Discover Heimsbrunn

Heimsbrunn can be explored through a range of historical and natural themes: the Circuit Notre Dame du Chêne, the Chapelle Notre-Dame du Chêne, and the Church of Saint-Projet and Saint-Amarin. There are also old trees and half-timbered houses on Rue de la Cure. If you are planning a stay, these different highlights can help you decide whether you are more interested in a route through the countryside, religious history, or historic architecture.

The Circuit Notre Dame du Chêne

The Circuit Notre Dame du Chêne begins behind Heimsbrunn town hall, right next to the church. The landscape is partly rural and partly wooded; the route passes through the last hills of the Sundgau. Along the way, you encounter a variety of scenery, from open countryside to stretches of woodland. The circuit combines landscapes with local sights, providing a useful guide when choosing an outing.

The silver willow is also a distinctive natural feature in the wooded section. It stands at the end of this section, is about two hundred years old, and has a circumference of 8.40 metres. Tree measurements may change slightly over time. The Chêne Saint Louis oak is estimated to be between 300 and 700 years old. This broad range is important: its age is an estimate, not an exact measurement.

The chapel and pilgrimage tradition

The Chapelle Notre-Dame du Chêne, also known as Ramahay, was built in 1959. It remains linked to a pilgrimage tradition documented since the 19th century. It is particularly associated with the Feast of the Assumption on 15 August. Those interested in the area’s religious history will find a connection here that extends beyond the chapel’s construction date and continues in today’s tradition.

From the chapel, the Chêne Saint Louis oak can be reached via a 200-metre round trip. The chapel is about one kilometre from the entrance to Heimsbrunn and can be reached via the D166. Check local access arrangements before your visit. The distance is approximate and refers to the entrance to the village, not to walking time.

Church, historic ensemble and half-timbered houses

The Church of Saint-Projet and Saint-Amarin was built in 1768. Its bell tower received a spire in 1862, designed by Jean-Baptiste Schacre. Schacre was from Mulhouse. The church ensemble also includes a monumental Calvary, an enclosed area and a cemetery. A Callinet organ from the 1830s is another feature of the church. The construction date, later spire and organ point to different periods in the area’s history, rather than reducing the church to a single historical date.

The houses on Rue de la Cure also display a variety of architectural styles and periods. House No. 21 has original half-timbered sections dating from the 16th or 17th century. House No. 11 stands out for its rare central post, which runs from the base to the roof ridge. It may date back to the 15th century, but this dating is only a possibility, not a confirmed year. Together, the two houses offer concrete examples of historic half-timbered architecture, where both the surviving structural elements and the uncertainty around their dating are relevant.

Landscape and history in the Limberg Forest

Within a relatively small area, Heimsbrunn brings together natural features, historic buildings and places of remembrance. The Limberg Forest contains several remains of German shelters from the First World War, dating from 1914 to 1918. The woodland therefore represents not only trees and forest paths, but also traces of wartime. Together with the chapel’s pilgrimage tradition and the historic buildings, these features create a varied picture of the area, though not all of its sights have the same character.

Discover more destinations: Fessenheim, Houssen, Oberhergheim, Münster, Riquewihr, Logelheim, Levoncourt, Wintzfelden.

For the broader travel overview: Haut-Rhin.