Réserve naturelle régionale des hautes-chaumes du Rothenbach: A Protected High-Vosges Landscape

The high pastures of the Vosges, known as chaumes, have been grazed since ancient times, and this long-standing human activity has shaped the open character of the upper slopes. By the early 2000s, regional conservation authorities in Alsace sought formal protection for the most representative examples of these summit grasslands, recognising both their ecological value and the traditional land-use systems that keep them open.

The reserve was officially created on 28 March 2008 by a deliberation of the Conseil régional d'Alsace, classifying the site as a regional nature reserve under French law. Since its creation, it has been managed by the Conservatoire des Sites Alsaciens, which continues to oversee extensive grazing practices, habitat monitoring, and public engagement. The establishment of the reserve marked an important step in safeguarding a small but representative piece of the high-Vosges landscape for future generations.

The reserve's landscape is defined by the long western flank of a Vosges ridge that links the Rainkopf, Rothenbachkopf, and Batteriekopf summits. From around 900 metres at its lower edge to roughly 1,300 metres at the crest, the slope presents a vertical sequence of distinct highland environments: open summit grasslands blanket the upper part, while denser subalpine forests clothe the lower reaches of the protected area.

Open, grassy, and windswept upper slopes alternate with low heaths on acidic soils. Rock outcrops emerge along the crestline, giving way abruptly to forested hillsides lower down. The famous Route des Crêtes, one of the most scenic drives in the Vosges, runs through the reserve, offering broad panoramic views across the range. This combination of grassland, heath, rock, and forest in a short elevational span gives the protected area one of the most characteristic high-Vosges profiles in Alsace.

Ecologically, the reserve is a textbook example of high-Vosges summit habitat. The protected zone centres on acidic summit grasslands, sometimes called primary chaumes where they have been open since ancient times, and secondary chaumes that emerged from historical clearance. Where soils are thinner or more exposed, heaths dominated by ericaceous plants replace the grass cover, creating a mosaic of vegetation types that break up the otherwise open slope.

The reserve supports a diverse community of high-Vosges wildlife. Alpine chamois frequent the rocky faces on the Alsatian side of the crest, while red deer prefer the more closed forest environments below. Reptiles include the viviparous lizard, one of the species most tolerant of cold high-altitude conditions in the range. The avifauna is comparatively rich for such a small site, with breeding populations of typical high-Vosges species. Wetland sections of the reserve also harbour butterflies of conservation interest, including the Scarce Copper, which depends on the bistort-rich moist grasslands of the area.

From a conservation perspective, the reserve protects a small but ecologically significant piece of the high-Vosges landscape that is vulnerable to abandonment, reforestation, and unregulated land use. Its summit grasslands and acidic heaths host specialised plant communities that are increasingly rare at this elevation in central Europe, while the surrounding subalpine forest acts as a buffer and ecological complement.

The protected area also illustrates the importance of maintaining traditional extensive grazing by Vosgienne cattle: without this land use, the open chaumes would gradually be reclaimed by forest, and the habitat mosaic that supports distinctive flora and fauna would be lost. By formalising protection and anchoring continued grazing, the reserve safeguards both a natural heritage and a cultural practice that has shaped these summits for centuries. It is registered internationally in the World Database on Protected Areas under WDPA ID 555514326 and classified as an IUCN Category IV habitat/species management area.

The landscape protected by the reserve carries strong regional identity in Alsace. The high chaumes of the Vosges have a long pastoral tradition tied to the Vosgienne cattle breed, an ancient local breed well adapted to high-altitude grazing. This grazing heritage is not merely a backdrop to the protected area; it is actively maintained as part of the reserve's management and remains an essential part of how local communities understand and value these summits.

The reserve's most distinctive highlights include its primary summit grasslands that have remained open since ancient times, contrasted with secondary chaumes born of historical clearing, both preserved through active extensive grazing. Below them, the protected slope descends into subalpine beech forest and mixed ash and sycamore maple woodland, producing a complete high-Vosges habitat gradient in a compact area. Chamois on the rocks, red deer in the forest, the ring ouzel among 59 recorded bird species, and the Scarce Copper butterfly in moist areas add to the reserve's conservation credentials, while the Route des Crêtes provides a defining scenic backdrop.

Summer and early autumn are generally the most rewarding seasons to experience the reserve, when the summit grasslands are at their most colourful and grazing cattle are visible on the open slopes. Late spring can showcase flowering species typical of the high-Vosges flora, while cooler autumn days often bring clearer panoramic views along the Route des Crêtes. Winter conditions can be severe at these elevations, and snow and ice may limit access to the crestline paths.