Discover Diefmatten: Church, Doller cycling route and ponds

Diefmatten offers several specific points of interest to help plan a stay: the building history of the parish church of Saint-Nicolas, a cycling route along the Doller and the Étangs de pêche. If you are looking for a hotel in Diefmatten, these topics can help you decide what you want to focus on: history and architecture, a tour with a stated duration, or fishing at ponds with on-site facilities.

Church and building history

The nave of the parish church of Saint-Nicolas was built in 1778 on the site of an earlier chapel. Its building history therefore has two points of reference: the former chapel and the nave built later. The main façade features a yellow sandstone portal with a volute pediment and a central niche. Volutes are curved ornaments; in the pediment, they draw the eye to the central niche and give the portal a carefully finished outline. A projecting hexagonal bell tower with an imperial roof rises above the building. The portal and tower thus display different architectural forms at the same church: a decorated entrance and a projecting tower. Inside, you can also see a painting of Saint Nicholas. The subject of the painting complements the exterior architecture with a connection to the name Saint-Nicolas.

Jean-Barthélémy Gross

A personal connection to history can be found at the Maison natale de Jean-Barthélémy Gross. It is the birthplace of the priest Jean-Barthélémy Gross, who was born in 1741 and died in 1800. On 11 January 1767, Gross took up his priestly office alongside Abbé Laurentz, the parish priest of Soppe-le-Haut. The exact date anchors his appointment in a clear chronology alongside his life dates. The church and birthplace offer different points of focus: the development of a building in one case, and the biography of a priest in the other.

Cycling route and tour planning

The tour «Balade le long de la Doller, entre vallons et mémoire» passes through Diefmatten; the church provides a peaceful stopping point along the way. The tour is listed as 32 km, 157 m and 2 hours 30 minutes. The time estimate helps with planning your day, while the church is a stop along the route. Check the current route before setting off, as trail conditions can change.

From Pont d’Aspach, a cycling route follows a cycle path along the Doller to Sentheim.

Étangs de pêche

The Étangs de pêche de Diefmatten are located at the edge of the village in the direction of Sternenberg and consist of two ponds. The season matters for fishing: trout can be fished during the cold season. It is also possible to fish for carp, tench, pike, roach and sturgeon; any sturgeon caught must be returned to the water. Check the species and rules before your visit if you plan to fish.

The site has a small on-site refreshment area, a communal barbecue and sanitary facilities. These amenities complement the fishing opportunities at the same site. If you plan to use the refreshment area, barbecue or sanitary facilities, check their current availability in advance.

Discover more destinations: Chavannes-Sur-L’étang, Jebsheim, Riedwihr, Rimbach-Près-Guebwiller, Vœgtlinshoffen, Osenbach, Hagenthal-Le-Haut, Heidwiller.

Return to the regional travel overview: Haut-Rhin.