Visitors choosing Oberlarg for a stay will find traces of history on different scales: from Château du Morimont to Saint-Martin Church and the surviving Ferme dite de la Vacherie. There are also trails to the Source de la Largue, Mannlefelsen and the Chêne géant. When planning your visit, it is worth distinguishing between the historical context, current access conditions and the different route details.
Château du Morimont: history and access
Château du Morimont was first mentioned in 1183 and was destroyed by French troops during the Thirty Years’ War. Today, it is classified as a historic monument; this protection is based on a decree dated 1 October 1841. The dates mark different milestones: 1183 is the date of the first mention, while 1841 is the date of its protection.
The Château is currently closed to the public due to construction work. The ruins can be viewed from around the outside. The ramparts and watchtowers can only be seen from outside, while the castle interior and the remarkable vaulted cellar can be viewed through the grilles. Check access conditions before travelling if you plan to visit the site.
Church and historic farmstead
Saint-Martin Church was first mentioned in the 1360s. From 1349 until the French Revolution, it was served by Cistercian monks from Lucelle Abbey. These details refer to different points in time: the monks’ service began in 1349, while the first mention dates to the 1360s.
Oberlarg Church contains Baroque furnishings, including a high altar, two inset reliquaries and two side altars with altarpieces. If you would like to see these furnishings inside the church, ask locally about access.
Another historic building is the surviving Ferme dite de la Vacherie, a farmstead dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. Its rectangular barn bears the date 1784; the entire complex was placed under protection in 2007.
Spring, rock shelter and ancient oak
The trail to the Source de la Largue is accessible year-round. Just a few metres from the spring is the Mannlefelsen rock shelter. Its eight-metre stratigraphy encompasses the entire prehistory of the Alsatian Jura. The site is private; the rock shelter can only be viewed from the trail.
The Chêne géant du Morimont is 32 metres tall, has a circumference of 6.70 metres and is more than 500 years old. You can reach the tree on foot from Oberlarg: follow the yellow rectangular trail markings, continue for another 100 metres along the edge of the forest, then look for it below the path on the right.
Plan hikes by duration and distance
Allow about 30 minutes for the trail to the Source de la Largue. Another option is the signposted Oberlarg–Château du Morimont circular hiking trail, which is 9.2 kilometres long. It starts either at Oberlarg Town Hall or at Château du Morimont. This lets you choose your hike based on an approximate time or the distance of a circular route, without treating these different details as equivalent.
Discover more destinations: Bollwiller, Chavannes-Sur-L’étang, Pulversheim, Lièpvre, Soultz-Haut-Rhin, Wickerschwihr, Markirch, Bitschwiller-Lès-Thann.
View the broader travel guide: Haut-Rhin.
