The Circuit Notre Dame du Chêne starts behind Heimsbrunn town hall, right next to the church. The route passes through a landscape that is partly rural and partly wooded, in the last hills of the Sundgau. Two different distances help put things into perspective: the circuit passes the Chêne Saint Louis; from the Chapelle Notre-Dame du Chêne, the oak can be reached by a 200-metre out-and-back walk. This distinguishes the landscape route from the short detour without assuming an additional path connection.
The chapel and pilgrimage tradition
The Chapelle Notre-Dame du Chêne, also called Ramahay, was built in 1959. It lies about one kilometre from the entrance to Heimsbrunn and can be reached via the D166. Check access locally before setting out. The chapel remains associated with a pilgrimage tradition documented since the 19th century. It is particularly connected with the Feast of the Assumption on 15 August. This religious connection gives the visit a different focus from the village’s architectural history: here, the emphasis is on the chapel, its traditions and the named feast day.
Ancient trees and forest history
The Chêne Saint Louis is estimated to be between 300 and 700 years old, with a circumference of around 4.70 metres. At the end of the wooded section of the circuit stands a silver willow, estimated to be about 200 years old, with a circumference of around 8.40 metres. The measurements may change slightly over time. The two trees can therefore be distinguished by more than just their species: the oak stands out for its wide age estimate, while the willow is notable for its location at the end of the wooded section and its circumference.
Several remains of German shelters from the First World War, dating from 1914 to 1918, can be found in the Limberg forest. They add a clearly dated historic site to the area’s natural features. Those interested in the history of the landscape will find a different perspective here than at the chapel, with its pilgrimage tradition, or among the older trees along the circuit.
The church and half-timbered houses
The Church of Saint-Projet and Saint-Amarin was built in 1768. Its spire was added in 1862, following a design by Jean-Baptiste Schacre, an architect from Mulhouse. The church’s furnishings include a Callinet organ from the 1830s. The complex also includes a monumental Calvary, an enclosed area and a cemetery. The construction date, spire and organ point to different periods in the church’s history, while the other features describe the extent of the complex.
Two houses on Rue de la Cure display different half-timbering details. No. 11 has a rare central post that runs from the base to the roof ridge; the house may date from the 15th century. At No. 21, original sections of half-timbering from the 16th or 17th century have been preserved. The Maison aux Dîmes adds another point of interest: its main construction phase probably dates to the 18th century. These dates are not all stated with the same degree of certainty: the date of No. 11 is only a possibility, and the attribution of the Maison aux Dîmes is also uncertain.
Heimsbrunn offers a range of ways to choose a focus: the circuit brings together the landscape and ancient trees, the chapel is associated with a continuing pilgrimage tradition, and the houses and church showcase regional architectural history. Those primarily interested in architecture can focus on the half-timbering details and the church; those drawn to the landscape and religious heritage can explore the themes around the circuit and chapel.
Discover more destinations: Hirtzbach, Orschwihr, Andolsheim, Mittlach, Staffelfelden, Bartenheim, Neuf-Brisach, Niedermorschwihr.
For the wider travel guide: Haut-Rhin.
