The road to the salt country
Beneath our feet, our basements conceal a vast and abundant salt depositThis gift of nature has marked the history and landscape of our region for thousands of years! Between the departments of Meurthe-et-Moselle and Moselle, the road of the country of el is a suggested itinerary to discover the history of its exploitation which began in the Iron Age and which continues today.
To borrow it is to set off to discover unique landscapes shaped by the exploitation of salt, thematic museums and saltworks still in operation. To browse it is also to discover nuggets of heritage, indulge in outdoor activities, and taste pleasures oenological*.
On the way to an unusual getaway!
Morey
At an altitude of 305 meters, Morey Castle overlooks the Natagne valley. Former residence of the Dukes of Lorraine Dating from the 16th century, it is a unique and authentic site steeped in history. Although the site is privately owned and not open to the public, it can easily be seen from the road below.
Manoncourt-sur-Seille
The Seille Valley has many castles and fortified houses, intended to protect the entrance to the valley and its precious salt deposits.
The members of the Marcol family, lords of Manoncourt, had this castle built in the 16th century with its 3-hectare park. Largely destroyed during the First World War, it was rebuilt in 1919-1920 by Monsieur Colin, a wealthy industrialist from the region. The Château de Manoncourt was then also called The Colin House. We must Louis Guingot, artist, inventor and member of the Nancy School, the creation of majestic frescoes which decorate the castle's function room. The interior framework is signed Emile Galle.
A little history…
More than 200 million years ago, a sea covered this territory today shared between the departments of Meurthe-et-Moselle and Moselle. Evaporated, it left behind an immense salt deposit! We find traces of a proto-industry which began around 800 BC on the side of Salonnes and Marsal and which will continue for 500 years! From the Middle Ages, the salt of Saulnois is a wealth and a power issue ; several dozen abbeys exploited it in the Seille valley. The struggle for control and possession of the Saulnois saltworks lasted several centuries, until the territory was annexed to the Duchy of Lorraine, then to France in the 17th century.
La creation of the Marne-Rhine canal In 1853, industrial exploitation was opened to other territories. In 1871, the salt of Saulnois came under the control of the German Empire. In response, the French side developed the salt industry in the Sânon valley, thanks to the Marne-Rhine canal. Many saltworks were created at this time. Some of them constituted, until the 1960s, an important activity in the local economy.
He gave
Watered by the Seille, He gave depended on the bishopric of Metz before being incorporated into the Duchy of Lorraine in 1612. If the ancient town of Nomeny was fortified until the 17th century, its ramparts were destroyed on the orders of Richelieu and its Romanesque fortress was dismantled on the orders of Louis XIV. As for the Gothic castle, it served as a quarry for the construction of the cavalry barracks of the Duke of Lorraine Stanislas Leszczynski! Remain today the remains of towers and curtain walls, the fortress moats as well as the paving stones of the castle courtyard.
Aulnois-sur-Seille
It was the bishopric of Metz that also had it built here a fortified houseTransformed and enlarged over the following centuries, the castle of Aulnois-sur-Seille offers an architecture which reflects the purpose of the building: from a defensive castle to a more luxurious and comfortable residenceThe site now houses a nursery and primary school.
Drilling
The coast of Delme
From its height of 403 meters, the coast of Delme offers a superb panorama of the Saulnois and the Nied. Classified Regional Nature Reserve, there are two sectors of limestone lawns where wild orchids grow, as well as Mediterranean-type vegetation such as wild thyme. Many species of butterflies, birds and reptiles have also taken up residence on this witness hill.
Un hiking trail decorated with orientation tables allows you to fully appreciate its landscapes and its unique ecosystem.
The contemporary art center
The contemporary art center is located in the old synagogue of Delme. An unusual place, it welcomes several exhibitions per year and an artist residency. The latter are invited to develop specific projects for the place and the works are often produced on site. Since its opening in 1993, the art center has developed a strong and unique identity.
Vic sur Seille
The Bishops' Castle
Vic-sur-Seille had, until medieval times, prosperous saltworksIn 1200, a powerful fortified castle was built by the Bishop of Metz to protect them from the covetousness of his neighbors. Although destruction has accumulated since 1815, the castle today stands as a beautiful romantic ruin. However, one can still admire the new flamboyant Gothic-style gatehouse built at the beginning of the 16th century.
The Mint
The city was chosen by the bishops of Metz as the capital of their temporal power. The architecture of Vic-sur-Seille was strongly influenced by their presence. Many Rhineland artists have practiced their art there over the centuries. Like the Mint dating from 1456 and featuring remarkable architectural decoration.
The Georges de la Tour Departmental Museum
Vic-sur-Seille is the birthplace of Georges de la Tour, one of the greatest French painters of the 17th centuryThe artist was the subject of numerous commissions from King Louis XIII and an important Parisian clientele.
The museum presents a beautiful collection of French paintings, from the 17th to the early 20th centuryThe culmination is the painter's most singular work, Saint John the Baptist in the desert, recognized as a major painting.
The Vic-sur-Seille vineyard
The city's prosperity has long been linked to salt, but also to viticulture. Today, its 8 hectares of vines are part of the area AOC Moselle and produce gray, white, red, still or sparkling wines. Several estates welcome you for tours and tastings*.
Middlevic
Halfway between Vic-sur-Seille and Marsal, let's stop for a moment in Moyenvic. The presence of a saltworks there is attested as early as the 9th century. A subject of dispute between the bishops of Metz and the Duchy of Lorraine, it became French in 1661. In decline after the Revolution, it was closed in 1897. Today only one building remains, rebuilt at the end of the 18th or the beginning of the 19th.
Marsal
Salt ponds
The presence of salt is evident in the Seille Valley, through salt ponds and meadows. These rare natural environments in France and Europe are home to a flora called halophilic characteristic of the seaside including the famous samphireA discovery trail has been set up to understand the formation of these salt ponds while respecting the ecosystems.
The Gate of France
Remains of the Vauban fortifications, it is one of the entrances allowing entry into the old salt city. In 1699, the salt works closed: the fortified enclosure, including the Porte de France, gradually lost its defensive role.
The Departmental Salt Museum
Located in the Porte de France, the museum retraces the history of salt in Marsal and Saulnois. It is also the story of this former strategic stronghold that is told. The collections highlight salt production techniques used since prehistoric times. Among the treasures preserved are archaeological remains, religious objects and everyday life, bearing witness to life in the past. The scenography highlights the defensive works and offers a 3D reconstruction of the citadel as it was in Vauban's time.
The royal saltworks of Dieuze
For centuries, the exploitation and trade of salt have been a source of wealth for Lorraine and in particular for the Saulnois region which owes its name to it. From 1408, the saltworks of Dieuze took on the appearance of a fortified bastion and formed a separate urban complex. Attached to the royal domain in 1737, they then became the main source of production among the six salt works in the kingdom. At its peak, this activity employed up to 700 workers.
The visit allows you to discover the salt well building (the riding school), the Délivrance building (former salt stores), the administrative building and its park, and the monumental 18th century gate.
The Lindre estate
East of Dieuze begins the land of ponds. It boasts a diversity of environments: forests, crops, wet meadows, ponds, lakes, reed beds, and extensively branched waterways. It is an important crossing point for migratory birds.
Integrated into the Lorraine Regional Natural Park, the Lindre estate is classified as a Sensitive Natural Area (ENS) and covers 1 ha. This haven of peace is made up of a dozen fish ponds. Two ornithological observatories allow you to learn about the 250 species of birds that live on the estate, including common cranes. discovery trails allow you to appreciate this unique environment.
Tarquimpol
Located on the peninsula of the Lindre pond, Tarquimpol is a ancient Gallo-Roman site, today one of the most beautiful villages in Lorraine. Its beautiful heritage includes the Saint-Etienne church and its 12th century Romanesque round tower, and the Château d'Alteville.
Bures
The Sensitive Natural Area of the Parroy pond
Let's leave Saulnois to join another territory whose history is closely linked to the exploitation of salt: the Land of Sânon.
Arriving in Bures, a landscape of ponds is once again revealed. Classified Sensitive Natural Area, Parroy pond can be discovered along an educational trail. Decorated with information panels on the site's flora and fauna, it allows different views of the pond and the reed bed which constitute the natural habitat of many birds.
The leisure center
In the southern part of the pond, the lake Passy leisure area offers a range of water and outdoor activities. Canoeing, pedal boating, windsurfing: your getaway to the land of salt will feel like a vacation!
The V52 and the Marne-Rhine Canal
The Marne-Rhine Canal connects Nancy to Strasbourg. It offers boaters seven ports and river stops providing access to shops and exploring the surrounding area. cycle route V52 also connecting these two cities, follows the bank of the canal.
The salt headframe of Einville-au-Jard
Headframes are slender wooden constructions, built for protect a borehole. This is where the deep layer of salt is reached. Here, the salt layer is 150 m below our feet. The extraction technique is simple: water was sent to reach the deposit and dissolve the salt. Then, the salt-saturated liquid, called brine, was pumped up via a pumping system. Finally, the brine was transported to the saltworks, which evaporated it to harvest the salt.
Ce headframe was reconstructed and moved to the edge of the arrival road in Einville. Inside, period equipment and an exhibition evoke the history of the saltworks in the Sânon valley from 1870 to the present day.
Dombasle-sur-Meurthe
To the south-east of Nancy, the saltworks were revived in the 19th century thanks to Solvay company, which developed the process for manufacturing sodium carbonate from ammonia. This mineral alkali, also called soda, is used in many manufacturing processes. The Dombasle factory, still in operation, was founded in 1873 to produce this soda, along with Varangéville salt.
The stud farm and the saddle salt museum in Rosières-aux-Salines
It is to Colbert that we owe the organization of the first royal stud farms in order to ensure the army's remount. Rosières stud farm in Les Salines was created in 1767 by the Marquis de la Galaizière, representative of the King of France in Lorraine. It is one of the oldest stud farms in France. It is located on the location of the former royal saltworks, closed in 1760 after 600 years of activity.
If the stud farm is today a training center and an equestrian complex, it also houses the salt museum in the saddle which allows you to discover this unique story.
Saint-Nicolas-de-Port
The French Brewery Museum
Operating for nearly a century, until 1985, the Saint-Nicolas-de-Port brewery is part of a long local brewing tradition. Today, the site is entirely dedicated to the history of beer in Lorraine and France, and brewing techniques. The buildings date from the 1930s and are a fine example of industrial architecture. art deco style. Conclude your visit with the beer tasting* specially brewed for the French Brewery Museum !
The Basilica of Saint Nicholas
The history of this building is closely linked to that of the region. It was in fact the Duke of Lorraine René II, after his victory over the Burgundian Charles the Bold in 1477, who had the basilica. Since then, it has attracted ever-increasing numbers of pilgrims and visitors. In flamboyant Gothic style, the basilica is dedicated to Nicholas, the patron saint of the Lorrainers.
Varangeville
The former priory and the church of Saint-Gorgon
Next to Saint-Nicolas-de-Port, head towards the town of Varangéville. priory tower is the only remaining part of the first church built in the 9th century and dedicated to Saint Gorgon. In the 15th century, the construction of a new building began, the church we know today. By entering the interior of Saint-Gorgon Church, we appreciate the architectural principle of the hall church : the height of the vault of the nave and that of the side aisles is the same.
The salt mines of Varangéville
The thick, flat salt strata have allowed, over the centuries and with technical progress, the evolution towards gallery mining. Varangéville salt mines are the last ones still in operation in France. Nearly 300km of galleries stretch beneath your feet, housing a salt deposit more than 230 million years old. 160 meters underground, an unusual experience awaits you. Accompanied by a guide, you will discover the history of the mine from 1856 to the present day! Here, around forty miners perpetuate an ancestral know-how every day: the extraction of rock salt. And to extend the experience, you can even have a meal in the underground galleries !
Haraucourt
The House of Salt
In the heart of the salt basin, this educational space aims to promote the history of industrial salt exploitation in Lorraine.
Reopening planned for 2026.
The salt collapse observatory
The landscape is sometimes marked by vast collapses, as here at Haraucourt. They result from the subsidence of cavities formed by salt extraction in brine. This landscape upheaval is home to unique vegetation, flora, and fauna. It is also of paleontological interest, with the cliffs revealing fossils.
Un observatory has been specially designed on the site. Panoramic binoculars and educational tools allow you to discover this unique landscape.
The national necropolis of Courbesseaux
Meurthe-et-Moselle and Moselle have always been border areas and victims of various world conflicts. If the village of Courbesseaux was destroyed in 1914, the national necropolis is the symbol of the fighting that brought mourning to the Grand Couronné sector. Today, it houses the bodies of the 2679 victims of the First World War.
*Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health, consume in moderation