Husseren-les-Châteaux

Nestled at 380 meters altitude at the foot of the Stauffen massif and the Three Castles above Eguisheim, Husseren-les-Châteaux is just 7 kilometers from Colmar. The village overlooks the Rhine plain stretching to the horizon of the Black Forest, offering a splendid panorama. Its slopes, notably those of Pfersigberg and Eichberg, have produced famous vintages since the 15th century, recognized for their exceptional quality.

With about 400 inhabitants today, Husseren-les-Châteaux has a rich history. From the 12th century, huts sheltered artisans and workers who built the Three Castles, then in the 13th century the Marbach Abbey. First mentioned in 1247 in the archives of the Bishopric of Basel, the village was then called *Haüsern*, meaning "houses," before becoming Husseren-les-Châteaux in 1925 to distinguish it from Husseren-Wesserling.

Prosperous before the Thirty Years' War, Husseren was under the episcopal authority of Basel, then under the lords of Hattstatt and Schauenburg. The misfortunes of war struck it, notably in 1633 when the Swedes plundered it. Peace returned in 1648, allowing renewal thanks to the arrival of Swiss and German immigrants and the development of viticulture by the noble families Poltier and Cambefort. The village even established a school as early as 1669.

The French Revolution only marked the village with a brief demonstration by enthusiastic republicans. In the 19th century, Husseren experienced political upheavals calmly, protected by its hills and distant from urban turmoil. It nevertheless gave birth to two political figures: Joseph-Martin Rudler, deputy under the Second Republic, and André Bas, deputy-mayor from 1945 to 1951.

The current church, dedicated to Saint Pancras, was built in 1885. Today, the village combines charm and tranquility with its many winemakers, tasting cellars, and a discreet hotel-restaurant on the edge of the forest. As the starting point of the picturesque Route of the Five Castles, Husseren-les-Châteaux is an ideal stop for tourists and city dwellers seeking peace. Its welcoming inhabitants gladly share the simple pleasures that make the quality of this preserved life.

The built heritage of Husseren-les-Châteaux notably includes the Counts of Eguisheim Castles, built in the 11th and 13th centuries on the Route of the Five Castles. Its movable heritage includes a 14th-century statue of Saint Pancras kept in the Saint Pancras church, as well as a Rinkenbach organ dating from 1890.