Munster Valley Tourist Office

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Munster Valley Tourist Office

Seizure of demonstrations - Press & media - Groups - Reservation center - Blog

Villages of the valley

There are a thousand ways to enter the Munster Valley.
Along a road lined with meadows, a bell tower in the distance, a sandstone roof with red reflections...
But often it is a village that welcomes youA beating heart, discreet, alive.

In each town, you will find a little of the soul of the valley: houses with neat facades, typical farms, a shaded square or an inn where you can linger.
Some, like Soultzeren ou Gunsbach, are distinguished by their flowery balconies in summer, witnesses of an attachment to hospitality and tradition.

We don't visit villages like we tick off a list: we pass through them slowly, we share a hello, we let ourselves be surprised by the calm of a path or the detail of a sculpted lintel.

De Munster, lively all year round, at mittlach, at the end of the valley, surrounded by forests, each place has its rhythm, its light, its way of telling the story of the mountain.

Enter the valley through its villages.
They are the ones who best say what it means to “live here.”

Looking back

Between 1907 and 1914, a private tramway connected Munster to the Schlucht, this emblematic pass at the end of the valley.
Through forests and steep slopes, this mountain tram wound slowly, carrying passengers and goods to the heights.

For the children of the village at the time, it was an adventure, a journey to the peaks and mysterious forests.

The First World War brought this line to an end, but it remains a significant chapter in local history.
Today, the hiking trails still partly follow its old route, between nature and memory.

tram from munster to schlucht en route
Munster tramway at the schlucht in station

Discover our villages!

Munster

Capital of the canton and historic heart of the Munster Valley
Population: 5125 inhabitants (source INSEE 2006)
Area: 878 ha

Historical presentation

An abbey
Munster gradually grew up around the Benedictine abbey founded around 660 at the confluence of the two Fechts. This abbey was dedicated to Saint Gregory, hence the old name of Val-Saint-Grégoire for the valley. In 1235, one of the abbots gave two-thirds of his jurisdiction rights to Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, who quickly passed them on to the inhabitants a short time later. In 1308, the town was surrounded by ramparts; it joined forces with nine other villages in the valley to form the community of Val and the City of Munster, or the community of Val-Saint-Grégoire, the same year, which lasted until 1847.
Victim of several fires in the Middle Ages, Munster entered the Decapolis in 1354. Between 1542 and 1559, three quarters of the inhabitants converted to the Protestant Reformation and, in 1575, by the Treaty of Kientzheim, the monastery recognized the freedom of confession of the inhabitants, and agreed to pay the pastor of Munster.

Troubled period
The Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) was one of the most tragic periods in the history of the town and the valley. A cascade of misfortunes befell the inhabitants: soldiers, famine, epidemics and harsh climate considerably reduced their numbers. In 1652, the Lorrainers came to wreak havoc again. In 1659, the first French abbot, Dom Charles Marchant, came to occupy the abbey seat. The badly damaged abbey was rebuilt between 1682 and 1686, with the exception of the abbey palace, which was completed between 1786 and 1789.
In the 25th century, the inhabitants rebelled several times against the authority of the royal praetor, refusing to pay taxes and to swear an oath to the new constitution. On July 1789, XNUMX, the Munsterian Bastille (the Town Hall) was stormed by the inhabitants of the great valley. The XNUMXth century was that of industrialization and modernization, of the opening of the city to the outside world.

Modern times
In 1860 the Schlucht road was opened. The Munster-Colmar railway line built in 1868 was extended in 1893 to Metzeral. On the eve of the First World War, Munster had 6000 inhabitants; it was a prosperous city, thanks to industry and tourism. Since 1871, it has also been an important customs center due to its proximity to the Franco-German border on the Vosges ridge.
During the First World War, Munster suffered daily bombardments and at the end of August 1915 the inhabitants were evacuated. Munster was 85% destroyed. The day after the armistice of 1918, reconstruction began.
Occupied on June 18, 1940 by the German army, it was liberated on February 5, 1945.

The city today
Munster benefits from the extraordinary appeal of the landscapes that surround it and which are an undeniable tourist capital. The difficulties encountered in recent years by the textile industry led the city to create, from 1971, a craft and industrial zone in the eastern district, along the Munster-Colmar road.

The marketplace
This is the historic heart of the city. In its immediate vicinity the abbey was founded. To the north stands the Town Hall, whose façade dates from 1550. This is where the community council met. Beautiful Renaissance façade, surmounted by the double-headed eagle, which recalls Munster's former membership of the Holy Roman Empire. On the entrance door, the coat of arms of Munster evokes the stylized façade of a Romanesque church. Inside, several sculpted stones come from the old abbey church.
Opposite the Town Hall, there is still part of the old abbey palace dating from 1789. It is pierced by a passage that provides access to the ruins of the old cloister. There is little left of the abbey: a few arcades dating from the end of the XNUMXth century, a wing of the abbey palace, and the prelates' building. Located next to the ruins of the cloister, the latter currently houses the Ballons des Vosges Regional Nature Park and the Munster Valley Tourist Office. Particularly worth seeing is a beautiful Gothic door in the cloister wall.
On the Market Square, the Lion Fountain was erected in 1576 by the Munsterians following the Treaty of Kientzheim which recognised the freedom of confession of the inhabitants of the valley. Oral tradition tells that, whenever the town was in conflict with the abbot, it turned the lion in such a way that it showed its posterior to the abbey, which put the abbot in a black rage…

The Grand Rue and the Laub building
The Grand-rue, the city's main shopping street, has been completely renovated and gives an idea of ​​the city's dynamism.
Parallel to the Grand-rue, rue St-Grégoire is home to the Salle de la Laub. This building, with arcades, was originally located on the Place du Marché. It was dismantled and rebuilt at its current location in 1867-1869. The cornerstone from 1503 recalls the date of construction. It served as a covered market, a meeting place for representatives of the community. It was from the top of its staircase that the decisions and decrees of the council were announced.

The churches
The imposing Protestant church of Munster, built from 1867 to 1873, in pink sandstone in a neo-Romanesque style, can be seen from afar and marks the Munster landscape. On the south side, three tombstones leaning against the wall recall the memory of former inhabitants of Munster. Opposite the Protestant church stands the Catholic church dedicated to Saint Léger. Built on the site of a chapel dating from the 1874th century, it was used for Catholic and then Protestant worship, then for both denominations in the form of a simultaneum, before returning to Catholic worship in XNUMX.

Opposite the stork tower, on the market square, dating from 1872, you can see a house whose upper part is enhanced with half-timbering. It dates from 1572 and is one of the oldest houses in Munster. Rue des Clefs, is "s'Musikhisla", a small house dating from the end of the 1984th century and which served as a guardhouse for one of the Hartmann factories which was located next door. Not far away, you will find the stork enclosure. Indeed, since XNUMX, Munster has been one of the stork reintroduction centers in Alsace.

André Hartmann Park
Take a left from the Protestant church and go up Rue Sébastopol towards the station, whose building dates from 1868.
Near the station, visit the André Hartmann park created under the magistracy of Frédéric Hartmann (1857-880). Next to the central kiosk, there is a granite rock bearing a bronze effigy of Frédéric Kirschleger, a Munster botanist (1804-1869).

Albert Schweitzer Park and Fecht Park
It is located opposite the Place de la Salle des Fêtes near the Espace Culturel Saint-Grégoire. As you pass, admire the 1th century pink sandstone fountain. Originally, it was located in the old English garden of the Hartmanns. Miraculously spared by the First World War, it was moved in 1919. In addition to the calm that reigns there, the Parc Albert Schweitzer is adorned with statues: the sphinx statues purchased in 1815 by Frédéric Hartmann and the griffins, guardians of treasures... Further on, is the Parc de la Fecht, whose pond is bordered by a statue of Neptune. Not far from there is the Piscine de Munster, the large nautical complex of the Vallée de Munster.

The Hartmann Dynasty
For almost a century and a half, the Hartmanns reigned over the Munster Valley. As industrialists, patrons and influential politicians, they profoundly transformed the lives of the inhabitants, modernizing the city and opening up the valley to technical innovations.
The founder of the family was André Hartmann (1746-1837). Arriving in Munster in 1783, he joined forces with Riegé to run a textile factory. In October 1789, he was the sole owner of the factory and in 1818 he created a new company with his two sons, Frédéric and Henry: Hartmann et Fils. He was one of the first mayors of Munster.

Frédéric Hartmann-Metzger (1772-1861), eldest son of André Hartmann, was raised to the rank of peer of France in 1846. With his brother Henry, he had the Schlucht road built from 1840 to 1860.

Jacques Hartmann (1774-1839) was the founder of the Hammer spinning mill, built from 1818, and which was considered one of the most beautiful industrial buildings in Alsace.

Frédéric Hartmann (1822-1880), after studying law in Paris, came to take care of the family business in Munster. Mayor of Munster from 1857 to 1880, he modernized and expanded his city by building a new district, the Munster-Colmar railway line (1868), the Protestant temple, the nursery school and the higher school or Realschule. He was also a member of the General Council of Haut-Rhin and a protesting deputy in Bordeaux in 1871.

Wasserburg

Population: 501 inhabitants (source INSEE 2006)
Area: 943 ha

The village of Wasserbourg was first mentioned in the 9th century as part of the Carolingian fiscus of Colmar in the Krebsbach valley.
Strohbourg Castle was built in 1222 by André de Guirsberg. In 1286, it was inhabited by Dietrich von Wassenberg. In 1324, half of the property passed to Ulric de Huss, the other half to the Hattstatt, settled in Soultzbach-les-Bains. The Ribeaupierre seized it in 1425 and gave it as a fief to the Stoer de Stoerenbourg until their extinction in 1595. The castle is represented on the village coat of arms surrounded by two fir trees representing the surrounding forests.
In 1714, Colmar sold the village to the college of canons of Strasbourg Cathedral.
Bunkers and a cable car station bear witness to the passage of the First World War.

To see - to do

Saint-Michel church and chapels
The first construction of the Saint-Michel church dates back to the 1830th century. It was enlarged from 1835 to 900 (Wasserbourg then had 1870 souls). In 1923, the bell tower was raised. Damaged during the First World War, the church was renovated after the end of hostilities and inaugurated in 1834. The church has an organ built by Valentin Rinkenbach dating from XNUMX. Also worth seeing are the five chapels or oratoriums dedicated to the four evangelists and to St. Anne.

The remains of Strohbourg Castle
Also called Wassenberg, the remains of this castle are located on a hill overlooking the village. Today, only a section of the wall of the dwelling and the base of the adjoining circular keep are still visible.

Hiking
Wasserbourg is crossed by numerous paths and forest trails leading to the farm inns of the Munster Valley located on the outskirts of the commune in the Petit Ballon massif, including Wassmatt, Buchwald, Strohberg and the Boenlesgrab high-altitude restaurant.

Stosswihr

Population: 1425 inhabitants (source INSEE 2006)
Area: 2640 ha

Stosswihr is one of the oldest villages in the Munster Valley. According to legend, Scottish or Irish monks settled in 634 at the place called "Schweinsbache". Around 660, they founded the Saint Gregory Abbey, at the confluence of the two Fechts. Severely damaged during the First World War, the village had to be almost entirely rebuilt after the armistice.

Presentation

Stosswihr is one of the oldest villages in the Munster Valley. According to legend, Scottish or Irish monks settled in 634 at a place called "Schweinsbache". They built a first abbey church and a monastery there before founding Saint Gregory's Abbey around 660, at the confluence of the two Fechts. The village was known in 783 under the name of Stozzovilare then Scotenwilre in 817. The part called Ampfersbach only appeared in the XNUMXth century.
From 1287 to the French Revolution, the village was part of the Community of the Valley and the City of Munster. In 1543, the Lutheran reform was adopted by the inhabitants of Stosswihr. Seriously damaged during the First World War, the village had to be almost entirely rebuilt after the armistice.

To see - to do

Oil mill
The oldest trace of the oil mill dates back to 1727. It was destroyed during the war of 1914-1918, then rebuilt in 1919. During the interwar period, the pressing of walnuts made it possible to supply the grocery stores of the Munster valley. Its 1920 paddle wheel is powered by water from the Petite Fecht thanks to a diverted canal. More information on www.celibre.ovh/moulin.html or by email moulin-de-stosswihr@caramail.fr

Schweinsbach Chapel
The Schweinsbach Chapel, at 82 Saegmatt Street, stands on the site of the old church of the same name, which disappeared around 1820. It was blessed on October 25, 1891 and was seriously damaged during the First World War. It was completely restored and reopened its doors in 1.

The Protestant Church
The Protestant church stands in the part of the village called Kilbel, whose name probably comes from Kirchbühl, the church hill. It was inaugurated on 1 August 1858 but was almost completely destroyed in February and March 1915. The church was rebuilt and rededicated on 8 August 1926.

The Catholic Church
Inaugurated on April 25, 1869, the Catholic church of Mary Help of Christians was destroyed by the German offensive of 1915. After the war, a temporary church was built and then the church was rebuilt and blessed on October 31, 1926. Only the statue of the Virgin, erected in 1888 on the square in front of the church, survived the turmoil of conflict intact.

The watchtower
The watchtower overlooking the enclosure wall of La Moraine (at the bottom of the Ampfersbach valley), comes from the old fortifications of Strasbourg, erected by Vauban after 1681. It was acquired by the owner of the house when these fortifications were dismantled, after the war of 1870.

The town hall
The Town Hall dates from the reconstruction period following the end of hostilities in 1914-1918. It was inaugurated in 1923.

Hiking
Hikes are offered by the Vosges Club starting from the town hall towards Rebberg, Schupferen, Schantzwasen and Lac Vert.
Departure point for many hikes also at the bottom of the waterfalls for the Frankental, the Hohneck, the Gaschney, the falls and bridges of the Stoltz Ablass, the rock path, the peat bog and the cave where King Dagobert, pursued by enemies, is said to have taken refuge and which bears his name.
For the tramway trail, start at the waterfalls car park (old tramway line between Stosswihr and La Schlucht).

Soultzeren

Population: 1178 inhabitants (source INSEE 2006)
Area: 1837 ha

The first mention of the village of Soultzeren appears around 900 in the form "Saltzeren". The origin of this name is said to be linked to the presence of salt water sources.
The first church was built there in 1463. Between 1543 and 1559, the population became Protestant and faithfully adhered to the ideas of Martin Luther.
The village suffered particularly from the exactions of the soldiery during the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648). As a result, the population took refuge in the surrounding forests. Worship was held at the rock of "Bichtstein" whose name means "stone of confession, of repentance" because confessions were also held there.
The village was destroyed during the First World War.

To see - to do

Borne
This marker located on the Stosswihr road, at the entrance to the village, is topped with a French military helmet. Offered in 1923 by the Alsatians-Lorrainers of Argentina, it marks in the landscape the extreme advance of the German offensive of February 1915.

Protestant Church
The Protestant church dates from 1869 and was restored in 1921-23. The bell tower was damaged by German artillery in June 1940 and took its current form in 1949. The building has recently undergone major restoration.

Primary school
The architecture of the imposing primary school in Soultzeren is characteristic of the reconstructions carried out after the First World War. The establishment was inaugurated in 1924.

Hiking
Departure from La Boucherie for the hiking trails offered by the Vosges Club.
Departure from Kaltenborn (next to the fire station) on the Wettstein - Lac du Forlet road.
Departure from the Wettstein pass and the Tanet car park (small ski lift) for the entire panoramic site passing by the Hohrodberg, the Wettstein, the Forlet (or Truites) lake, the Vert (or Soultzeren) lake, the Tanet, the Bichtstein and the ridge towards the GR5 and 531.

Soultzbach-les-Bains

Population: 651 inhabitants (source INSEE 2006)
Area: 705 ha

Mentioned since 1211 and surrounded by ramparts and ditches in 1275, the village has retained its medieval appearance, the charm of its narrow streets and its old houses. In 1289, the first mention of the castle appears, occupied by the Hattstatt family, then, after its extinction by that of the Schauenbourg. The village was the former seat of the lordship of Hattstatt-Schauenbourg.
Legend has it that Blaeschen, the heifer of young Frantz, discovered the main thermal spring in 1603. The lords of Soultzbach developed the thermal activity by building baths and lodging spa guests in the castle. It was appreciated by illustrious visitors: Archduke Leopold of Austria, Count Eberhard de Ribeaupierre, the revolutionary public prosecutor Euloge Schneider (in 1792) and the famous Italian seducer Casanova (in 1782). In 1844, half of the village was destroyed by fire.
During the First World War, the town served as a rear base for German troops and became the starting point for a cable car. At the end of the conflict, the town completed the name of the village of Soultzbach by adding "les-Bains" to immortalize its prestigious thermal past. Unfortunately, the exploitation of the mineral water source has stopped for a few years.

TO SEE - TO DO

HISTORICAL CIRCUIT OF THE VILLAGE
The municipality has published a Discovery Guide Booklet presenting the history, traditions and heritage of Soultzbach – on sale at the Soultzbach town hall and the Munster Tourist Office. By following the proposed circuit, you will discover:

The old 15th century Hattstatt-Schauenbourg castle, with its tower, former residence of the Hattstatts, then the Schauenbourgs.
The 1518th century church of St-Jean Baptiste with its prestigious choir, its altars, its pyx and its tombstones, notably those of Jacques de Hattstatt and Marguerite de Rathsamhausen (1833), its Callinet organ from XNUMX.
The 1962th century Sainte-Catherine chapel, renovated in 1738, rue de la chapelle and Grand'rue, with its angel and the paintings of Notre-Dame de la Consolation (1840), the Beheading of Sainte-Catherine (XNUMX) and Abbé Jean-Jacques Bobérieth; it is said to have been built after a plague epidemic.
The lion fountain from 1601 in the Grand'rue bears the city's coat of arms. It was erected by the knight Jacques de Hattstatt, who lived in the castle with his wife, Marguerite de Rathsamhausen. Four women's heads with gagged mouths adorn the fountain.
A 1727 sandstone portal at 15, rue des Bains.
The wash house, rue des Bains (until the early 1970s, the wash house was an important place in every village, a place of sociability).
Half-timbered houses with corner posts in the Grand'rue and the rue de la Chapelle (the corner post also serves to protect against possible attacks from demons and evil spirits that roam around the homes).
This historical circuit has 16 panels. The parking lot and the welcome panel are located at the entrance to the village, next to the fire station.

SCHRANKENFELS AND HANECK CASTLES
Also worth discovering above the Krebsbach valley are the ruins of the Schrankenfels castle (built in 1241) and Haneck castle (probably built in the 1th century). Schrankenfels can be reached by following the marked trails of the Vosges Club from the Col du Firstplan (about 5 hour's walk). The Haneck ruins are a XNUMX-minute walk from Schrankenfels.

MOUNTAIN TOURS
The Vosges Club offers walks to Staufen, Col du Marbach, Schrankenfels, Ried, Boenlesgrab, Petit-Ballon, etc., among others. Departure signs are opposite the church.

special after

Population: 663 inhabitants (source INSEE 2006)
Area: 2 ha

The etymology of Sondernach is interesting: "zur sundern Ach", near the southern stream of the valley.
The village was founded in the 9th century, when the Benedictines of the Saint Gregory Abbey cleared the bottom of the great Munster valley to make it habitable. In the XNUMXth century, the community of Val Saint Gregory included Munster and XNUMX villages including Sondernach.
After the revolution of 1789, the 9 villages gradually obtained their independence and a sharing procedure left the City of Munster, as well as the municipalities of Breitenbach and Luttenbach, with large areas of forest and pasture in the ban of Sondernach.
The village was completely destroyed during the battle known as Metzeral in June 1915.

TO SEE - TO DO

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH KNOWN AS THE EMM
The Emm church, a memorial to remembrance, was built on the site of the old chapel destroyed in 1915. It is dedicated to the soldiers who fell during the First World War in the Vosges and in particular during the Battle of Metzeral. The church was inaugurated in 1931.

THE PROTESTANT CHURCH
On May 16, 1900, the old chapel of the Emm was entirely dedicated to Catholic worship. The municipality then undertook the construction of a Protestant temple, which was inaugurated on September 22, 1901. The nave having been destroyed during the First World War, the church, with the exception of the bell tower which remained intact, was rebuilt at the end of 1.

THE ANNE-AYMONE SQUARE
At the entrance to the village there used to be a villa built by the industrialist Immer-Klein, as well as an imposing park surrounding it. After the First World War and the destruction of the building, everything was abandoned. So the decision was made to build a park there. When she came to Sondernach in 1976, Mrs. Valéry Giscard d'Estaing gave her first name to this square at the request of the mayor.
It is currently used for various events, including every summer for the “Village Festival”.

TOURISM
Schnepfenried ski resort, hiking trails.

EVENTS
1st and 3rd Saturdays in February: Toboggan Nights at Platzerwasen
2nd Saturday in February: Freestyle day at the Schnepfenried ski resort
1st Saturday in August: village festival with parade of floats, fireworks

Muhlbach-sur-Munster

Population: 773 inhabitants (source INSEE 2006)
Area: 788 ha

The village owes its name to the stream that has its source on the southern slope of the Tannkœpflé, which itself owes its name to a mill (Mühle). The founding of the village of Muhlbach sur Munster dates back to the year 896. In 1068, the Bishop of Basel inaugurated a church dedicated to St. Bartholomew which replaced the one built in 896 and the parish became autonomous in 1316. In 1559, following the vicar of Muhlbach, almost the entire population embraced the Protestant Reformation. The first school opened the same year. It welcomed, in addition to the children of Muhlbach, those of the three surrounding villages. From 1628 to 1675, the village experienced successive invasions by the Imperials, the French, the Swedes and the Lorrainers.
Under Louis XIV, the Catholic faith was gradually reintroduced. In 1704, both faiths were officially recognized in the churches of the Val St-Grégoire. In 1728, the church of Muhlbach became a mixed church or simultaneum. With the annexation of Alsace to France, the villages of the valley lost some of their rights and privileges. Lawsuits were brought against the royal administration and a delegation went to Versailles. The French Revolution led to the dissolution of the Community of the city and the Val de Munster and, like the other villages of the large and small valley, Muhlbach became an independent commune. It was not until 1847 that the division of property was carried out.
After the First World War, Muhlbach, which was nothing more than a pile of ruins, was gradually rebuilt.

TO SEE - TO DO

MUSEUM OF SCHLITTE AND WOOD CRAFTS
Founded in 1972, this museum is located on Rue de la Gare and revives the ancestral techniques of logging and transporting wood. Originally, it was located near the Protestant church but since 1997, it has been in a room specially built by the municipality.
Tel. 03 89 77 61 08 (town hall) or 03 89 77 69 46 for group bookings. Open in season (July and August) from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 14 p.m. to 18 p.m. Groups by reservation all year round with guided tours.

THE CHURCHES
The Protestant church dates from 1930. The archives of 1068, kept in Munster, mention the construction of a chapel dedicated to Saint Bartholomew. In 1559, the chapel was transformed into a parish church. It was enlarged and became a place of Protestant worship. From 1727 to 1915, it hosted both religions but the building was destroyed during the Battle of Metzeral. It was rebuilt on the exact site of the old chapel and inaugurated on January 4, 1930. From then on, it was entirely devoted to Protestant worship.
After 1918, the commune also decided to build a Catholic church, in the Austrian neo-baroque style. It was blessed on May 26, 1929 and dedicated to St. Bartholomew.

mittlach

Population: 314 inhabitants (source INSEE 2006)
Area: 1139 ha

Mittlach is the youngest of the communes in the Munster valley. The village only appeared around 1741 under the name of "Medla" or "Metla". The term comes from "mittel" (middle) and "aha" (stream).
The village is said to have formed around the farm of "Zu Fluss", owned by the abbey of Munster, mentioned for the first time on the Specklin map dated 1576. The immigration of lumberjacks began in the XNUMXth century and reached its peak at the time of the intense exploitation of the forests in the XNUMXth century carried out under the leadership of the abbey of Munster.
The village was mainly made up of lumberjacks from Tyrol, Salzburg, the Black Forest, Switzerland, Lorraine and Italy. The coat of arms of the municipality represents them in their environment: an axe planted on each side of a tree trunk symbolises their profession, the blue around the trunk recalls the colour of the sky and at the bottom of the emblem the green evokes their landscape setting.
In the second half of the 1793th century, the original name "Zufluss" tended to disappear in favor of that of Mittlach. After XNUMX, the farm and the surrounding meadows were sold as national property and given to the inhabitants of Metzeral.
In the 1847th century, Mittlach continued to be the administrative annex of Metzeral, even after the division of 1. On April 1908, XNUMX, the commune of Mittlach became an independent commune.
Invested on the night of April 20-21, 1915 by the French army, the village was not destroyed during the fighting of the Battle of Metzeral.

Mittlach seduces those who visit it at first sight. All its charm comes from the exceptional setting that surrounds it, and it is through its streets and paths that the visitor arrives at its campsite, a true haven of peace.

TO SEE - TO DO

The smallest commune in the canton, Mittlach is also one of the most charming. Nestled at the foot of the Hohneck-Kastelberg and Schnepfenried massifs, it attracts many tourists and hikers in search of unspoiled landscapes. Listed on the GR5, it is the starting point for many hiking trails to the Vosges ridges.

CHURCH
The church of Mittlach was blessed on Pentecost Sunday 1929. It is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. A temporary church had already been built in 1895 which, since the construction of the current sanctuary, has become the house of the Works and then the current village hall. It adjoins a sports field.

TOWN HALL-SCHOOL
The Town Hall-School built in 1911 contains numerous inscriptions dating from 1915-1916. They recall the use of the cellar as an infirmary and hospital, as an alpine ambulance.

THE CAVE OF LOURDES
The Lourdes grotto was built in 1922 in the cliff of the Kiwi forest, above the Jonquilles meadow, to thank the Virgin for having spared the village during the First World War. The site also serves as a monument to the dead of the commune.

THE “MAYERLING” CHALET
It was in this chalet that the film "The Secret of Mayerling" was shot in 1948, with Jean Marais as the main actor.

Book lovers can borrow their favourite books from the municipal library and a fitness trail will delight sports enthusiasts of all ages.

metzeral

Population: 1109 inhabitants (source INSEE 2006)
Area: 3043 ha

Mentioned as early as 817, Metzeral is the oldest village in the Grande Vallée. The name Metzeral probably comes from the Latin root "maceriolae" which means small dry stone wall.
Formerly a possession of the abbey of Munster, Metzeral entered the community of the Valley and the City of Munster in 1287. The locality became one of the six large villages, with a provost (Schultheiss), member of the community council.
The French Revolution gave autonomy to each commune in the valley, which had the right to its Mayor and its Municipal Council. Metzeral did not obtain its independence until 1801. The forests were common property; in 1833 their sharing began, which was completed in 1847. The village developed in the 1861th century thanks to the textile industry. At its peak, in 1801, Metzeral had XNUMX inhabitants.
In 1893, on the initiative of the Hartmann industrialists of Munster, the railway line, opened between Colmar and Munster in 1868, was extended to Metzeral, which became a centre for excursions and tourism. Originally included in the ban of Metzeral, Mittlach was made a commune on 1 April 1908.
During the First World War, Metzeral was the object of a battle (15-21 June 1915) which ended in a decisive French victory. The commune, for its part, was nothing more than a pile of ruins. Most of the village was rebuilt after the armistice under the authority of Mayor Jacques Immer.
Spared during the Second World War, the village was liberated on February 5, 1945.
The commune is known for its mountain spring water bottling plant “Valon”.

TO SEE - TO DO

TOWN HALL
The plans for this elegant Town Hall-School were drawn up in March 1923 by the architect Voelkel-Wolff. The inauguration took place on May 2, 1926.

THE CHURCH OF THE EMM
Church of the Emm of Metzeral

At the top of the Emm hill (a name evoking the legend of Emma, ​​niece of Charlemagne, and Roland of Roncevaux who are said to have met and fallen in love there) overlooking Metzeral and the upper Fecht valley, stands the Emm church, a “Monument of Recognition of Alsatian Remembrance”.
The work of the priest builder Martin Béhé, this building is in fact dedicated to the dead of the 1914-18 war in the Vosges and in particular to those who fell during the very deadly battle of Metzeral in June 1915. The church of Emm is also the parish church of Metzeral-Sondernach as well as a centuries-old place of pilgrimage dedicated to the Virgin.

THE PROTESTANT CHURCH
In 1895, the commune decided to build a Protestant church which was inaugurated on October 24, 1897. Completely destroyed during the Battle of Metzeral in June 1915, it was rebuilt in 1929.

THE CHÊNE MILLET MILITARY CEMETERY
Metzeral, like other towns in the Munster Valley, was badly hit during the fighting of the First World War. As you leave the village towards Mittlach, the "Chêne Millet" national cemetery, where 2632 soldiers are buried, is there to remind us of this.
Its name comes from the passage, in 1868, of the famous painter Jean-François Millet (1814-1875) visiting Frédéric Hartmann (industrialist and mayor of Munster). Sketches in particular testify to his attachment to a group of oaks very close to the current cemetery.

HIKES
Located at the confluence of the two Fechts, at the foot of the Hohneck massif on the Alsatian side, the "Bourg Centre" of the Grande Vallée is the starting point for many hikes, towards the ridges and in particular towards the emblematic places that are the Wormsa Valley (listed site), the Hohneck massif (registered site), the alpine ridges of Spitzkoepfe, the lakes of Fischboedle, Schiessrothried, Altenweiher...

Luttenbach-pres-Munster

Population: 852 inhabitants (source INSEE 2006)
Area: 786 ha

Originally made up of several small hamlets, like most villages in the valley, the peaceful village of Luttenbach is mentioned as early as 1120. Luttenbach was founded by the Benedictine abbey of Munster, which probably owned a farm there at the place called Fronzell. The name Luttenbach probably comes from the root "lüt" (noisy), the noisy stream, unless it was the small stream (lützel Bach). It was part of the community of the City and the Valley of Munster until the French Revolution.
In 1738, a paper mill created by Jean-Frédéric Schoepflin, brother of the historian Jean-Daniel Schoepflin, received a visit from Voltaire in October 1753, who stayed there for two weeks. In 1894, the paper mill was transformed into a textile factory by Jean Kiener. Gustave Rothan (1822-1890), ambassador, plenipotentiary minister under Napoleon III, acquired the estate but was expelled after 1871 by the German authorities.
His daughter, Marie, married Pierre de Freddy, Baron de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games, in Paris in 1895. The latter inherited the property and spent his holidays there from 1896 to 1914. Destroyed during the First World War, it was sold to the Immer-Klein establishments, which operated a textile factory there until around 1960. Today it houses the vast and pleasant "Friends of Nature" campsite.
For several years, a clog maker has chosen to settle in the village to perpetuate this craft that has become extremely rare, but was once traditional in the Munster Valley. During the summer, on Tuesday evenings, a small authentic market of local products is organized in the courtyard of his workshops with various craft demonstrations.

TO SEE - TO DO

Former property of Gustave Rothan and Pierre de Freddy, Baron de Coubertin.
The Luttenbach campsite occupies a large part of the park of the former property of Baron de Coubertin, formerly the Royal Paper Mill. The latter contains some vestiges of this glorious period: the sections of walls of the former Rothan property, a magnificent 18th century gate which probably saw Voltaire's carriage pass through as well as a superb fountain called "aux Dauphins", dating from the very end of the 18th century and the very beginning of the 19th century.

VOLTAIRE OAK, NAGELSTALL PATH
A 1753th century legend tells that Voltaire, who was staying at the royal paper mill in XNUMX, pursued by the spies of the King of France, Louis XV, and those of the King of Prussia, Frederick II, hid in the hollow trunk of this oak.

TOWN HALL
This former Town Hall-School from 1851-1852 is by the Colmar architect Schoffit. Its design is characteristic of administrative buildings built in Alsace during the XNUMXth century.

Hohrod - Hohrodberg

Population: 349 inhabitants (source INSEE 2006)
Area: 549 ha

The name of the village of Hohrod appears for the first time in 1244, under the name "Hohenroth", wasteland on high ground. The etymology is simple: it is the cleared, deforested mountain. The history of the village of Hohrod is linked to that of the Community of the City and the Valley of Munster.
The place called Hohrodberg is only mentioned in 1744-1787. The village was devastated during the First World War. The Battle of Linge-Schratzmaennele-Baerenkopf, which lasted from July 20 to October 15, 1915, took place for a large part on its territory.
The elevated location of the Hohrodberg annex (800 m on average) earned it the nickname "balcony of the valley".

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THE LINEN
On the heights of Hohrodberg, towards Orbey, a memorial recalls the hard fighting that took place there in 1915 and caused the death of 17000 French hunters. It is therefore no coincidence that this battlefield bears the name "Tombeau des chasseurs".
The Linge Memorial Museum with its First World War battlefield, where every square centimetre of land recalls the sacrifice of thousands of French and German soldiers, in an identically restored site, is open from April to November from 9am to 12:30pm and from 14pm to 18pm. Website: www.linge1915.com
Also worth seeing: the German military cemetery at Collet du Linge, a remarkable burial site from the First World War currently being classified.

WHITE CROSS
This white cross recalls that an Anglo-Canadian Lancaster bomber crashed here on January 7, 1945. The victims of this crash are buried in the Munster military cemetery. To get there, follow the circular route of the Wahlenstall (starting point at the shelter for walkers of the Wahlenstall).

SCHRATZMAENNELE SANDSTONE QUARRIES
These pink sandstone quarries were exploited during the 19th century to provide the stones needed to build the Protestant temple in Munster. During the battle of Linge-Schratzmaennele-Barrenkopf, French mountain hunters had to climb the slopes of Schratzmaennele under enemy fire and storm the quarries. Countless bullet holes are still visible on the walls. According to legend, the hill is inhabited by an elf who gave it his name.

TOURIST CIRCUITS
Rosskopf and Katzenstein tourist circuits, starting from Place de la Mairie in Hohrod.
Barrenkopf tourist circuit, departure from the Hohrodberg car park to the right of the Aqua Viva hotel.
Circular circuit of the Hohrodberg panoramic trail, starting at the Schneiden path to the right of the Panorama hotel.
“5 pfennigweg” trail, starting at Walsbach in Munster via a steep, shaded path to reach the moorland at the summit of Hoernlé, from where you have the most beautiful view of the Grande Crête and, in clear weather, the Bernese Alps.
A discovery guide booklet has been published by the municipality with a map of the walking routes (available at the Tourist Office and Hohrod town hall).

Gunsbach

Population: 920 inhabitants (source INSEE 2006)
Area: 618 ha

The village appeared in 1278. The precise meaning of the name is not clear: the marshy stream or the stream of a man named Guno? In the 1285th century, the village was indeed of the Empire, dependent on the castle of Pflixbourg then given as a pledge to the lord Conrad Werner of Hattstatt in 1434. Gunsbach was sold in 1789 to the Ribeaupierre family, whose property it remained until XNUMX.
The village is known worldwide thanks to Dr. Albert Schweitzer, pastor, theologian, organist, musicologist and Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1952. His parents moved to the village when he was 6 months old. He left with his wife in 1913 to found the Lambaréné hospital in Gabon. His house, bought by the Albert Schweitzer International Association, receives more than 10.000 visitors every year from around fifty countries. Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965) is buried in Lambaréné, Gabon, as is his wife Hélène, née Bresslau (1879-1957). Several members of his family are buried in the Gunsbach cemetery, including Louis, his father, Adèle, his mother, and Paul, his brother.

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THE SIMULTANEOUS CHURCH (SIMULTANEUM)
This church has been frequented by Catholics and Protestants since 1751. Since its construction, it has been enlarged and transformed several times. The organ inaugurated in 1961, was completely renovated by Alfred Kern of Strasbourg according to the plans of Albert Schweitzer.

THE TOWN HALL, HOUSE WITH TURRET
Dating from 1570, the Gunsbach Town Hall with the town's coat of arms on its façade is a remarkable building. A house with a turret, located at 1 rue de Munster, dates from 1599.

OLD PRESBYTERY
At 3 rue Albert Schweitzer, the former Protestant presbytery, which dates from the 1925th century, was bequeathed to the parish by Adolphe Müller. Albert Schweitzer's father, Louis, a pastor in Gunsbach, settled there with his family until his death in XNUMX.

ALBERT SCHWEITZER'S HOUSE
Albert Schweitzer had this house built, thanks to the Goethe Prize awarded to him by the city of Frankfurt. He moved there in 1929 and it is here that he stayed during his trips to Europe. His house is now a museum dedicated to him (tel.: 03 89 77 31 42; open Tuesday to Saturday - July-August: open Sunday; 9am-11:30am / 14pm-16:30pm; website: http://www.schweitzer.org)

AFRICAN MUSEUM
The Museum of African Objects, on the first floor of the town hall, is open in July and August (every day except public holidays). Emma Haussknecht, who died in 1, and who was a long-time collaborator of Albert Schweitzer, gathered there a large and valuable collection of African art objects and utensils.

ALBERT SCHWEITZER MONUMENT
To reach the monument, take the path opposite the Schweitzer house. At this place called Kanzrain, Albert Schweitzer liked to retreat to meditate and admire the beauty of nature. As he himself wrote in a letter addressed to the sculptor of the monument: "because there I was the one who was busy thinking. There is my intellectual homeland, there I would like to dwell in stone, and be visited there...".

THE ALBERT SCHWEITZER TRAIL
This is a walking and meditation trail on the thoughts of Albert Schweitzer. Starting from the old presbytery, 3 rue Albert Schweitzer, you will be led past 16 explanatory panels on a route of approximately 1km.

THE WATER WALK
Starting from Rue du Stade, the water walk is a 4 km circuit with 13 stations lasting about 2 hours. Accompanied by the music of the flowing water, Gunsbach invites you to discover the history of its water, its union with trees, the earth and man. Download the leaflet. Also available at the Town Hall and the Munster Tourist Office.

Griesbach-au-Val

Population: 770 inhabitants (source INSEE 2006)
Area: 473 ha

The name of the village first appeared in 1239. It probably means "place located near the sandy stream". The abbey of Munster had a stately courtyard there, Meyerhof, until the Revolution.
An imperial property, the village was first given as a pledge to the Hattstatt family and then became their fief. In 1434, it belonged to the Ribeaupierre family and, like Gunsbach, it was part of the bailiwick of Wihr-au-Val. In 1585, it was given as a fief to the Truchsess of Rheinfelden and then remained in the possession of the Ribeaupierre family until 1789. Above the village stand the remains of Schwarzenbourg Castle.
The appendix “au Val” was only added in 1910 to differentiate it from the other Griesbachs located in the Bas-Rhin.

TO SEE - TO DO

THE MEYERHOF
The Meyerhof, a building located at 1, rue du Meyerhof, dates from the XNUMXth century; it was managed by the seigneurial steward, the Meyer, appointed by the lord (the abbey) on which the village depended. He exploited, with the help of the Huber, subjects invested with a manse, the entire agricultural domain linked to the farm.

SCHWARZENBOURG CASTLE (BAN COMMUNAL DE STOSSWIHR)
Today in ruins, this fortress was considered one of the most accomplished military constructions in Alsace in the Middle Ages. Gauthier de Géroldseck had it built in 1261. In 1293, the castle served as a prison for Walther Roesselmann, Schultheiss (provost) of Colmar from 1282, who had opened the city of Colmar to the pro-Habsburg rebels opposed to Emperor Adolph of Nassau. He died in a dungeon in the castle in 1294.
Badly damaged during the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), it gradually fell into ruin. The castle and the mountain were purchased by the abbey in 1725. The ruins were sold as national property in 1793.
The Hartmann family bought this property at the beginning of the 19th century and incorporated it into their property as part of their romantically inspired English garden. During the First World War, it was used as an artillery observatory by the German army.
Legend has it that these ruins are haunted by the ghost of a white lady and a bewitched owl. In an underground passage, which has not been discovered, priceless treasures are said to be kept...

Nearby: the Place or Terrace Napoleon, at the Schlosswald, takes its name from a horse that had belonged to the Emperor. Frédéric Hartmann-Metzger, who had acquired it after the Hundred Days, had it buried there.

HIKES
Griesbach au Val offers hikers many opportunities to escape into nature. Four hiking trails, with rest areas, cross the communal forest, stretching along the mountain. Whether you are an occasional walker or an experienced hiker, everyone will find a route to suit them, starting from the village.
Four circuits have been individualized by the name of a forest species. The circuits of the Châtaigneraie and the Chênaie last one hour, that of the Sapinière two hours, and the longest, that of the Hêtraie three hours. From the latter, the hiker can join other routes, signposted by the Vosges Club, to reach the heights of Wasserbourg, Kahlenwasen and Rothenbrunnen, etc. Each route is symbolized by the tree, its leaf or its fruit.

Eschbach-au-Val

Population: 352 inhabitants (source INSEE 2015)
Area: 484 ha

Eschbach probably means: place located near the stream bordered by ash trees (die Esche). The commune appears as early as 824 in a donation made by King Louis the Pious to the abbey of Munster.
The village was born and developed in the shadow of the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Grégoire. From 1287 to 1847, the village was part of the community of inhabitants of the Val and the City of Munster. Its location, away from the Fecht valley, allowed Eschbach-au-Val to escape the destruction of the First World War.
Situated in a green valley climbing up to the foot of the Kahlenwasen (Little Ballon), the village, renowned for its calm and tranquility, has managed to preserve its authenticity whilst demonstrating dynamism and a rich community life.

TO SEE - TO DO

TRADITIONAL HOUSES AND TOWN HALL
Find the traditional 18th century houses in the heart of the village as well as the old 19th century wash house located opposite the town hall with its elegant bell tower.

THE OLD WASH HOUSE
The washhouse played an important role in the village. Indeed, it was there that women met to boil, beat, scrub and wash clothes, but also to talk to each other. A privileged place of conviviality.

THE DORFHÜSS
Just above, the brand new Dorfhüss (village house – village hall) offers a breathtaking view of the mountain ridges of the Little Munster Valley.

AUTHENTIC EVENTS ON A HUMAN SCALE
Don't miss the traditional Saint John's fire, the typical, rural character of the Firefighters' Shooting Festival at the bottom of the valley and the "one hundred percent local crafts" Advent exhibition and sale.

A PARADISE FOR WALKERS
The Emile Hertzog trail starts from the bottom of the village towards Obersolberg and Erschlitt and takes you to Buchwald at the foot of the Petit Ballon.

Breitenbach Haut-Rhin

Population: 838 inhabitants (source INSEE 2015)
Area: 927 ha

PRESENTATION
Originally formed, like most of the villages in the large and small valleys, from a collection of hamlets, Breitenbach was first mentioned in the 13th century. The name of the village is said to be due to its location at the exit of the "Breitenbach" valley, on the right bank of the Fecht.
In 1287, the village of Breitenbach became part of the community of inhabitants of the Val and the City of Munster, whose destiny it shared until 1847. In 1559, the Lutheran reform was introduced there.
In the 19th century, the site had a textile factory and a brewery. Later, industrial activity was dominated by the production of batteries. During the First World War, Breitenbach was very badly damaged.

TO SEE - TO DO

BREITENBACH TOWN HALL
Dating from 1838, the Town Hall was almost entirely destroyed during the fighting in 1915. It was rebuilt after the armistice of 1918. An inscription on its façade recalls that the building was erected when Jean Hummel was president of the mayors of the community of inhabitants of the valley, abolished in 1847.

THE OLD CHAPEL
Breitenbach shares its churches with the commune of Muhlbach-sur-Munster.
In Oberbreitenbach there is an old chapel from the 18th century where the bells were rung when storms approached. Legend has it that one day, while announcing a violent storm, the bell ringer was killed by lightning and the bell was buried deep. Much later, the bell was found by a resident and brought back to the hamlet chapel. It was requisitioned by the German army during the First World War.

THE GERMAN CEMETERY
At the war memorial, which is located on the village square, you will find signs leading you to the German military cemetery (3529 soldiers died during the First World War and 173 soldiers during the Second).

THE BELLE EPOQUE SPACE
Housed in the premises of the former textile factory, it is a very beautiful multi-purpose room that can host banquets, seminars, conferences, concerts, theatrical performances, etc.

Tourist office opening hours

From January to May and from September to December:
Monday to Friday : 09h30 - 12h et 14h - 17h30
On Saturday: 09h30 - 12h et 14h - 17h
In December, the Tourist Office is open
at Christmas markets on weekends
From June to August:
Monday to Saturday : 09h - 12h30 et 13h30 - 18h
Sunday and off days : 09h -13h
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Munster Valley Tourist Office 2024
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