| Stenay | Meuse | Walking & Biking | 1914-1918 | Merovingians | the Myth | Photos | Information | |
Moulin le Cygne
On the banks of the Meuse, the charming town of Stenay, with its old characteristic watermill and Museum of European Beer, remains true to its tradition of brewing. You will love the traditional arcade houses.
Montmédy consist of a series of promontories defended by silent citadels with a strong Spanish Renaissance influence, and works designed by Vauban, the famous military engineer.
Verdun. Heart of the Meuse and World Capital of Peace. The meanders of the tranquil river cradle this country, where
strong emotions are born of the rich historical past of a city which, after treaty and battle, has irrevocably chosen the path of
Remembrance and Peace.
To the west, dense forests cover the deep valleys of the Argonne mountains.
The Argonne has been dubbed "the country where the tree is king". In the well-preserved valleys nestle picturesque villages with half-timbered houses. It is steeped in history, such as the arrest of Louis XVI at Varennes-en-Argonne, after his escape from Paris, and memories of the Great War.
In the centre, the Meuse River meanders peacefully through a bucolic landscape. On the adjacent hills, you can explore Verdun, a city of bishops and of the famous Treaty of 843, and the site of one the most devastating battles ever in 1916.
To the east, Woëvre is both low plateau and plain, covered in lakes, and in orchards where the mirabelle plum is king.
I'ts distant horizons are marked by vine-covered hills.
Meuse: Land of Remembrance.
Fascinating scenery off the beaten track,
with exquisite flora and fauna.
From far back in time, History has left its powerful stamp on the
Meuse, land of memories. From North to South, from East to West, the historical and cultural heritage bears witness to this,
charged with emotion and provoking reflection. A destiny that was to reach its dramatic apogee in the Great War. 
Andre Theuriet wrote the following poem:
O prairie! O river! O Meuse our beloved land!
André THEURIET - "Dans la prairie" |
Northern Meuse is border country.
Meuse art, especially its sculpture, flourished all along the banks of the river. It was perhaps most exciting in the Middle Ages, one of the most fascinating consequences of this trade. The outstanding Romanesque and Gothic churches in Mont-devant-Sassey and Avioth date from this period.
Iron-working has been common in northern Meuse for centuries. We know that cannon balls were made in Mangiennes in the 16th C; perhaps to supply the German Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, who was also Charles 1 of Spain. He crossed the Meuse with his armies, often leaving settlers in his wake. They brought their craftsmanship, their sculpture and their architecture from Spain and had a powerful influence in Meuse as can be seen in Halles-sous-les-Côtes which still venerates Our Lady of Montserrat, and in Marville with its Spanish-style houses and a painting attributed to Jordaens, the pride of its church.
Spanish influence in the Meuse lasted until the mid-17th C, the tiny town of Marville being the finest and most unexpected example. It still has a number of impressive Spanish mansions. In the cemetery, one is fascinated by the daring of its erstwhile inhabitants when face to face with Death.
The deep valleys of the Argonne mountains
are a dramatic contrast to the fiat plains of Champagne and Lorraine. Take the Haute-Chevauchée route and explore these vast forests with some of the most beautiful trees in Europe. This is famous hunting country, with a rich harvest of wild bilberries and mushrooms restling in the undergrowth beneath centuries-old oaks.Experienced lumbermen, the men of Argonne get the best from their forests, but also from their sand and clay! In fact many village houses were built of typical wood-framed wattle and daub as can be seen in Futeau, Le Claon, Lochères, Aubercy, Eclaires, Grigny, Brizeaux...
For many centuries it was a difficult area to reach: Argonne in fact marked the border between France and the German Holy Roman Empire. When Louis XV1 fled the French Revolution, it is perhaps symbolic that he was recaptured here in Varennes-en-Argonne on 21 June 1791.
