Eschbach-au-Val

Eschbach-au-Val, a commune with 352 inhabitants according to INSEE in 2015, covers 484 hectares. Its name likely refers to a place near a stream lined with ash trees.

As early as 824, the village is mentioned in a donation by King Louis the Pious to the Munster Abbey. It developed under the influence of the Benedictine Abbey of Saint Gregory and was part of the community of inhabitants of the Val and the town of Munster from 1287 to 1847.

Protected by its location away from the Fecht valley, Eschbach-au-Val escaped the destructions of World War I. Nestled in a green valley rising up to the foot of the Kahlenwasen (Petit Ballon), the village combines tranquility and dynamism while retaining its authentic charm and a rich community life.

Things to see and do:

The traditional 18th-century houses scattered throughout the village testify to its past. Facing the town hall, topped with an elegant bell tower, stands the old 19th-century washhouse. This place, once central to village life, was used by women to wash clothes and socialize, embodying a space of conviviality.

Just above, the Dorfhüss, the village's new community hall, offers a breathtaking view of the ridges of the mountains in the small Munster Valley.

Eschbach-au-Val hosts typical small-scale events: the traditional Saint John's fire, the rural festival of the Firefighters' Shooting in the valley, as well as the Advent exhibition-sale, showcasing 100% local crafts.

Walkers will enjoy the Émile-Hertzog trail, which starts at the bottom of the village and leads to the Buchwald, at the foot of the Petit Ballon, passing through Obersolberg and Erschlitt.