Discover the charms of Hunspach, a typical Alsatian village

White half-timbered houses, bulging window panes and geraniums at the windows: Hunspach, in northern Alsace, is one of the most harmonious villages in the region. Voted “France’s Favourite Village” in 2020 and a member of the Most Beautiful Villages of France, it is best explored on foot, at a leisurely pace.

Hunspach, a village of the Outre-Forêt

Hunspach is a municipality in the Bas-Rhin with around 625 inhabitants, located about ten kilometres south of Wissembourg and just over 20 km from Haguenau, close to the German border. The village belongs to the Outre-Forêt, a land of hills, orchards and fields stretching north of the Haguenau forest, on the doorstep of the Northern Vosges.

It is a member of the Plus Beaux Villages de France (Most Beautiful Villages of France) association and in 2020 won the TV programme “Le Village préféré des Français” (France’s Favourite Village), becoming the third Alsatian village to win after Eguisheim and Kaysersberg.

Architecture unique in Alsace

Here, there are no multicoloured façades as on the Wine Route: Hunspach’s half-timbered houses have whitewashed walls set off by dark beams, and steep roofs covered with flat “beaver-tail” tiles. The oldest have kept their bulging window panes, a feature that once protected residents from prying eyes while still letting the light in. The oldest house dates from 1713.

This uniformity is explained by history: devastated during the Thirty Years’ War, the village was repopulated notably by Swiss immigrants, who rebuilt it in a simple, consistent style. Take time to look at the farm courtyards, the gardens and the details of the timber framing.

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What to see in Hunspach

• The main street and its farmhouses: the heart of the village, to be explored on foot to admire the row of white houses.
• The Protestant church: an 18th-century building in pink Vosges sandstone, a testament to the village’s long Protestant tradition.
• The Schoenenbourg fort: close by, this Maginot Line fort has 3 km of galleries 30 m underground. It was one of the most heavily bombarded forts on the line in June 1940. Seasonal opening: check the times before you come.
• The waymarked trails: a walking circuit of about 9.5 km links Hunspach to the Schoenenbourg fort through fields and orchards.

In the surrounding area

• Hoffen and Seebach: two neighbouring villages with the same heritage of half-timbered houses, just a few kilometres away.
• Wissembourg (about 10 km): the small medieval town on the Lauter, with its ramparts and its Bruch quarter.
• The Northern Vosges: forests, sandstone rocks and castles of the Regional Nature Park, about twenty minutes away.

Practical information

• By car: Hunspach is about an hour’s drive from Strasbourg, via Haguenau.
• By train: the village has a stop on the Haguenau – Wissembourg line (TER Grand Est); check the timetable before setting off.
• When to come? From May to September, when geraniums brighten the windows; the village is quieter on weekdays.
• Etiquette: Hunspach is a lived-in village; be discreet and do not enter private courtyards.

A taste of northern Alsace

Make the most of your visit to discover Alsatian gastronomy: tarte flambée, sauerkraut, munster cheese and Alsace wines such as Riesling and Pinot Gris. To continue your trip, browse our selection of the most beautiful villages in Alsace.

Enzo

Hi, I'm Enzo! I'm the guy who loves lacing up his hiking boots to explore the rugged trails of the Vosges. Passionate about nature and photography, I take you along through articles that capture the scent of fir forests and the charm of mountain lakes. I live for those moments when the sun rises over the Haut-Koenigsbourg or when I stumble upon an authentic inn along the way. My goal? To inspire you to get out, breathe in the fresh Alsatian air, and always have a great spot for a tarte flambée to share at the end of the day.

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