Bellefosse

Bellefosse (Schöngrund) is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Grand Est in northeastern France, historically and culturally part of Alsace.

Geography
The village is located on a mountain terrace on the west slope of the Champ du Feu in the Bruche Valley. It is dominated by the ruins of the Château de la Roche towering above it.

Toponymy
Originating from the Celtic words bill (small) and fois (place).
 * 1434: Belfus
 * 1534: Belfuss
 * 1578: Belfos
 * 1584: Belfuß
 * 1782: Belfus
 * 1793: Bellefosse
 * 1915-1918: Schöngrund

History
Bellefosse is part of the old Ban de la Roche fief. The village's name was formalized as Belfus in 1434. It was composed of 25 houses in 1578, under the name of belfos then.

On 1 April 1974, it fused with Waldersbach and Belmont to form the commune of Ban-de-Roche, in reference to the historical fief, Fouday was added to the commune in 1975. On 1 January 1992, the commune of Bellefosse was reestablished.

Coat of arms
The heraldics of Bellefosse are blazoned: "Azure with one golden chevron followed by three silver cramps set in pale."