Morschwiller: Churches, Chapel and Circuit des Collines

Morschwiller brings together architectural and religious history with a marked hiking trail and sweeping views across the Alsatian plain. For planning your trip, there are several distinct options: the Church of Saint-Etienne, the Saint-Ulrich Chapel with its local tradition, and the Circuit des Collines.

Saint-Etienne: Church Architecture and Stained Glass

The Catholic Church of Saint-Etienne was built in 1840 by Louis-Martin Zegowitz. Its furnishings include 14 figurative decorative stained-glass windows depicting Saint Odile of Alsace and Saint Wendelin. Ott frères made the windows in Strasbourg in 1890. This means you can see two distinct periods at the church: the construction of the building and, five decades later, the creation of its windows. The saints depicted give the stained glass a specific religious connection; their creation in Strasbourg also places the windows beyond Morschwiller.

The church’s patronal feast is another possible point of reference when planning your dates. Since 2024, it has been held on December 26, the calendar feast day of Saint Stephen. If you would like to plan your trip around this celebration, check the date for the year in question in advance.

Saint-Ulrich and the History of Bachhofen

The chapel of Saint-Ulrich is also known by the names Clause and Cloos. Private individuals built it in 1832 near the ruins of the former church in the vanished village of Bachhofen. This church was destroyed in 1841. The chapel and the former church thus represent two distinct chapters in local history: the construction of Saint-Ulrich and the end of the older church building.

The chapel grounds include the unique Croix de Sang Calvary, created in 1836. A local tradition is associated with it: a priest is said to have spilled sacramental wine and seen eleven heads of Christ at the spots where the drops fell. The Calvary’s year of creation and the episode passed down in tradition offer different ways into the history of the place: the date of a named structure and a religious story explicitly handed down as tradition.

Hiking the Circuit des Collines

The Circuit des Collines is a moderately difficult hiking trail. The Club Vosgien’s trail markers indicate the route; follow the red ring marker, “Anneau rouge.” This provides a specific marker to help you find your way. Check trail conditions before setting out, as they may change.

The Circuit runs along the heights of Morschwiller. From there, views stretch across the Alsatian plain from the Northern Vosges to the Black Forest. There is a picnic area at Les Acacias, which serves as a rest stop on the Circuit des Collines. It offers an impressive 360-degree panorama; with a little luck, you may also spot the silhouette of Strasbourg Cathedral in the distance. This section of the route thus combines a designated place to rest with wide-open landscape views and the possibility of a distant view of the city.

The options are clearly distinct when planning your trip: Saint-Etienne stands for architectural history and stained glass, Saint-Ulrich for the history of the chapel and local tradition, and the Circuit des Collines for a marked hike with views. This comparison can help you plan your stay according to your interests, without combining the historic sites and hiking route into a single experience.

Discover more destinations: Reichstett, Hinsbourg, Kirrwiller, Kilstett, Dieffenthal, Obersteinbach, Kurtzenhouse, Niederhaslach

For the broader travel overview: Bas-Rhin.