Montgolfier Stele

Perched in the mountains of the Bruche Valley, about forty kilometers from Strasbourg, the Montgolfier stele in Heiligenberg pays tribute to a daring episode of the 1870 war.

On October 25 of that year, around 8:30 a.m., a crew of French sailors took off from Paris aboard the Montgolfier gas balloon, carrying 220 kg of mail and two carrier pigeons. Their journey was marked by a snowstorm near Verdun, which pushed them to an unusual altitude before they were forced to land around 12:15 p.m. in a field near the church of Heiligenberg, not far from a Prussian camp in Mutzig.

Facing the enemy threat, the villagers acted courageously: they hid the balloon envelope, weapons, uniforms, and the basket, while the sailors, disguised as woodcutters, were secretly evacuated. The Prussians, having spotted the craft, searched the village without success.

To avoid reprisals, Heiligenberg had to pay a heavy fine of 10,000 francs, a sum quickly collected.

Since 2007, a mural by Aurélie Mouchon, displayed at the entrance of the town hall, illustrates this heroic story.