- Introduction
- A little history …
- The House
- Practical advices
- Access the property
- The Interior
- The Exterior
- House maintenance
- Departure
You are in Kruth , a French commune in the Grand Est region or European community of Alsace (CeA).
The department is numbered 68 and is called Haut-Rhin.
The upper valley of the Thur (the river which cuts the street and comes from the lake) surrounds us, below the Route des Crêtes. The town is located at the feet of Markstein and Grand Ventron, two mountains which peak at 1,266 m and 1,204 m respectively. At the lowest level, our altitude is 468 m.
A little history …
Kruth is a recent village whose origins date back to the central Middle Ages, when the back valley of the Thur river was the subject of clearings. The name Kruth first appears in the 14th century in the form “Gereuth”, which means “assart”.
In the 17th century the village was called Grut. It was only from 1775 that the current name appeared . During the First World War the village was evacuated due to its proximity to the front .
After this great human disaster, it was the textile sector and industries using resources such as the Thur river which made it possible to build the dam of this large lake in 1965.
Today, Kruth is located in the protected area of the Schlossberg Massif, in the heart of the Ballons des Vosges Regional Natural Park. The priority of local authorities is green tourism to allow nature to slowly regain its rights. It is possible to see animals in the wild.
For more information on Kruth, you can visit the official website of the municipality: Kruth.fr
The House
The reason why this house resembles neither the old Alsatian half-timbered farms nor these more modern chalets is that it is the result of a post-war reconstruction.The previous home the family lived in had been bombed during World War II.
Hearing the aircraft coming, my great-grandmother just had time to take her daughter by the hand and take her to the back of the house before the shell ended its trajectory at the front of the house.
The old house was located a little further down this street, near the Thur bridge going towards the lake.
This memory was as present in my grandmother as the scar on her finger, impacted by a shrapnel.
The house follows the principle of the Alsatian farm:
A habitable space designed to allow you to have, I hope, a relaxing stay.
A protected extension for animals and work equipment. This part is closed during seasonal rentals.
There was no fence earlier but forced to welcome living things of all kind, it was decided to secure the orchard and the house.
We remain in a quiet street of a village. The mountains and the surrounding cattle or multiple passing by species will add to the local charm and I hope you will enjoy it and be a lucky spectator or their presence.
Practical advices
The House aims to remain minimalist. It is therefore strongly advised to plan for your own beddings and food.
We can of course leave a set of sheets and covers in the wardrobes and soaps in the showers in case you can’t find an alternative. there will however be no change services planned during the rental.
The house is spacious, you can bring your own accessories during the rental. Please let us know with enough notice if something specific needs to be added (bed gallows or baby cot).
Kids have been safely playing for generation here under their own parental surveillance, away from all storage areas.
All outdoor fences are regularly checked to allow the most actives to have plenty of fun outside in all gardens.
This also includes your pets friends who are more than welcome. It is requested that none of them climb the furniture before you prepare them with one of your protections of special accessories. This house is shared and could potentially also welcome people with allergies.
Picture is worth thousand words … unless it is not clear 🙂
You may find some of them indoor and here is a link to better understand them.
Access the property
- The gate open towards the street side. Use the wires to secure it as the wind can damage it. Keep the gate closed or at least during the night or long outdoor exits as it reduces intrusions. The top and ground latches are keeping the gate closed. We usually don’t lock it.
- A digicode and a motorised lock will give you access to the property. A temporary code that lasts the length of your stay needs to be slowly entered.
The Interior
There will be zero tolerance to the use of tobacco in all indoor spaces.
You can use all accessories and games in the house if you return them in the same state and place. This includes kitchen equipments, celebration kits, cleaning accessories, ironing, safety kit, maps, medias (CD, books, board games …) and other furnitures.
It is also asked to replace all consumed products (hygiene, food and spices…) as you are also coming someone.
TV, radio and other electrical equipments are often unplugged as the thunder can sometime come out of the blue.
There is a TV service included with the internet connexion. The box is plugged to the HDMI2 port. Sometimes re-entering the WiFi password resolves the issue.
Fixing something electrical could be as simple as turning off the device, wait a few seconds and turning it back on again. This includes the TV, the internet box, lights and other electrical equipments.
Talking about electricity, hot water is contained in a tank. If it is empty the hot water will be ready again next day.
The house is entirely powered by electricity: lights, heating systems, kitchen, hot water, and all other electrics appliances. If they work all together, this will trigger the safety. You will have to turn off some equipments before restarting the smart meter.
In the living room, you can find:
- a first aid kit
- a collection of glasses to drink of all kind
- maps
- recommendations to go out and about
In the bedroom, on the ground floor there is a:
- balance
- hair dryer
After the Kitchen
- a kit to clean the house
- a table and appliance to iron
The wooden stove are vintage and your insurance doesn’t cover their use. it is not recommended to use them. Also the electrical appliances like the oven and hob are faster and simpler to use.
In the kitchen, you can also find:
- a water kettle
- a rice cooker
- 2 coffee machines (one Nespresso and a standard one with filters)
- a mixer to make juices
- a wide collection of kitchen accessories and dishes
The Exterior
This house is located in a protected area of the Natural and Regional Parc of the Ballon des Vosges, it is normal to see the wild life walking around freely.
On top of the cattle, you will also see the famous stork moving around, behind the fence and something even landing on the roof of the house. Sometimes marten could try to find refuge in the covered are and will try to climb on the house.
There was however no presence of such animal in the house.
it is important to respect a safe distance with all living creatures.
by the way, noises are annoying to them and make them run away.
At the back of the house, you can enjoy the beautiful view and use the garden furniture.
If any fruit is ready in the garden or you want to use one of the plant in your dishes, help yourself.
Barbecue equipment is located under the small open extension at the front of the house.It is advisable to use your wood/charcoal for any barbecues and not to leave an active fireplace unattended
House maintenance
A broom, a dustpan, a mop, a bucket of water, a compost bucket, cleaning products, sponges, tea towels and towels are left available everywhere in the house for the stay, but I recommend to obtain from the close shops if that is not enough.
There is no access to the washing machine yet, but the matter is being studies. Laundromats are available 24 hours a day.
The nearest is a 10-minute drive away.
Laundry lines are located at the front of the house.
Bed and bathroom linen can be made available if necessary.
If it is not clean as found at the end of your stay, please place them in the wooden box at the entrance at the end of your stay.
Household waste treatment: The general trash can accepts all kinds of household waste. Collections are done every 2 weeks, on Tuesdays, alternating with recycling. According to the town hall website.There is also a very large compost bin located in the back. Do not to put animal waste, only vegetables. (eggs, meat, bones, etc.)
Selective sorting isn’t really encouraged in the village. There are several recycling stations for glass but no more collective recycling bins located:
In the parking lot at the entrance to the rue de la minimarket in the centre of the village (rue Noire)
At the entrance to the Schlossberg campsite (rue du Bourbach)
At the lake parking lot (road D13B)
Departure
Many thanks again for the time spent in this home. Hoping everything went well?
It can happen and if it does, we can obviously work things out, but…:
Please check that nothing is forgotten when leaving.
As for extended outdoor activities, you just need to do this one last time:
- Turn off the lights
- Turn off the taps
- Close Shutters, Windows and Doors
- Lock the front door of the house.
- Close the garden gate.
Thank you again and see you soon perhaps!