Willgottheim

In 1682, Willgottheim entered an era of prosperity and prestige following the conflicts between Louis XIV and the Emperor of Austria. France established a Post Relay here, where stagecoaches and mail coaches changed horses to continue their journey to Saverne or Stutzheim. These relays also provided lodging for travelers. Two buildings still bear witness to this era: the former Upper Relay, now the Inn Au Pied de Bœuf, restored by its owner, and the Lower Relay, or Posthof, recognizable by its large porch currently being renovated. Willgottheim's history is also marked by visits from royal figures: Marie Lescinska, future Queen of France, spent the night of August 17, 1725, at the Upper Relay. Later, in 1770, Marie Antoinette stayed at the Lower Relay, an event commemorated by a stone bench. In the 19th century, the village became the most important commune in the canton, housing a notarial office of which only a turret with glazed tiles remains. This prestigious past earned it the nickname "s’klene Baris" (Little Paris). Today, in the heart of the village, the s’Kaisers farm houses an old forge and displays ancient tools on the walls of its inner courtyard.