Val-de-Moder

Val-de-Moder is a grouping of Alsatian communes including Pfaffenhoffen, Ringeldorf, Uberach, and La Walck, where craftsmanship and heritage blend. In Pfaffenhoffen, the city of images, the Museum of Popular Images, unique in Europe, displays collections and techniques of hand-painted Alsatian popular images. A discovery trail allows visitors to admire painted and sculpted works, both old and contemporary, throughout the streets, gardens, and squares. The Val de Moder Vosgien Club also offers many hikes around the valley and along the Moder River.

Ringeldorf, a small village of 140 inhabitants, is part of French political history. Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, then President of the Republic, was unanimously elected there in 1974. In recognition, he made a surprise visit on May 20, 1975. Today, the village’s main street bears his name. Since January 1, 2019, Ringeldorf has been part of the new commune of Val-de-Moder, after leaving the community of communes of Pays de la Zorn.

La Walck experienced an industrial past marked by shoe manufacturing, with more than twenty factories or workshops after World War II, including Adidas. The commune also endured a troubled period during World War II: liberated by the Americans of the 45th Infantry Division on December 1, 1944, it was reoccupied by the Germans on January 23, 1945, during Operation Nordwind. Finally, the American Operation Undertone allowed a definitive liberation on March 19, 1945, at the cost of 46 local lives.

Uberach, first mentioned in a document from Charles IV dated 1351, boasts a rich historical heritage. The commune is also known for its Uberach Brewery and Hepp Distillery, which highlight beers and brandies emblematic of the local gastronomy.