Bar-le-Duc (population approx. 15,000) is the capital of the Meuse department. The modest economic influence of its urban center has long earned it the nickname of sleeping beauty. The town's fabulous historical heritage, built by the powerful Duchy of Bar and developed during the Renaissance, and its architectural treasures, make it an ideal place to visit. It's also a breath of fresh air, know-how and gastronomic specialties. It's impossible to pass through the town without tasting its gooseberry jam, seeded with a feather quill. You can also enjoy the greenery on a hike in the Haut Juré forest, or have fun on a vélorail ride... Holidaymakers will appreciate this town with the "Ville d'Art et d'Histoire" label, interspersed with water, the Ornain and the Marne au Rhin canal.Comtale then ducal city. Capital of the county and then duchy of Bar, Bar-le-Duc was one of Lorraine's main citadels in the 14th century. At the end of the 15th century, associated with the Duchy of Lorraine, the city enjoyed a long period of prosperity. The Duke's anti-French stance prompted the monarch Louis XIV to strip it of part of its fortifications (1670) and castle. The long decline began - the duchy became part of the kingdom of France in 1766, precipitated by the detour of the Paris-Nancy royal highway via Saint-Dizier.14-18, the Sacred Way. Bar-le-Duc was relatively unscathed during the Great War. It escaped enemy occupation, and its position behind the front lines gave it a role as a supply base. In 1916, it became the starting point of the famous Voie Sacrée (Sacred Way), where thousands of vehicles rolled day and night to supply Verdun, 60 km away.Renaissance destination. Bar-le-Duc stands out from other Lorraine towns for its Renaissance architectural heritage, considered one of the most remarkable in France. In the Ville-Haute, a veritable open-air museum, curiosities are revealed along the way. The Rue des Ducs and its ashlar mansions reveal sculpted pediments, fluted pilasters and gargoyles... The nerve center of the district, Place Saint-Pierre and its large forecourt are surrounded by splendid buildings: the court, the prison and, above all, the Eglise Saint-Etienne. Inside, two major works by sculptor Ligier Richier are on display, including the famous "Transi". A little further on, the belvedere offers a fine panoramic view of the lower town, the Tour de l'Horloge sits majestically and the château esplanade is an invitation to stroll.
