Wihr-Au-Val: Winegrowing and Architectural History

Wihr-au-Val can be explored during a stay primarily through two themes: historic buildings and winegrowing. If you are looking for a hotel, these themes can help you decide whether to plan a stay focused more on culture or wine. The playful “Balade insolite à Wihr-au-Val” is another specific activity that can help you get to know the village.

Several periods of architectural history

The present-day Eglise paroissiale Saint-Martin is a Neo-Gothic church. Its foundation stone was laid on 11 July 1869, and construction was completed in 1873. A much older historical landmark is the Chapelle-ossuaire Saint-Michel: it dates from the late 15th or early 16th century and has been listed as a historic monument since 9 July 1986.

The Chapelle de la Sainte-Croix was rebuilt in 1806 and is located on the Sonnenberg in Wihr-au-Val. The Fontaine (D) was built in 1774. The Ancienne porte de Ville is also listed as a historic monument; it was listed on 22 March 1934. Together, these buildings offer different points of reference for exploring the village’s history, from the older chapel to the Neo-Gothic parish church.

For culturally minded travelers, the value lies precisely in comparing the dates: they do not all point to a single period. You can view the Chapelle-ossuaire, the rebuilding on the Sonnenberg and the parish church as different stages in the area’s architectural history.

Winegrowing and offerings at Domaine Schoenheitz

Wihr-au-Val is the only winegrowing village in the canton of Munster. The vineyards belong to the municipal appellation “Val saint Grégoire”; the grape varieties grown are Riesling, Pinot, Sylvaner, Muscat and Gewurztraminer. These details give winegrowing in Wihr-au-Val a specific context: they identify both the appellation and the grape varieties that are part of the local profile.

Domaine Schoenheitz offers a guided educational wine trail through the vineyards, as well as wine tastings with food pairings. Reservations may be required. Individual cellar tours are available year-round by prior appointment. Groups of 8 to 40 people can choose from four packages, including cellar tours, guided tastings and vineyard tours. Kougelhopf and Munster fermier au lait cru are also among the offerings mentioned for groups. Advance contact is recommended for these packages.

The offerings have different focuses: the guided educational wine trail explores the vineyards, while cellar tours and tastings offer other ways to learn about winegrowing. Tastings with food pairings also bring together wine and regional products. If you plan to take part in any of these activities, check the relevant appointment or reservation requirements.

Playful exploration and scenery

The “Balade insolite à Wihr-au-Val” offers a playful way to discover or rediscover Wihr-au-Val. A guidebook for the walk is available at Camping La Route Verte and the Munster Valley Tourist Office; check availability locally. This activity takes a different approach from the guided educational wine trail: the focus here is on playfully discovering the village, while the other trail leads through the vineyards.

The forest is also part of the municipality’s landscape: Wihr-au-Val encompasses 730 hectares of predominantly municipal forest. Together with the vineyards, it forms another aspect of the village’s character. If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in Wihr-Au-Val, you can choose to focus on architectural history, winegrowing or playful exploration of the village, without treating these different activities as interchangeable.

Discover more destinations: Freland, Husseren-Les-Châteaux, Eguisheim, Ottmarsheim, Bischwihr, Ammerzwiller, Colmar, Bitschwiller-Lès-Thann.

View the broader travel guide: Haut-Rhin.