Notable features of Baldenheim include a historic church with murals and the Ried landscape along the Ill. Other highlights include traces of archaeology, fruit growing and music history. For planning your visit, the seasonal opening hours for individual visits to the historic church are particularly important. The other themes offer different ways to explore the area—from landscape and cycling to local traditions.
Churches and Local History
The Lutheran church, the former parish church of Saint-Blaise in Baldenheim, has been protected as a historic monument, including its murals, since June 2, 1970. Since the Middle Ages, members of the Rathsamhausen family or their successors as feudal lords of Baldenheim have been buried there. The murals and burial history thus represent two distinct historical layers of the same building.
Individual visits are possible on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from early July to late August, from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., as well as on Sundays in September. Groups can visit the church throughout the year outside of service times, by prior arrangement. Check the seasonal opening hours before your visit.
The foundation stone of the Catholic church of Saint-Louis was laid in 1937; construction work continued until 1939.
Ried Landscape and Activities
Baldenheim lies in the Ried, a nature-rich landscape with varied scenery and diverse flora and fauna. The banks of the Ill in Baldenheim are called “Ried gris.” The Ried refers to the wider landscape; “Ried gris” is the specific name for the riverbanks within the village.
The family treasure hunt “Les mystères du Ried” explores the typical Ried landscapes of Baldenheim. If you would like to include this activity in your plans, check its availability in advance. The 41.4 km cycling tour “Humanisme rhénan et artisanat du Ried” takes in Baldenheim and its historic church. Check the current signposting before setting out.
The two activities have different focuses: a family-friendly treasure hunt or a cycling tour with a specified route length and a link to the historic church. This will help you decide which option better suits your travel interests.
Fruit Growing and Other Cultural Traces
The fruit exhibition in Baldenheim showcases around 100 old and new fruit varieties and takes place every two years. Its biennial schedule makes the date an important part of your travel planning; check whether the exhibition falls during your travel dates.
The “Association des Arboriculteurs fruitiers et d’ornement de Baldenheim” organizes courses on pruning and grafting trees, as well as talks, for members and interested members of the public. The exhibition and the association offer different ways to explore fruit growing: a presentation of various varieties, and courses and talks on practical topics.
The Baldenheim-type parade helmet is named after Baldenheim; around 30 examples of this type have been recorded to date. The village’s name thus also points to an archaeological connection that extends beyond a single find.
Another cultural connection is Victor Nessler, who was born in Baldenheim. His opera “Der Trompeter von Säckingen” (The Trumpeter of Säckingen) was his greatest success in 1884; the work was performed as far afield as the United States. This musical history adds another perspective on Baldenheim’s cultural connections to its archaeological and ecclesiastical heritage.
Discover more destinations: Odratzheim, Puberg, Eckbolsheim, Ergersheim, Wolfisheim, Orschwiller, Valff, Morschwiller.
For the broader travel overview: Bas-Rhin.
