Lauf is a community in the district of Ortenau

Ortenaukreis

Ortenaukreis is a district in the west of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Neighboring districts are Rastatt, Freudenstadt, Rottweil, Schwarzwald-Baar and Emmendingen...

 in Western Baden-Württemberg

Baden-Württemberg

Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...

, Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

.

Lauf is situated on the western edge of the Black Forest (Schwarzwald), 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

Hornisgrinde

The Hornisgrinde, 1164 m , is the highest mountain in the Northern Black Forest of Germany. The Hornisgrinde lies in northern Ortenaukreis district.- Origin of the name :...

, 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: Glashutte (top of Laufbachstrasse).

Places to stay:
Pension Hornenberg (Hornenbergstrasse)
Gasthaus zur Linde (Schlossstrasse)