The Soppe-le-Bas historic trail

Discover the history of Soppe-le-Bas through a walking trail enhanced with illustrated panels.
They highlight notable buildings and offer insights into the daily life of our ancestors.

Let’s begin with a brief overview of the village’s rich past:
The village’s main street was once the royal road no. 83, connecting Lyon to Strasbourg. Several inns lined the route, and Soppe-le-Bas served as a major postal relay station. Extra horses were provided to help heavy wagons climb the slopes.

The church is dedicated to Saint Vincent, the patron saint of winegrowers. In fact, Soppe-le-Bas once had the southernmost vineyard in Alsace, with 181 plots recorded in 1830.

In the 19th century, the village also had a synagogue and a rabbi, evidence of a significant Jewish community.

The earliest known mention of Soppe-le-Bas dates to 1259, in a document signed by Otto von Sulzbach. Another document from 1585 mentions a small castle in the village of Niedersulzbach, owned by the nobles of Sulzbach. A 1781 lease indicates the existence of a motte-and-bailey, an early form of a fortified settlement.

The village was destroyed several times throughout history. In 1648, the Habsburgs ceded their Alsatian territories, including the seigneury of Thann (part of the County of Ferrette), to France. At that time, Soppe-le-Bas was the seat of a local administration that included Mortzwiller, Soppe-le-Haut, and Diefmatten. A report held in the archives of the Prince’s Palace of Monaco confirms this (the County of Ferrette passed to the Grimaldi family by marriage in 1777).

When Alsace was annexed by Germany in 1870, Soppe-le-Bas reverted to its original name, Niedersulzbach. A large customs building marked the border with France near Lachapelle-sous-Rougemont. It was destroyed during World War I. French troops recaptured the village on August 7, 1914. Soppe-le-Bas was mentioned in army dispatches and awarded the Croix de guerre.

During World War II, German customs officers returned, along with a Gestapo office.

With 272 inhabitants in 1962, the village began to grow significantly after 1993, when the national road no. 83 was rerouted around it.