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Origin and history

The Napoleonic bench-rest of Sombrau is a typical monument of Alsace, built in the 19th century to offer a place of rest for peasants going to markets or fairs. These benches, often accompanied by lindens and side terminals, allowed to place the burdens (baskets worn on the head or dorsal hoods) and rest in the shade. Their design reflected the rural uses of the time, where walking, loaded with agricultural products, was common.

These benches were erected in two main waves. The first, in 1811-1812, was initiated by the prefect of Bas-Rhin Adrien de Lezay-Marnésia to celebrate the birth of the son of Napoleon I, the "King of Rome". A circular dated 22 April 1811 directed the communes to install these restrooms every 2.5 km, with a bench and trees, so that travellers could say: "We owe it to the King of Rome". The costs were borne by the municipalities, and 125 banks were built that year, although few survived.

A second campaign took place in 1853-1854, under the leadership of Prefect Auguste-César West and Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III. This time, 448 sandstone banks of the Vosges were financed by the department, in a context of economic revival after the food crisis of 1846-1848. These monuments, often mutilated or neglected (notably after 1870 under German annexation), were partially protected as historical monuments in the 1980s.

The Sommerau Bank, which was listed as a historical monument in 1988, illustrates this history. Located along departmental road 229, it reflects the social and commemorative policies of the Napoleonic regimes, as well as the Alsatian farming practices of the 19th century. Its current state and exact location (Insee code 67004, Bas-Rhin) make it a rare vestige of this utilitarian and symbolic heritage.

After 1906, the German authorities considered these banks obsolete, their shape no longer corresponding to the needs (disappearance of the port to head, replacement by carts). In 1910, their maintenance was abandoned, accelerating their decline. Today, the still standing benches, such as that of Sombrau, are fragile witnesses of a time when the imperial administration was combining public utility and propaganda.

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