Description
Located halfway between Paris and Strasbourg in Lorraine, at the gateway to Belgium and Champagne-Ardenne, Meuse has so much to offer. It gets its name from the majestic river that flows through it from south to north, the Meuse ! The river flows over a distance of 950 km, crossing France, Belgium and the Netherlands before joining the North Sea.
It’s a pretty name and it conjures up images of holidays, doesn’t it ?
Still have doubts ?
Then see the cheeky smaller rivers that wend their way slowly through the meadows, the majestic River Meuse, the mirabelle plum trees dappled by the rays of the sun, the gales of laughter that accompany a delicious glass of sparkling redcurrant wine, a child amazed by the first trout he has caught, the rolling countryside glittering with dew, reminders of days gone by discovered along a winding path etc.
You’ll be given a particularly warm welcome in Meuse because the local people are as generous and open-hearted as they are natural and down-to-earth. This is an area with so much to offer. It’s up to you to enjoy it all, travelling when and where the will takes you.
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Explore the Ciel de Meuse area in the north of the “county” on the borders of Belgium and Ardennes. The Ciel de Meuse will surprise you for superbly preserved historic buildings such as the basilica church in Avioth, the citadel in Montmédy, the European Beer Museum in Stenay, the Ipoustéguy Centre in Doulcon etc. All this and some breathtaking scenery besides !
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Visit Argonne, an area of countryside in the west of the “county” between Champagne and Lorraine. Argonne is a haven for nature lovers, charmed by its bucolic scenery, the skills of its craftsmen and its lush environment.
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Immerse yourself in Meuse by visiting Verdun, the town that symbolises the Great War. Surrounded by green hillsides and crossed by the River Meuse, this is a wonderful place to live, opening as it does onto all that the surrounding area has to offer.
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Explore the vineyards and orchards on the Woëvre Plain and the hills to the east of the “county”, the Côtes de Meuse. From Etain, home of PetitCollin dolls, to the Benedictine town of Saint-Mihiel and the shores of Lake Madine, the Côtes de Meuse provide families and walkers with plenty of leisure activities, while showcasing local expertise and history.
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Head for the Southern Meuse Valley and experience a combination of lush scenery, culture and history in King Stanislas’ castle in Commercy and places made famous through the epic tale of Joan of Arc, in Vaucouleurs.
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Visit the most discreet of all the valleys in Meuse – the Valley of the Dukes. You’ll be blown away by the Renaissance buildings in Bar-le-Duc’s upper town, by the meandering Ornain and Saulx rivers, by the graceful lines of Varennes Castle in Haironville and Gilles de Trêves’ castle in Ville-sur-Saulx, by the incredible fate of the Duchy of Luxembourg in Ligny-en-Barrois and by reminders of André Maginot, designer of the famous “Maginot Line”, in the small town of Revigny-en-Ornain.
