Bitche is a town near the Franco-German border, known primarily for its citadel built according to Sebastian Vauban's plans.
In the Middle Ages, a castle stood on a hill above today's town, guarding the border areas. The city was founded in the 17th century by joining several local villages. It was then that it was decided to build a fortress on the site of the castle, which was to be one of the links securing the borders of France.
Today, the Bitche Citadel is the greatest of the local attractions. Preserved in very good condition, radiant with the fame of an unconquered point during the Franco-Prussian war in the second half of the 19th century, it is now open to tourists. In Bitche, you can visit not only the bastions and other defensive works, but also auxiliary and administrative buildings and the Historical Museum of the Bitche Citadel, which displays the uniforms, equipment and weapons of the soldiers serving in the fortress.
