Discover Überherrn

Around Überherrn, hiking trails wind through the Saargau and offer views of France and the Saar Valley. Further hikes run through the Bist Valley and the Berus Forest. The Old Border Trail from Berus and the Vauban Trail from Felsberg offer two different routes to compare. Their lengths and named stops can help you decide what to focus on during your stay.

Hiking around Überherrn

The Old Border Trail is 7.5 km long and runs from Berus through the Saargau. It passes an old limestone quarry and reaches the St. Oranna Chapel; along the way, there are views of Berus’s historic town centre. The varied stops give the route a clear local connection as well as scenic appeal. Check the trail markers before setting out.

The Vauban Trail is around 12.5 km long and begins in Felsberg, crossing the Saargau and the Saar Valley. Its stops include the Teufelsburg, an old azurite mine and quarries. Sandstone blocks from these quarries were used to build the Saarlouis fortress. The hike thus combines landscape with the history of fortress construction and the extraction of raw materials.

At 7.5 km, the Old Border Trail is shorter than the Vauban Trail, which is around 12.5 km long. This gives you both the route length and the theme to consider when choosing: Berus’s town centre and chapel on one route, and the azurite mine and quarries with their links to the fortress on the other.

Culture and history in the wider destination of Saarlouis

In the wider destination of Saarlouis, the history of the fortress is a distinct cultural highlight. Saarlouis was built as a fortified town by Louis XIV in 1680. Part of the former fortifications has been preserved in a recreational area. Vauban Island offers views of the old Saar river arm and the fortress complex.

The Grand Market in Saarlouis now serves as a car park and event venue. The Saarlouis weekly market takes place on Tuesdays and Fridays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the pedestrian zone in front of the Kommandantur and offers products from regional producers, among other things; published hours may change. If you plan to visit the market, check the hours in advance. Public guided city tours are offered in Saarlouis; check the dates before your trip. The Saarlouis Tourist Information Centre can help you put together day trips and book guided city tours.

The Wallerfangen History Museum has a permanent exhibition on the history of the municipality, from settlement in the Stone Age to the present day. It is located in the listed Adolphshöhe complex. The Theater am Ring in Saarlouis reopened in 2016 after extensive renovation and refurbishment work.

In St. Barbara, a district of Wallerfangen, the Emilianus tunnel was dug by the Romans in the first centuries AD. The copper mine has remained almost unchanged to this day; Wallerfanger Blau, extracted from the rock, was traded as far as Italy.

Discover more destinations: Wallerfangen, Lebach, Rehlingen-Siersburg, Saarlouis, Wadgassen, Nalbach, Schwalbach, Dillingen/Saar

Back to the wider travel overview: Saarlouis.