Visit of Hunspach, a village in Northern Alsace

My opinion in brief

A brief history of Hunspach

Hunspach is mentioned for the first time in a document from 1298. The Reformation made it a Protestant village. In 1619, the village came under Swedish administration and was razed and burned by imperial troops in 1633. It was later repopulated by Swiss immigrants. In 1787, Sweden bequeathed all its rights to the French Crown. The 19th century finally saw a period of prosperity for the village, which saw the construction of a railway line between Haguenau and Wissembourg.

What to see in Hunspach

Half-timbered houses in Hunspach

You should walk through the streets of the village and admire the half-timbered houses typical of the Wissembourg region. Contrary to the Alsatian villages of the Wine Route that you probably have in mind, there are no colorful houses in Hunspach.

Traditionally, the houses are white and have remained so in Hunspach. This does not mean that it lacks charm, quite the contrary! This uniformity is superb. The village boasts a number of magnificent half-timbered houses, which the locals lavishly decorate with flowers: it’s a real pleasure to stroll around and stop in front of each one to admire the courtyards, the architectural details, the windows…

Speaking of windows, you’ll notice that many Hunspach houses have curved glass panes in the windows, allowing you to see out without being seen (a fashion dating back to the Baroque period).

Military heritage

Hunspach also has an important military heritage, including the Fort of Schoenenbourg, which is the largest structure of the Maginot Line open to the public in Alsace. These underground galleries were the most attacked during the Second World War and remained undefeated.

Why visit Hunspach?

Hunspach is part of the closed club of the Most Beautiful Villages of France, a title that it largely deserves. However, it is not very touristy if you compare it to other Alsatian villages. Here, no line of stores but a peaceful and very authentic village.

If you want to visit Alsace away from the touristy roads, this is where I recommend you go. It’s not very big, but you can combine your visit with the village of Seebach, the town of Wissembourg, the Chemin des Cimes or a trip to Betschdorf. There are many beautiful and unknown things in Northern Alsace!

My good addresses in Hunspach

I would advise you to:

• stop off at Boutique Kelsch’Idées, a farm store selling handmade decorative items and local products in general. Really lovely!
• go to Boulangerie Fischer to buy a Dicke Kuche, a large brioche that is a village specialty and sold on Fridays and Saturdays.