Durrenentzen: Church, History and Route 4

The Église Saint-Blaise shapes the cultural and historical perspective on Durrenentzen. Separately, Route 4 along the Canal de Colmar can be considered a cycling tour lasting several hours: the route described begins in Horbourg-Wihr and ends at the Artzenheim lock. The church and cycling route offer different starting points for planning a stay. Details of the building’s history and its use help put it in historical context; the route’s start, destination and approximate duration are relevant to planning the trip.

Église Saint-Blaise: Use and Building History

Église Saint-Blaise is a continuing simultaneum, introduced in 1687 in favor of a Catholic minority. Its denominational use is therefore not just a thing of the past: the simultaneum continues to this day. Both the circumstances that led to its introduction and its continued existence are important for understanding the church. Thus, alongside its architectural history, Saint-Blaise also represents a distinctive history of use.

Today’s Église Saint-Blaise preserves the base of a 12th-century tower. A new Église Saint-Blaise building was constructed in 1847/48. The church organ was built in 1900 by Gebrüder Link. These dates relate to different parts of the church’s history: a preserved medieval architectural remnant, a 19th-century new building and an organ dating from 1900. They therefore do not represent a single construction date for the church, but rather several points of reference in its architectural and instrumental history.

Durrenentzen in the History of the War

The history of the village is also connected with François d’Humières. He attacked the village of Durrenentzen at the head of his command and served as a second lieutenant in the 3rd Bataillon de Choc during the Battle of Alsace. He died in Durrenentzen on January 31, 1945. These biographical milestones complement the church and architectural history with the military context of the Battle of Alsace and a specific connection to the village.

Cycling: Route 4 and Route Information

Route 4 follows the Canal de Colmar from the canoe and kayak club in Horbourg-Wihr to the Artzenheim lock. Most of the route runs along very quiet waterways. The route is described as easy and without climbs. Allow approximately three hours and 30 minutes for the ride, not including breaks and visits. The start and destination provide a clear framework for planning; any additional stops will add time.

A diocesan route guide from 2019 lists a stop in Durrenentzen with the entries “Eglise” and “cimetière catholique.” A diocesan cycling route documented on July 14, 2019, also passed along the D4 toward Durrenentzen. These are additional route references to the village from a specific period. For planning Route 4, its own start and destination points are the relevant ones; the approximate duration explicitly excludes breaks and visits.

For your stay, you can treat the cultural and historical topics and cycling plans as separate areas of focus. The church reveals a history spanning the use of the simultaneum and several dates relating to the building and its organ. Route 4, by contrast, is described in terms of an approximate ride duration and specific endpoints. If you include visits or breaks in your cycling tour, allow extra time for them.

Discover more destinations: Dannemarie, Dietwiller, Turckheim, Eguisheim, Vogelgrun, Riedwihr, Horbourg-Wihr, Stosswihr

See the overview of the wider region: Haut-Rhin.