The Struthof — Natzweiler-Struthof — is the only Nazi concentration camp established on French soil. It is therefore a memorial site of exceptional historical and emotional importance.
The camp stands at 800 m altitude. The D130 leading up from Rothau is winding and narrow. Entrusting the driving to your Elsass VTC chauffeur lets you arrive calm, in the right frame of mind.
The Struthof is open all year round except a few public holidays. The access roads can be snowy in winter; our vehicle fitted with winter tyres ensures your transfer in safety, even in January or February.
In a full-day hire you can combine the Struthof with Mont Sainte-Odile, Obernai or Champ du Feu. Your day in central Alsace takes on a complete dimension — memory, spirituality and nature.
The Struthof welcomes many school groups. Our van seats up to 7 passengers. We adapt timings to group needs, including early morning departures from Strasbourg.
The Struthof is about 50 minutes from Strasbourg via the A35 and D1420. A memorial excursion from the Alsatian capital is feasible in half a day. Your chauffeur picks you up at your hotel and drops you at the entrance to the memorial.
The Struthof hosts several official commemorative ceremonies every year. Elsass VTC provides transport for delegations, elected officials and association representatives. For ceremonies, booking is recommended one week ahead.
The Natzweiler-Struthof camp is the only KZ-type concentration camp established by the Nazis on French territory. Opened in May 1941 in the Alsatian Vosges — Alsace being annexed by the Reich at the time — it operated until September 1944. The European Centre of Deported Resistance Fighters, located on the site, offers exhaustive documentation. Visiting the Struthof is a fundamental step in understanding the history of Alsace under the Occupation.
This visit should be approached with preparation and reverence. The recommended duration is at least 2 hours to cover the whole site — the camp itself, the CERD and the memorial. A full half-day is advisable for a dignified and in-depth visit. The site stands at 800 m altitude in a Vosges forest environment that adds a particularly striking dimension to the experience.
The choice of the Natzweiler site for the camp was no accident. The nearby pink granite quarries of the Vosges were a resource the Nazis wanted to exploit for their great architectural projects — notably the reconstruction of Nuremberg and Berlin by Albert Speer. The first prisoners were mainly German common-law criminals, but the camp's composition quickly evolved.
From 1942, the Struthof became a crossroads of European political deportation. It was the affair of the “skeletons of the University of Strasbourg” that revealed the scale of the crimes committed at the camp. Professor August Hirt, an SS member, had built an anthropological collection from prisoners murdered at the Struthof — a crime against humanity judged at Nuremberg. The Struthof was not only a forced labour camp: it was also a site of criminal pseudo-scientific research.
Between 1941 and 1944, around 22,000 prisoners were registered at Natzweiler-Struthof, including 17,000 in the many external kommandos spread across Alsace and Germany. At its peak, the main site had several dozen housing barracks, work workshops, a gas chamber and a crematorium oven, whose remains are still visible.
The restored barracks, the roll-call square, the crematorium oven and the gas chamber form the heart of the memorial site. The camp entrance is accessible all year round.
Opened in 2005, this 2,500 m² museum retraces the history of deportation and Resistance in occupied Europe. Permanent collections, temporary exhibitions and an educational space.
Monument erected to the memory of the victims of deportation. A place of solemn contemplation that hosts the official commemorative ceremonies every year.
Among the most disturbing remains of the site, it bears witness to the industrialisation of death implemented by the Nazis. Its visit is included in the camp tour.
Installed in a farmhouse near the camp, it was used for experiments on prisoners and for executions. Listed as a historic monument.
The Struthof is open every day except Tuesday, from 9 am to 5 pm (6 pm in summer). Closed in January and on certain public holidays. Admission fee charged. Recommended duration: 2 hours minimum, 3 hours with the CERD. Bring warm clothing as the site is exposed to wind and damp at altitude.
The CERD is one of the most important museums in Europe on deportation and Resistance. Its permanent collections cover the whole of occupied Europe — not just Alsace — and offer an essential historical perspective. The museum was designed by architect Éric Viguier and integrated into the Vosges landscape with a sobriety that matches the seriousness of the subject. Educational workshops are offered to school groups on reservation.
Visiting the CERD is emotionally intense. Taking time to decompress after the visit is recommended — a walk in the surrounding Vosges forests, or a stop in Obernai or Barr to end the day on a calmer note.
The Struthof is located in the commune of Natzwiller, in the Bruche valley. It is accessible from Strasbourg in about 50 minutes via the A35 towards Sélestat, then the D1420 towards Schirmeck. From Obernai, allow about 30 minutes. From Barr, about 25 minutes via the forest road. From Strasbourg airport, Elsass VTC takes you directly to the Struthof in about 55 minutes. For school or association groups arriving by coach from other regions, we can provide connections from Sélestat or Strasbourg railway stations.
Major spiritual site of Alsace at 764 m. Convent, Romanesque chapels and the Mur Païen. A calming counterpoint after visiting the Struthof. 2 to 4 hours depending on programme.
Alsatian medieval town, ramparts, belfry and remarkable market square. Ideal at the end of the day to close on a brighter note. 1h30 to 3h.
Highest point of Bas-Rhin at 1,099 m, a few kilometres from the Struthof. Panoramic tower, view over the Vosges and Alsace. 1 hour on site.
Capital of Alsatian Riesling, 25 km away. Half-timbered streets, wine estate tastings. A recharging stop after the memorial. 1 to 2 hours.
The Alsatian gingerbread village. Artisan factories, shops and museum. A friendly gourmet stop at the end of your programme. 45 min.
The most visited fortified castle in Alsace, 755 m. Spectacular medieval reconstruction with a 360° view over three countries. 2-hour guided tour.
Book your private chauffeur from Strasbourg, Barr, Obernai or any other point in Alsace. You can focus entirely on this memorial visit — your Elsass VTC chauffeur takes care of the rest.
Full-day service — Available 7/7 — Fixed guaranteed fare — Quick response
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