Rueyres-Les-Prés lies at an elevation of around 472 m, about four and a half kilometres north-northwest of Payerne. The village is in the northwestern Fribourg Plateau, in the Fribourg exclave of Estavayer-le-Lac; the village centre lies north of the Broye plain on a slope that gently descends southwards. Two different ways to explore the area are available for planning: an art trail that can be followed on foot or by bicycle, and a circular hike with a stated duration and elevation gain. Historic buildings and art in the church add specific cultural themes to these outings.
Village Centre with Historic Buildings
The main centre extends along both sides of the church on the slope. Rueyres-Les-Prés is classified as a site of local importance; the historic centre includes farmhouses dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. The fruit house is one of the oldest in the Broye district and is now used as a residence. A farmhouse dating from 1795 was originally built as a farmhouse residence. One farm features a masonry construction typical of the Broye region. At a farmhouse dating from 1744, the southern forecourt is paved with river pebbles; a large lime tree marks the entrance to the village centre. Together, these details show different aspects of the village centre: its hillside setting, construction methods and the history of its buildings.
Saint-Loup Church and Art in the Village
Rueyres-Les-Prés church contains the 1936 mural “Agneau mystique” in the vault above the entrance to the choir. The altarpiece of the high altar in Saint-Loup Church was also created in 1936: Emilio Maria Beretta painted the oil painting depicting Saint Lupus. The organ gallery features three oil paintings on wood entitled “Anges musiciens”, also dating from 1936. The works are therefore located in three different parts of the church.
The restoration of the interior walls is also part of the more recent building history. It took place between mid-April and mid-July 2023 and restored the walls to the appearance given to them in 1934 by architect Fernand Dumas of the St-Luc group. Stratigraphic investigations were used to identify and reproduce the original colours. The enclosure wall of a Roman villa is also located at Sur le Paquier.
Art Trail or Circular Hike
The art project “13 villages, 13 visages” also extends to Rueyres-Les-Prés. The ArtiChoke trail includes a stop in the village and can be freely explored year-round on foot or by bicycle. A map showing artworks, artists and various places of interest is available from the tourist office; check availability before your visit. If you would like to plan a circular route with specific directions, another option is the Bussy–Morens–Rueyres circular hiking trail No. 138. It is 10 km long, takes about 2 hours 30 minutes and has an elevation gain of 130 metres. In Rueyres-Les-Prés, it reaches a large crossroads and leads to the church as a stop along the way; it then follows a farm track towards Pontet. The routes therefore differ in their focus: the ArtiChoke trail centres on artworks and places of interest, while the hiking route specifies the distance, approximate duration and elevation gain. Trail conditions can change; check conditions before setting out.
Historical Geographical Context
Rueyres-Les-Prés was an independent municipality until 31 December 2016. On 1 January 2017, it merged with Bussy, Estavayer-le-Lac, Morens, Murist, Vernay and Vuissens to form the new municipality of Estavayer. The former municipal area included part of the ridge between Lake Neuchâtel and the Broye plain, as well as a small section of the channelled course of the Petite Glâne. These details relate to the former municipal area and add historical administrative context to the present-day description of the village.
Discover more destinations: Vuissens, Murist, Estavayer-Le-Lac, Delley-Portalban, Montagny Fr
Go to the main travel overview: Broye.
