The most beautiful natural sites to discover Lorraine

Nestled in a natural setting at the bottom of the Kaysersberg valley, the Lac Blanc and the Lac Noir are a delight for lovers of invigorating hikes! Built during the annexation of Alsace to the German Empire after the 1870 war, these two lakes were linked in 1933 as part of the construction of the very first pumped storage power station installed in France. Separated by a 100 m difference in level, they are connected by a penstock. The principle consists in exchanging water between the two reservoirs at off-peak times. At peak consumption times, electricity is produced by turbining water from the upper reservoir. During off-peak hours, water from the lower basin is pumped to Lac Blanc for storage. In winter, a special atmosphere prevails on the site. This is probably why Jean-Pierre Mocky chose to shoot the opening sequence of his crime film Agent trouble with Catherine Deneuve in 1987. When the snow is there, skiing (downhill or cross-country) is a very popular activity. The Cornelius trail allows you to go from Lac Blanc to Lac Noir and back. Also to be discovered on the heights of Le Bonhomme and Lapoutroie, the pond of Devin is dominated by the Tête-des-Faux and has all the characteristics of a peat bog. It is also a protected site because it shelters an exceptional biodiversity. Superb panorama also around the Lac du Forlet and the Lac Vert which are both accessible from the hamlet of Hautes-Huttes in Orbey.

Claude-Joseph Vernet (1764) will illustrate this view of Nogent-sur-Seine with the church Saint-Laurent, the fishermen holding their nets, and a young girl wearing his clothes in the landscape. Olive Island, on the look of Saint-Louis Island, derives its reputation from its presence in the sentimental education of Flaubert, and its name of the doctor emeritus, mayor in 1884, who donated it to the city in the exchange of the graves of his family. It was then called Collet Island or Île des Grands Locks, with as a sine qua non the absence of commerce, sale, cabin cabin… Today as yesterday, this nature is the ideal place for a romantic and romantic walk, especially as the setting up of a mobile bridge. The alleys of the park were traced and gravel, and the island as a whole, with three hectares, was remodeled thanks to a pruning of trees. An arboretum welcomes you and accompanies you with twenty panels that describe the different local species.

Mineral water of absolute purity gushes out in the Ballons des Vosges Regional Nature Park in Wattwiller. Nitrate-free and low in sodium, its therapeutic virtues have been known since ancient times. In 1993, its little taste was invited to all the tables of the region! Although the water is bottled, the inhabitants of the commune can get their supplies from the restored fountain at the bottom of the village. Do not hesitate to quench your thirst if you are passing through, it is worth a detour!

The city's waterways are one of the city's charms. The Nau complements the Petit Jard and the Market Castle, which is taking place in its waters. It then hides under Lochet Street to re-emerge the arts wharf, then conflue with the Mau, opposite the courthouse. The Mau, he enters the city by the Mauvillain Bridge, known for his arch in shell. It cools the gardens of the prefecture and reflects the wooden areas and the beautiful châlonnaises stones to the bridge of Putte-Savatte (rue Croix-des-Dyers). Then the watercourse disappears under the market square and comes back to the great day next to Notre-Dame-en-Vaux and recovers a little further the waters of the Nau. It was at this confluence that the port of the city was installed in 1377. The river continues towards St. Antoine Bridge or Submarine bridge to find the waters of the St. Martin Canal. The canal connecting Louis-XII to the Canal Saint-Martin and crossing the city leaves a tranquil meander in Jard, where fishermen settle. The lock becomes a show when a barge passes. Walks to make, bridges to cross…

Under the great skies of Champagne, the hillsides covered with vines, the small valleys where villages and their Romanesque churches nestle and then, on the plateau, deep forests. From the Champagne plain, you can see the edge of the forest massif of the Reims mountain topping the slopes. The plateau culminates at 288 m, almost uniformly flat and covered on 20 000 ha with dense forests. Once owned by the abbeys of Reims and its surroundings, it is now divided between the 6 800 ha managed by the ONF and private properties.

This forest, which has become known as the Revolution, is a place of escape easily accessible from Chaumont. Several hiking and mountain biking trails allow you to turn around or at least discover part of it. The shortest trail is 4 km, while the longest runs 13 km. The departure can be made from three main places: the Lily area, from where there is a botanical trail, the Clear oaks area and its health course, and the area of the Fountain Sainte-Bookseller, which also includes a 9 km mountain bike circuit.

Tariff: free.

Duration: 1 p. m.

Difficulty: .