Carrying out church pews and historical furnishings in late August, the Église française in Winterthur quietly ended a 70-year chapter near the main railway station, Tages-Anzeiger reported.
The francophone congregation vacated its distinct building at Neuwiesenstrasse 40 because it stands directly in the path of one of two planned new structures for the “Salpark” development project. The Hülfsgesellschaft Winterthur purchased the church property in 2019 to build 67 new apartments alongside an expansion of the neighboring Wiesengrund senior center.
For decades, the space hosted baptisms, confirmations, and memorial services for the local French-reformatory community. During the August departure, members held a ceremonial farewell to clear out the inventory without large public notice, as noted by the online magazine Wnti.ch.
Future plans for the church’s contents are already set. The large pipe organ will likely move to a parish in Bavaria, while local artist Robert Wehrlin’s stained-glass windows will be preserved and integrated into the upcoming construction on the site.
The congregation has relocated its services to the reformed church in Wülflingen. The new location provides complete wheelchair accessibility, making visits easier for an increasingly elderly membership than the aging former altbau.
“Dort wird es fantastisch,” said parish priest Christophe Kocher.
Recent attendance for the French-language services ranged between 8 and 15 participants, according to Kocher. Even with the smaller numbers, the community feels welcomed in Wülflingen thanks to a close partnership with a Zurich sister parish.
A return to Neuwiesenstrasse is planned once the “Salpark” construction works are fully completed.
