Lauf ( gsw, label= Low Alemannic, Louf) is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

in the district of Ortenau in Western

Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg (; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million inhabitants across a ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

. Lauf is situated on the western edge of the Black Forest (

Schwarzwald The Black Forest (german: Schwarzwald ) is a large forested mountain range in the state of Baden-Württemberg in southwest Germany, bounded by the Rhine Valley to the west and south and close to the borders with France and Switzerland. It is t ...

), located in a valley (Laufbachtal) that slopes roughly east–west. The Laufbach stream which gives Lauf its name rises on the north-west side of the

Hornisgrinde The Hornisgrinde, 1,164 m (3,820 ft), is the highest mountain in the Northern Black Forest of Germany. The Hornisgrinde lies in northern Ortenaukreis district. Origin of the name The name is probably derived from Latin, and essential ...

, and descends rapidly past the Glashutte towards Lauf. In the Laufbachtal and side valleys, native vegetation flourishes, including orchids. Vineyards are a major land-use, as the village has a good number of south-facing slopes. The local landscape consists of orchards, meadows and forest. The population in July 2006 was 3,980 persons, compared to 900 in 1692. The Lauf coat of arms shows a red goblet on a silver background; emerging from both sides of the cup are clusters of grapes with leaves. Places to eat in Lauf: Rebstock (Hauptstraße), Linde (Schlossstraße) Bar in Lauf: Rabenkeller (Hauptstraße opposite the town hall). Places to stay: Pension Hornenberg (Hornenbergstrasse) Gasthaus zur Linde (Schlossstrasse)

References

Ortenaukreis {{Ortenaukreis-geo-stub