Troglodyte Houses in Graufthal

" Graufthal owes its fame to the curious troglodyte dwellings at the foot of the sandstone cliffs. These houses are one of a kind in Alsace! "

The tiny village of Graufthal nestles in Zinsel Valley and grew up around a Benedictine abbey in the 12th century. Several caves carved into the high sandstone cliffs were used as storage by the Abbey monks before being converted into living spaces little by little. The cliffs act as the back wall with rock forming the ceiling and floor. Only the facades in periwinkle blue are manmade.
The last occupant, Catherine Ottermann, died in 1958. Listed as historical monuments in 1984, these troglodyte dwellings are today the setting for a picturesque museum reconstituting the life of the last occupant. This unique site in Alsace takes you back to bygone days where nature and everyday life were totally intertwined!