Rossberg, Volcanic summit in Haut-Rhin, France.
Rossberg is a mountain in the southern Vosges that rises to 1191 meters and features greywacke rock formations. From its summit, views extend across the Rhine Plain toward the Black Forest.
The Rossberg's high pastures are ancient: archaeological studies date the working of the oldest turf to the 4th century BC, and slash-and-burn fires mark later reworking of the upland heaths. From mid-August 1914 the French army occupied the Masevaux and Thann valleys and built roads in the massif, of which the Route Joffre survives.
The name Rossberg also designates the small massif around the summit, between Thann and Masevaux. Old marcairies, once numerous, now serve as farm-inns or ski-club huts; those at Belacker, Gsang, Ruchberg, Rossberg and Thanner Huebel mark reference peaks. Large pastoral pastures survive only above 900 m.
The mountain is accessible via several marked trails starting from nearby villages like Bourbach-le-Haut. Routes vary in difficulty and duration, allowing visitors to choose based on their fitness level and available time.
The summit's old grass may have been grazed since the 4th century BC, according to archaeological studies, and controlled burning was used when farming resumed on the high heathland. The pastures and forests of Wegscheid were divided between Masevaux, Moosch and Bourbach-le-Haut.
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