Dabo is a charming little commune in France's Grand Est region, more precisely in the Moselle department. Nestled in the heart of the Vosges du Nord, it offers an exceptional natural setting as well as unique cultural attractions. If you're planning to visit Dabo during a stay in one of our accommodations, here's a guide to the places you won't want to miss. And don't miss out on our culinary delights.
Dabo is also the southern Moselle region, with a wide range of activities to discover.
Le Rocher de Dabo
The Rocher de Dabo is the town's star attraction. It's an impressive rocky promontory offering panoramic views of the Vosges mountains and the Alsace plain. You can reach the top by climbing a 1,015-step staircase, making for a beautiful hike. At the summit, you'll also find a statue of the Virgin Mary, which is a place of pilgrimage. The view from Rocher de Dabo is breathtaking, especially at sunset.
Saint Léon IX chapel
The Chapel of Saint Leo IX is a small church nestling at the foot of the Rocher de Dabo. It is dedicated to Pope Leo IX, who was born in Dabo. The interior of the chapel is simple but soothing, and you can discover information about the life of Pope Leo IX.
The Saint-Fridolin chapel and the Schacheneck valley
In the 6th century, the Irish missionary Saint-Fridolin built a monastery and a small chapel, which he placed under the patronage of Saint-Hilaire.
Situated in the Zorn valley between Lutzelbourg and Dabo, near the hamlet of Sparsbrod, lies the Schacheneck valley with the chapel below. This is the site of the former village of Fischbach, destroyed in 1633 along with the chapel, its population massacred, during the Thirty Years' War. The chapel was probably the church.
Below the chapel is a spring with medicinal properties. It is said to cure children's illnesses, sore throats, skin problems and scabies.
The ruins of the Chapelle Saint Fridolin, listed as a historic monument in
1898, with its 10th-century baptistery, is the oldest vestige of
Christianity in the entire region.
The Falkenfelsen cave dwellings in Hellert
The first houses in Hellert date back to the French Revolution. The first, on rue du Laschbach, dates back to 1792.
Troglodyte dwellings date back long before these constructions, and were commonplace in our regions until the middle of the 19th century.
An 1872 census counted 38 people living under the rocks, on the bangs of society.
To force these people to live in the villages, in 1894 the Prussian forestry administration blew up the caves on its estate. Only three dwellings remain, including that of Hermit Edouard Himbert, who lived there until 1902. He was known for his devotion and numerous religious sculptures in the surrounding area. He devoted his time to the attentive study of the Word of God, and to the practice of fasting and penance for the salvation of the world.
The inhabitants of the cave dwellings in Dabo were known as the "Wilde" (savages). The villagers respected this "Waldbruder" (brother of the forest), who never hesitated to be of service, never lost his temper or showed the slightest impatience.
These houses were restored for the first time in 1993 by a group of local volunteers, and for the second time in 2017 by the Club Vosgien. They are not far from other places of interest: the Francs Tireurs cave, the Kempel forest house, the Nutzkoffelsen cave and the Haselbourg castrum.
Hiking in the Vosges
The Vosges region is a paradise for nature lovers. Dabo is close to many hiking trails that allow you to discover the beauty of the forests, lakes and waterfalls of the Vosges. Popular hikes include the following:
- the Rocher de Dabo,
- the "Baldur God
- of "La Table de la Paie et du Jaegerhof".
- "La Borne Saint-Martin
- the "Sickertkopf
- 360°around the Rocher de Dabo
- from the "Schleif Pass where Spitzbergen and Hengst meet
- Spitsbergen
- The "Schleif-Schneeberg-Urstein-Hengst Pass
- The Saint-Fridolin chapel and the Grotte des Francs- Tireurs cave
- In Hellert: cave dwellings and the Sickertkopf peak
- La Hoube-Geissfels-Ochsenstein
- From Schaeferhof to Hohwalschplatz via Eckfelsen and Enteneck
- Troglodyte houses-Ghost Rock from Haselbourg
- Troglodyte houses and the Roman Fort
In our different accommodations, you'll find maps to help you discover the various hiking trails in the region. Frédéric will also be happy to give you expert advice.