family-friendly loop links Lac Vert to Lac du Forlet along the ridges, taking around 2 hours on terrain most walkers can manage.
The Linge battlefield: the battle of summer 1915
On 20 July 1915, French forces launched an offensive to retake this strategic position in the Tanet massif from German troops entrenched there since autumn 1914. Fighting continued until 15 October 1915 and caused around 20,000 casualties along a front line just 3 kilometres long, 12,000 on the French side and 8,000 on the German side, according to the Chemins de mémoire records of the French Ministry of Armed Forces.
The site still holds a network of fortified trenches, open to visitors and maintained by volunteers. Two war cemeteries stand as reminders of the fighting’s violence: the French national cemetery at the Col du Wettstein and the German military cemetery at the Baerenstall crossroads. A memorial museum, built in 1980 and expanded several times since, receives between 40,000 and 50,000 visitors each year.
Opening hours: open daily from mid-April to mid-November, 9am to 12.30pm and 2pm to 6pm, according to the Mémorial du Linge association.
Prices: 7 euros for adults, free for under-16s. A guided tour costs 10 euros, a guided hike 12 euros, a summer evening tour 12 euros.
On site: three trench routes to choose from, ranging from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours depending on level, a film of around twenty minutes, and a museum that takes about 30 minutes to go around. Allow half a day for the whole thing. Dogs are not admitted, except guide dogs, and there is no food service on site (picnic tables are available). Sturdy shoes are recommended for the trench terrain.
Access: the site is located at the Collet du Linge, in the town of Orbey, around 20 km west of Colmar. On-site parking is available for cars, motorbikes, and bicycles.
Combining both sites in one outing
The Col du Wettstein acts as a hinge between the two places: this is where the French national cemetery stands, a few minutes’ drive from the Linge memorial museum on one side, and from the Lac Vert access point on the other, via the Schlucht road or the Club Vosgien trails. For a short outing, the simplest approach is to park at the Linge car park, spend half a day at the trenches and museum, then drive to Lac Vert for a walking loop of anywhere from thirty minutes to 2 hours, depending on preference.
For walkers who want to cover everything on foot, the Club Vosgien lists a route starting at Soultzeren that links Lac Vert to the Col du Wettstein: 19.24 km, 802 m of elevation gain, around 6 hours 20 minutes of walking. That is an option for a full self-guided day, not for a short family outing.
Those planning several days along the ridges can fold this area into a stage of the GR5 in the Vosges, which runs through the Tanet massif and its surroundings. To compare this mountain lake with other bodies of water in the massif, our guide to Lac de Blanchemer covers a similar profile: a glacial cirque lake, a peat bog on its edge, swimming not allowed.
What to know before setting out
- Lac Vert (1,053 m, 7.2 ha) and the Linge (around 987 m) are two separate sites, a few kilometres apart via the Col du Wettstein road.
- The Linge is open from mid-April to mid-November, 7 euros for adult entry, free for under-16s.
- Lac Vert can be walked in 30 to 45 minutes or via the 2-hour loop to the Forlet, with no swimming allowed.
- Bring sturdy shoes for both sites: soft forest ground on the Lac Vert side, uneven trench terrain at the Linge.
- Dogs are not allowed at the Linge site (except guide dogs).
Half a day is enough to combine the memory of 1915 with a quiet moment by the water, away from the crowds of the larger Vosges lakes in peak season.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Lac Vert a shell crater left by the Linge battle?
No. Lac Vert is a natural lake in the Tanet massif, at 1,053 metres, with no geological link to the battle. It simply sits close to the Linge battlefield, in the same part of the Hautes Vosges, which makes it possible to visit both sites in one outing.
Can you swim in Lac Vert?
Lac Vert is not among the Vosges lakes set up for swimming: it is a second-category fishing site, not a water sports base. For swimming, the lakes of Gérardmer or Longemer are a better option, covered in our guide to swimming in the Vosges lakes.
Do you need several hours to see Lac Vert and the Linge on the same day?
Allow half a day. The Linge memorial offers three trench routes from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours, plus a 20-minute film and a 30-minute museum visit. Lac Vert can be walked in 30 to 45 minutes from its car park, or in 2 hours with the loop to Lac du Forlet.