Fête de la Poterie de Soufflenheim

The Fête de la Poterie de Soufflenheim: a Millennial Heritage

Soufflenheim, nicknamed the “city of potters,” perpetuates a ceramic tradition dating back to the Bronze Age. It was in 1142 that pottery truly established itself in the village, when potters obtained the right from Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa to extract clay from the Haguenau forest for free and in perpetuity. Since then, this artisanal activity has never ceased, making Soufflenheim one of Europe's oldest continuously operating pottery centers.

The Pottery and Ceramics Market

Every summer, Soufflenheim's Market Hall hosts the Pottery and Ceramics Market, organized by the OMACL (Municipal Office for Animation, Culture, and Leisure). Potters and ceramists from all over France and beyond present their latest creations: utilitarian pieces, decorative objects, sculptures, jewelry, and contemporary works of art in earthenware, stoneware, faience, porcelain, and raku.

Demonstrations and Know-How

One of the market's major attractions lies in the pottery demonstrations offered throughout the weekend. Visitors can watch artisans at work — throwing, modeling, decorating — and discover the various techniques of clay work. It's a unique opportunity to understand the ancestral gestures that give birth to the emblematic pieces of Alsatian pottery.

Pottery Workshops: Open Houses

In parallel with the market, Soufflenheim's potteries — about ten workshops still in operation — open their doors to the public. Visitors discover the behind-the-scenes process of making the flagship products of Alsatian pottery:

• Kougelhopf molds: the traditional earthenware mold that gives the famous Alsatian cake its characteristic fluted shape.
• Baeckeoffe terrines: the glazed earthenware dishes used for preparing baeckeoffe, an emblematic culinary specialty.
• Choucroute terrines: traditional preservation pots.
• Flammekueche molds: refractory dishes for baking tarte flambée.

IGP-Labeled Know-How

Since 2019, Soufflenheim pottery has benefited from an IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) label that certifies and promotes this historical know-how. This label guarantees the authenticity and origin of the pieces produced in Soufflenheim, distinguishing local artisanal production from industrial imitations.