Hoffen is a commune in Bas-Rhin, in the Grand Est region, 19 km northeast of Haguenau. Its territory of 9.4 km² belongs to the historical and cultural region of Alsace. It is crossed by several rivers (the Seltzbach, the Haussauerbach and the Wintzenbach) and its landscapes reflect those of the country of Outre-Forêt, a territory bordering Germany and delimited by forests to the south and north, the foothills of the Vosges to the west and the Rhine valley to the east.
The locality is thus covered by arable land (77% of its surface area), forests (4.7%) and meadows (3.8%).
The village of
Remaining focused on agriculture, it acquired a new dimension in 1975 after its merger with the neighboring localities of Hermerswiller to the west and Leiterswiller to the southeast.
Today, the town, which has nearly 1,200 inhabitants, highlights its heritage, the charm of its traditional homes and its preserved environment.
The town of Hoffen and the associated villages of Hermerswiller and Leiterswiller have a heritage of interest, particularly on a religious level.
On Hoffen, see the Protestant church built in the 17th century. The town hall is also worth a look: built at the beginning of the 19th century, it was enlarged in 1854 to plans by the architect Alexandre Matuszinski. We owe him in particular the porch supported by three wooden columns which served as a shed for the fire pumps. Upstairs, there was once a deliberations room, an archives room, but also accommodation and a small prison.
However, still in the village, it is the rue du Tilleul (which owes its name to the lime tree - still present - planted during the Revolution) with its beautiful traditional half-timbered Alsatian houses, equipped with balconies where geraniums flower in season which turns out to be a typical postcard of the region...
In the village of Leiterswiller, the Protestant church is listed in the Inventory. The building is mentioned from the 12th century; It is then a Catholic church dedicated to Saint-Aegide then to Saint-André from the 16th century. Protestant worship was also celebrated there from 1693 to 1897. In the meantime, the Romanesque building was partially rebuilt in 1736, in sandstone and rubble. Thus, the sacristy door and the original triumphal arch have been preserved. Furthermore, in the 18th century, a ceiling replaced the choir vault and paneling was installed in the nave.
In the same village, the Saint-Joseph Catholic church in the neo-Gothic style in pink sandstone was rebuilt in the 18th century. There is a bas-relief of the Holy Family and several statues, two of which come from the old Cistercian abbey of Koenigsbrück, destroyed during the Revolution, and representing the archangel Saint Michael and the Immaculate Conception.
Beautiful traditional farms, a mill still in operation which testifies to the milling vocation of the locality also line a walk.
Concerning cultural leisure activities, activities, exhibitions, shows and community events are regularly scheduled at the library and at the municipal village hall: information at the town hall on +33 3 88 80 40 47.
For sports enthusiasts, in addition to a football field, tennis courts are available, to be reserved with the local club on +33 3 88 80 53 88.
Finally, it is important to take advantage of the potential available to hiking enthusiasts (walkers and mountain bikers) on Hoffen. In addition to the trails traced in the commune itself, along crops or streams, loops can lead to the first wooded reliefs of the Vosges or the Rhine plain, dotted with bucolic landscapes and historic sites (feudal castles, forts of the Maginot line) or leisure and well-being (spa resort and amusement park in Morsbronn-les-Bains). Maps and information from the intercommunal tourist office on +33 3 88 80 89 70.
