Little is known about the origins of Clairegoutte Church, which may date from the 12th century and is said to be built on the ruins of an ancient, pagan temple.
In the north-east corner a niche suggests there used to be a statue. The west wall is very markedly in the Roman style. This church was thoroughly renovated in 1734 and a stone bell-tower was built in 1777 to replace two wooden bell-towers. The bell tower is in the middle of the wall overlooking the village and not at one of the ends of the nave as was traditional. The rectangular windows in the style of the architect Schickhardt, were inspired by those in the Lutheran church of Saint Martin’s in Montbéliard. An interior gallery of Wurtemburg-style oak columns, lines most of the building. Built in the 18th century for the congregation of Frederic-Fontaine, it led to the blocking out the rose window in the choir. During the restoration of the church undertaken in 1966-67, this rose window was reinstated. It was raised and a stained glass window by Etienne Lovy, depicting the Good Shepherd installed. The old 13th century stone altar which decorated the garden in the presbytery, was recut and reinstalled as a baptismal font. The current altar was equipped with a cross by Georges Deloraine made of Hungarian oak encrusted with enamels from Limoges. The 17th-century pulpit, inspired by the one where Martin Luther preached, was also restored according to a drawing by Cranach. Lastly, the beautiful sandstone staircase, behind metal railings, was entirely rebuilt in 1990, giving a majestic character to the church.
