Neubois: Culture and Château du Frankenbourg

In Neubois, local history, sacred art and a puzzle trail come together. The hilltop above the village dominates the entrance to the Villé and Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines valleys. Château du Frankenbourg, Église Saint Materne and the Balade ludique à Neubois offer different points of interest: a castle and traces of protohistoric fortifications, an organ and stained-glass windows, and activities on a village walk. When planning your trip, it is especially important to distinguish the Château’s historical significance from its access conditions.

Château du Frankenbourg: history and access

Château du Frankenbourg dates back to the 12th century. The ruins include walls six to ten metres high and an 11-metre-high keep with a visible brick vault. The protohistoric enclosure surrounds the castle on three sides and is 1.80 metres thick. A protohistoric wall runs along the cone of the Schlossberg massif above Neubois.

The Château was listed in its entirety as a historic monument on 6 December 1896; the protohistoric enclosure received this designation on 10 September 1990. There is an important restriction for visitors: under a municipal order dated 30 April 2025, public access to the path leading to the entrance of Château du Frankenbourg and to the keep’s platform is prohibited until further notice. Take this restriction into account when planning your visit and check the access conditions again before your trip.

Organ and stained-glass windows at Église Saint Materne

The Callinet organ and stained-glass windows give Église Saint Materne a different cultural focus. It has the valley’s only Callinet organ and one of the few in Bas-Rhin. In 1978, the instrumental part was added to the register of historic monuments. Eight stained-glass windows by the Ott workshop in Strasbourg date from 1906. The church therefore offers a chance to explore two distinct features: a regionally rare instrument and a set of stained-glass windows that can be dated.

Balade ludique: puzzles on a village walk

The Balade ludique à Neubois is a village walk featuring puzzles and clues to collect. The route is 2.4 kilometres long, takes 2.5 hours and starts at Neubois town hall. It is suitable for all audiences; three versions are designed for children aged four to twelve and for families. The puzzles and clues give the walk a playful framework, while the stated duration provides a concrete guide for planning your day. Before your trip, check whether the leaflet is available; the municipality may update route details.

Marian devotion and apparition sites

Marian devotion in Neubois continues to draw pilgrims from the surrounding area and from further afield. The clearing at the nearby site of the apparition contains a chapel, a large cross and a Way of the Cross with twelve stations. About two kilometres from Neubois, a renovated woodland chapel near the “Mudergottes Brennela” spring reminds walkers and pilgrims of the local apparition tradition. These sites add a religious focus to the artistic and architectural themes.

Plan your stay around your interests

The access restriction remains a key planning factor at Château du Frankenbourg, regardless of its historical significance. This allows you to consider cultural interests and current visitor conditions separately when planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Thanvillé, Windstein, Ohnenheim, Bourgheim, Waldhambach, Eschbourg, Merkwiller-Pechelbronn, Batzendorf

Return to the main travel guide: Bas-Rhin.