Oberlarg – Château du Morimont, History and Trails

To plan your stay in Oberlarg, you can start by choosing between architectural history and trails as the focus of your trip. Historical sites include Château du Morimont, Saint-Martin Church and the Ferme dite de la Vacherie; destinations along the trails include Source de la Largue, Mannlefelsen and the Chêne géant du Morimont. Important for planning your time: construction work currently prevents public access to the Château. Approximate durations or trail distances are given for some routes.

Château du Morimont: History and Access

The ruins of Château du Morimont are classified as a historic monument. The protection is based on a decree dated 1 October 1841. The first mention dates from 1183; during the Thirty Years’ War, the Château was destroyed by French troops. The two dates refer to different chapters: 1183 marks the early mention, while 1841 is the date of the decree granting monument protection.

The Château is currently closed to public access because of construction work. You can walk around the ruins; due to the closure, the curtain walls, watchtowers, interior of the castle and exceptional vaulted cellar can only be seen from outside or through grilles. Check access conditions before travelling if a visit is one of your firm plans.

Church and Farmstead

Saint-Martin

Saint-Martin Church in Oberlarg was first mentioned in the 1360s. Cistercian monks from Lucelle Abbey cared for it from 1349 until the French Revolution. The two dates refer to different aspects of its history: the church’s first mention and the period during which the monks cared for it.

Baroque furnishings

A church in Oberlarg contains Baroque furnishings, including a high altar, two inset reliquaries and two side altars with altarpieces. If you would like to see these furnishings, check in advance whether the church interior is accessible.

Ferme dite de la Vacherie

The Ferme dite de la Vacherie is a preserved farmstead dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. Its rectangular barn bears the year 1784; the entire complex was protected in 2007. The date refers to the barn, while the protection covers the farmstead as a whole.

Trails, Spring and Natural Landmarks

The signposted Oberlarg–Château du Morimont circular hiking trail is 9.2 kilometres long. The stated starting points are Oberlarg Town Hall or Château du Morimont. This gives you both the distance and two possible starting points for planning your walk.

The walk to Source de la Largue takes about 30 minutes and is accessible year-round. Treat this as an approximate planning time and check conditions on site before setting out.

The Mannlefelsen rock shelter lies just a few metres from the Source de la Largue. Its eight-metre stratigraphy encompasses the entire prehistory of the Alsatian Jura. The site is private and can only be viewed from the trail, so please stay on the path.

The Chêne géant du Morimont is 32 metres tall, has a circumference of 6.70 metres and is more than 500 years old. From Oberlarg, you can reach the tree on foot by following the yellow rectangular waymark and walking a further 100 metres along the edge of the forest. The tree stands below the trail on the right. Its height, circumference and age offer three different ways to appreciate the size and age of this natural landmark.

Discover more destinations: Soppe-le-Bas, Mittlach, Ferrette, Brunstatt, Bischwihr, Guebwiller, Sigolsheim, Dietwiller

For the regional travel overview: Haut-Rhin.