Fréland

Fréland: the soul of the Pays Welche !

This small mountain village, situated upstream from the vineyards, alternates between meadows, fir and pine forests. Essentially made up of hamlets and farms scattered across the hills and mountains, the village has around forty named places.

Its highest peak, Le Brezouard, rises to an altitude of 1229m. If you're a nature lover, you can take a walk on the heights of the village, admire the beautiful views and meet the farmers.

Fancy a hike? At the edge of the village, take the ‘muleteers’ path’, which follows the traces of the paths used in the 15th and 16th centuries to transport ore from the neighbouring valley to Fréland for smelting. In the past, the lords of Ribeaupierre built blast furnaces to extract silver from the Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines mines.

In the heart of Fréland stands the church of Notre Dame de l'Assomption, rebuilt several times over the centuries, and at the top of the village is the neo-Gothic chapel of St Thiébaut.

You can also visit the museum of the Pays Welche, which is full of history. The guides will show you the customs and traditions of a canton that still speaks the Romanesque language, Welche.

During the summer, the people of Fréland bring the wheat harvest back to life, just as they did in days gone by, with a wonderful village festival. Come and discover the customs of yesteryear, local crafts and folklore.