Tête du Coquin summit & bunker, Vosges

History and description

After their failures in August 1914 with the Charmes battle, and in September 1914 (battle of the Marne, Haute-Meurthe battle), the Germans must pull back in Lorraine almost to the old frontier close to Senones and the Chapelotte pass. On the Vosges slopes, they withdraw and settle on the mountain ridges. The front is stabilized in this sector at the end of September. The German consolidate their positions by building shelters and observatories bunkers.

Nevertheless, the unnecessary and costly local fighting will continue till the end of the war.

La Tête du Coquin (844m) is a conglomerate stone, 15m high, sculpted by the erosion of the red sandstone rock.

On its top was constructed by the Germans in October 1914 a artillery observation blockhaus. Around you can also find concrete shelters, connected to the observatory bunker by a protected staircase carved out in the rock.

This shelter became a refuge of the Club Vosgien.

More recently, a metal bridge has been put in place, securing access.

Highlights 1:

Many walking tour are possible.

The easiest : you can go with your car until the platform of Coquin (760m):
 either from Celles-sur-plaine
 either from Moyenmoutier by Saint-Prayel and the Ravine forest track.
 either from Senones and the Dialtrepoix pass: in this case, the ascent of the Coquin takes only 20 minutes.

Highlights 2:

I recommend you the Tête du Coquin - Pain de Sucre (from Celles-sur-plaine). The tour is 4-5 hours long. This circuit will allow you to see another fortified German position, in a very wild forest environment, with picturesque rock formations.

Map:
Afficher Pain de Sucre - Tête du Coquin sur une carte plus grande