Bourg Bruche

Bourg-Bruche, first mentioned in 661, developed around the Bruche river and was a parish by the year 800. In the Middle Ages, the village was under the lordship of Val de Villé. In 1633, it was occupied by the Swedes; to secure their departure, Saâles and Bruche paid 400 florins, fully covered by Saâles, with Bruche never repaying its share. Between 1650 and around 1730, Swiss Mennonites settled here, notably at Hang, forming one of the largest communities in Alsace. The Hang glassworks, built in 1723, operated until 1770. From 1850, the population declined due to wars and the decline of the textile industry, leading to massive exoduses.

Today, Bourg-Bruche's economic activity is mainly limited to agriculture. The commune has 757 hectares of forest, including 410 hectares of communal forest. Notably, there is the Ferme Auberge du Nouveau Chemin.

Not to be missed: the Climont, the source of the Bruche, Giessen, and Fave rivers, nicknamed the region's water castle. The remains of the old Saint Peter's Church, dating from the 13th century, along with its Chapel of the Virgin, built on the site of a Marian apparition, and its fountain, are also worth a visit.