Natzweiler-Struthof is one of the most significant, and least visited, memorial sites in France. Located about 10 kilometres south of Schirmeck on a forested hillside above the Bruche valley, it was the only Nazi concentration camp established on French soil. The site is preserved largely as it was after liberation, with barracks, watchtowers, the crematorium, and — most disturbing — the gas chamber, set apart from the main camp.
A good museum at the entrance provides thorough historical context, with particular attention to the camp's role in the broader Nazi system and the fate of French Resistance prisoners held here. The visit takes two to three hours. The hillside setting — cold, isolated, ringed by dark forest — adds to the weight of the experience. Entry is free, though a donation is appropriate. Getting there without a car requires a taxi from Schirmeck or a long uphill walk.