Wallenried: Heritage, Nature and Hiking

When planning your stay, you can choose between protected cultural sites, natural and geological history, and activities such as the Freiburg–Murten hiking route or golf. This makes it easy to define the focus of your trip: architectural history and art offer different points of interest than a nature reserve, fossils or a hike.

Cultural Heritage and Local History

The Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, the Parc du manoir de Castella and the Carrière avec grotte are classified in Wallenried as protected immovable cultural heritage. The Manoir de Castella also has a special historical designation: it dates from the second third of the 18th century and is listed as a Category B cultural property. The town’s heritage sites thus include both individual protected sites and a historic building with a specified inventory category.

The history of the Manoir also includes the Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption, listed together with a treasure as part of the Manoir de Castella cultural heritage complex. Wallenried’s former castle chapel has been the Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption church since 1940. The church contains a painting by Melchior Paul von Deschwanden from 1865. It depicts the crowned Virgin Mary with Blessed Peter Canisius and Saint John the Baptist. For culturally minded travellers, the town’s architectural history and a specifically dated work of art featuring named figures complement each other.

Nature and Geological History

Wallenried includes a nature reserve area at Longues Rayes, an amphibian breeding site listed in the cantonal inventory. The site’s ecological value is based on the rarity and diversity of its flora and fauna. Measures are planned to enable visitors to discover Longues Rayes for educational purposes. This makes the area a clear point of interest for travellers interested in nature conservation and biological diversity.

Wallenried’s fossil deposits offer a different perspective on natural history. They have yielded a great diversity of fossil plants, invertebrates, freshwater fish, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. Particularly well known are the remains of the primitive ruminants Andegameryx and, above all, Friburgomeryx wallenriedensis. Longues Rayes therefore represents the present-day ecological importance of an amphibian breeding site, while the fossils offer insights into past worlds of life.

Hiking and Golf

The hiking route from Fribourg to Murten passes along the Wallenried golf course and then continues to Chandossel. It is rated fairly challenging. Along the way, a beautiful path leads through the Bois des Râpes; during the hike, you can also admire the Manoir de Wallenried. In Wallenried, you can see the church and several beautiful houses. The Manoir de Wallenried is mentioned here as a separate point of interest on the route and should not be confused with the Manoir de Castella.

It is also possible to return by train after this hike. If you plan to do so, check the timetable for your travel date. The route description thus combines a specific assessment of the level of difficulty with a rail option for the return journey, without specifying a particular station or journey time.

The Golf & Country Club Wallenried has a driving range. At Murten Tourism’s Golfday, a PGA golf professional introduces small groups to the rules and techniques of golf; the Golf & Country Club Wallenried is the venue. Hiking and golf thus offer two different activity focuses for your plans: the Freiburg–Murten route and its difficulty rating on the one hand, and a guided golf format on the other.

Discover more destinations: Kerzers, Muntelier, Villarepos, Misery-Courtion, Haut-Vully, Greng, Charmey, Ried Bei Kerzers.

For the broader travel overview: See/Lac.