Magstatt-le-Bas combines a layered architectural history with a landscape of streams and orchards. Saint-Michel is a focal point for church art and also the starting point for local circular hiking trails. Half-timbered houses, the Mulhouse–Leymen hiking trail through the centre and an annual tradition offer additional points of interest. During your stay, you can choose between architecture and village history, hikes and an event date.
Landscape and Village Character
Two streams flow through Magstatt-le-Bas: the Klingenbach at the foot of the church and the Bachgraben at the lower edge of the village. Orchards lie at every exit from the village. A road lined with lime trees connects Stetten with Magstatt-le-Bas. The streams therefore mark two different parts of the village, while the orchards can be found along its outskirts.
Saint-Michel: Building Phases and Art
Archaeological excavations at Saint-Michel church identified six building phases in 1983. These include an original sanctuary dating from the 11th to 12th century, surrounded by a cemetery. The building history therefore reaches back to an early phase of the church site and offers a historical perspective that goes beyond its later furnishings.
The church’s choir is adorned with numerous statues of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. The church’s collection also includes an altarpiece of the Fourteen Holy Helpers with three paintings. It was probably made between 1620 and 1630 and has been classified as a protected object. Until the beginning of the 20th century, Saint-Michel was also an important pilgrimage site.
The large neo-Gothic organ also has several details about its makers: Martin Rinckenbach made the instrument in 1890 in Ammerschwihr. The organ case, by Théophile Klem of Colmar, was made around the same time. If you are interested in the church, you will find early building history, religious artworks and organ-building all in one place.
Half-Timbered Houses and Former Civic Functions
Outside the church, renovated farmhouses with visible half-timbering are part of the village landscape. Some of the oldest date from 1599 and 1602. The Hug house on Rue de Koetzingue was built in 1607 and formerly served as a courthouse and administrative headquarters. The village’s history thus includes both farm buildings and a house that once had judicial and administrative functions.
Hiking Trails and Tradition
The marked Mulhouse–Leymen hiking trail passes through the centre of Magstatt-le-Bas. The local circular hiking trails are different: they start at the church, are about 10 km long and are marked with green, yellow, red or blue rings. You can therefore clearly compare the routes: a walk through the centre or a loop starting at Saint-Michel. Take the approximate distance into account when planning, and check the local markings before setting out.
Every year, Magstatt-le-Bas holds the throwing of burning discs on the hills above the village, a very old tradition. If you are planning your trip around this event, check the date in advance so that your plans coincide with it.
Plan Your Journey
Sierentz SNCF railway station is about five kilometres from Magstatt-le-Bas and provides a geographical reference point for planning your journey. Together with the hiking and cultural highlights, this distance gives you another specific measure to help plan your stay in Magstatt-le-Bas.
Discover more destinations: Kientzheim, Pfaffenheim, Colmar, Grentzingen, Dolleren, Bergheim, Illhaeusern, Rouffach.
Return to the regional travel overview: Haut-Rhin.
