Feux de la Saint-Jean in Haut-Rhin
Ancestral tradition of summer solstice bonfires in the villages of Haut-Rhin
About Feux de la Saint-Jean
A Millennial Tradition of the Summer Solstice
The Saint-Jean bonfires are one of the oldest living traditions in Alsace. Celebrated around June 21st, the day of the summer solstice, these ritual bonfires have their roots in pre-Christian customs celebrating the triumph of light over darkness. Christianized over the centuries under the patronage of Saint John the Baptist, the Saint-Jean bonfires have endured through the ages without losing their fascination. In Haut-Rhin, this tradition is particularly vibrant in the Saint-Amarin valley and the villages of the Alsatian Hautes-Vosges.
The Fackels: An Ancestral Know-How
The construction of the bonfires, called "fackels" in Alsatian, is a long-term collective effort that begins as early as March. The villagers—young and old, men and women—participate in cutting wood, preparing branches, and erecting the bonfires on the heights surrounding the villages. The fackels take various forms depending on the commune, but are always crowned with fir branches and topped with the tricolor flag. Some reach several meters high, standing proudly on the Vosges ridges awaiting the solstice night.
The Magical Solstice Night
On the evening of June 21st, excitement builds in the villages. At dusk, the lighting of the small fackel signals the start of the festivities. Then, at the signal, the large bonfire is lit. Flames rise into the night sky, visible from the valleys and neighboring villages. From the top of the ridges, the spectacle is striking: a chain of fires illuminates the valley heights, from Kruth to Saint-Amarin, including Moosch, Mitzach, Urbès, Ranspach, Husseren-Wesserling, Wildenstein, and Geishouse. Fireworks punctuate the evening, adding their sparkle to the blaze.
Rites, Beliefs, and Superstitions
The Saint-Jean bonfires are surrounded by popular rites and beliefs passed down through generations. In the past, cattle herders would pass their herds through the ashes of the bonfire the next day to protect them from diseases. It was customary for engaged or newly married couples to jump over the bonfire hand in hand: a successful jump was a sign of a happy and faithful union. Although less practiced today, these traditions remain in the collective memory and give the Saint-Jean bonfires a strong symbolic dimension.
A Popular and Friendly Festival
Beyond the pyrotechnic show, the Saint-Jean bonfires are a popular festival that brings village communities together. In each commune, musical and dance entertainment accompanies the evening. Festival committees set up refreshment stands and food stalls offering Alsatian specialties: tarte flambée, grilled meats, and local wines. It is a special moment of village conviviality, where neighbors, families, and visitors gather to celebrate the longest day of the year together in the warmth of the flames and friendship.
Feux de la Saint-Jean — edition 2026
The St. John's Day bonfires 2026 will illuminate the heights of the Saint-Amarin valley and the villages of Haut-Rhin on Saturday, June 20, around the summer solstice. The traditional fackels will be lit progressively at nightfall, accompanied by fireworks, Alsatian music, dances, and village festivities. Free entry in most villages.
St. John's Day Bonfires 2026 in the Saint-Amarin Valley
On Saturday, June 20, 2026 (the Saturday closest to the June 21 solstice), the villages of Haut-Rhin will perpetuate the ancestral tradition of St. John's Day bonfires. In the Saint-Amarin valley, the fackels erected since March on the heights will be lit at nightfall, offering a spectacular chain of fires that illuminates the Vosges ridges.
Several communes in the valley participate in the tradition, including Moosch, Ranspach, Mollau, Kruth, Malmerspach, Urbès, and Wildenstein. In Mollau, whose coat of arms features a bonfire, the event runs from 7 PM to midnight : according to tradition, it was Mollau that gave the signal for the lighting of the bonfires in the other communes.
Fireworks, musical and dance entertainment, food stalls and refreshment stands offering tarte flambée, grilled dishes, and local wines will accompany this magical solstice night.
Programme Feux de la Saint-Jean 2026
The schedule is common to most villages in the valley, with the lighting taking place progressively at nightfall :
- From 6:30 PM – 7:00 PM — Public reception, opening of refreshment and food stalls (tarte flambée, grilled dishes, Alsatian specialties)
- Around 8:30 PM — Lighting of the small fackel, symbolically announcing the start of the festivities
- Around 10:00 PM — Lighting of the intermediate bonfire
- Between 11:00 PM and 11:30 PM — Fireworks
- Around 11:30 PM — Lighting of the large bonfire (fackel), the highlight of the evening, followed by musical and dance entertainment
In Mollau : evening from 7:00 PM to midnight. Times may vary slightly depending on the communes (Moosch, Ranspach, Kruth, Malmerspach, Urbès, Wildenstein…). Please inquire with the Saint-Amarin Valley Tourist Office for details per village.
Highlights Feux de la Saint-Jean 2026
- Saturday, June 20, 2026, around the summer solstice
- Chain of blazing fackels on the heights of the Saint-Amarin valley
- Progressive lighting at nightfall, large bonfire around 11:30 PM
- Fireworks between 11 PM and 11:30 PM
- Musical and dance entertainment, Alsatian food on site
- Free admission
Prices Feux de la Saint-Jean 2026
Practical information — Feux de la Saint-Jean
Locations
The Saint-Jean bonfires are lit in many villages of Haut-Rhin, particularly in the Saint-Amarin valley: Kruth, Moosch, Mitzach, Urbès, Ranspach, Husseren-Wesserling, Wildenstein, Saint-Amarin, Geishouse. Other communes like Battenheim, Kunheim, or villages in the plain also organize their bonfire.
Date
Traditionally on June 21st (summer solstice) or the closest Saturday.
Times
Activities begin in the late afternoon. Bonfire lighting at dusk, around 10 PM. Fireworks and musical entertainment until late at night.
Prices
Free admission in most villages. Food and drinks at moderate prices at the stands.
Access
- Saint-Amarin Valley: From Mulhouse, follow D430 towards Thann then Husseren-Wesserling (30-40 min).
- By train: TER line Mulhouse-Kruth, with stops in the villages of the Thur valley.
Contact
- Hautes Vosges d'Alsace Tourist Office: 03 89 82 13 90
- Website: www.hautes-vosges-alsace.fr
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Where does it take place — Feux de la Saint-Jean
Villages de la vallée de Saint-Amarin et du Haut-Rhin
Vallée de Saint-Amarin et villages du Haut-Rhin, 68550 Saint-Amarin