Carrefour - The European Quilt Show
Carrefour – The European Quilt Show is a bucket list event for textile art enthusiasts worldwide.
Every year in September, it welcomes thousands of visitors from across the globe for four days of discoveries and activities centered around the passion for quilting.
Since the first show in 1995, this major European gathering has become a true “carrefour” (crossroads, meeting place)—a place where quilt lovers from Europe and beyond come together to share their passion.
Unique Exhibitions Featuring Works from Around the World
Amateurs, experts, and curious visitors alike can discover more than 35 internationally renowned artists and collectors presenting exclusive exhibitions never seen elsewhere. Carrefour showcases more than 1,100 works each year in over fifteen different locations.
The Val d’Argent, in Alsace, becomes the European capital of textile arts, attracting over 14,000 visitors!
Activities for all Visitors
An Alsatian Valley Rich in History
A unique event in the heart of an exceptional valley: the four villages of Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, Sainte-Croix-aux-Mines, Lièpvre, and Rombach-le-Franc form a region with a singular mining and industrial history.
A historical hub of silver, lead, and arsenic extraction and exploitation, the Val d’Argent became a leader in the textile industry until the late 20th century.
Nestled in the heart of the Vosges Mountains, the valley offers numerous activities, including mine visits, outdoor sports, and cultural experiences. It is also close to the Alsace Wine Route, its vineyards, and picturesque towns and villages such as Ribeauvillé, Colmar, Riquewihr, Kaysersberg, and Strasbourg.
Textiles are a key element in the region’s history with hundreds of textile factories in Alsace, from dyeing to weaving, socks, woolen garments and luxury clothes. A very interesting visit to pair with Carrefour is the Mulhouse Musée d’Impressions sur Etoffes.
The landscape also bears traces of both World Wars. Many historical sites remain in the Val d’Argent and throughout Alsace and the Vosges, including cemeteries, trenches, and memorial museums, such as the Linge Memorial Museum in Orbey, the Alsace-Moselle Memorial, and the Natzweiler-Struthof Concentration Camp.
For more information about nearby tourist attractions, visit the website of the Val d’Argent Tourist Office.
The Birthplace of the Amish
A true green haven, set between the hills and forests of the Vosges Mountains, the region was chosen by Anabaptists in the 17th century for its natural beauty and religious tolerance.
They developed their community, shaping the landscape through agricultural work and forestry expertise.
Over time, they gradually integrated into local religious and social life, with some even taking urban jobs. However, this was seen as a deviation from traditional Anabaptist life by about sixty families in the valley.
Led by Jacob Amann—who would give his name to the Amish—these families chose to break away from the Anabaptist group and form their own community, strictly following the Ordnung, a detailed set of life rules.
Some key principles include:
- A ban on carrying weapons
- The use of the Bernese dialect
- Wearing simple clothing without buttons
Commitment to a communal life, forsaking personal ambition
With increasing religious tensions, the Anabaptists were expelled from France in 1712, though they were later allowed to return under King Louis XV. The 18th century was particularly difficult for Anabaptist and Amish families.
With the Napoleonic Wars and mandatory conscription in the early 19th century, both groups gradually emigrated to the new American colonies. The first Amish community had already settled in Pennsylvania in 1737.
For more information, visit the Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, Birthplace of the Amish
