From the north to the south of Moselle, a land of history, discover 8 remarkable cultural and natural sites, all owned by the Moselle Department!
Malbrouck Castle in Manderen-Ritzing
It is the only castle in Lorraine dating from the 15th century that is completely preserved. The one of... Malbrouck s'en va-t'en guerre, mironton, mironton. Property since 1975 of the Department which led the building site of its restoration during about twenty years, this fortress of very beautiful appearance is flanked by 4 corner towers, the towers of the Lantern, the Witch, the Bald Rock and the Ladies, connected between them by curtains on which one can walk to make a complete turn of the building. The main building is on three levels and contains a large central courtyard
Malbrouck Castle was first opened to the public in 1998 with an inaugural exhibition on the myth of the Golden Fleece. It has since welcomed more than 1.5 million visitors and organized many prestigious exhibitions including The Dragons (2005), Niki de Saint Phalle (2010), Robert Doisneau (2011), Samurai and Knights (2015), The 70th anniversary of the Tintin Journal, Happy Days (2018), Hergé, a life, a work (2019), Asterix the European (2021). The castle organizes an annual comic book festival and numerous events.
Robert Schuman's house in Scy-Chazelles
This federalist and humanist visionary changed the course of history. Not to be confused with his namesake, the musician Robert Schumann! Robert Schuman, with one name only, was born in Luxembourg in 1866 and died in Scy-Chazelles in 1963. He had Luxembourgish, German and French origins, worked for Franco-German reconciliation and was one of the founding fathers of Europe. A politician, Robert Schuman ended his life in Moselle in his modest house. The house is open to the public and invites visitors to discover his life and work. Equipped with a tablet or a smartphone, you can wander from room to room, with his faithful housekeeper Marie Kelle as your guide. Stopover in his office, look at his library ..
In the garage, you see her Simca Aronde. Outside, a garden in 4 parts: the historical garden with a vegetable garden, the garden of the Plants of Our Home, integrated into the Franco-German network of Gardens without Limits, a shadow garden and a meadow. This garden is home to the European Flame, a sculpture symbolizing the unifying hope of this man of faith who lies just across the street in the church of Saint-Quentin.
Museum of the War of 1870 and the Annexation in Gravelotte
Opened in 2014, this is the only museum entirely dedicated to the history of the 1870 war and the annexation of Alsace and part of Lorraine to the German Empire (1871-1918). It is an opportunity to revisit the issues raised by this conflict: German unity, life during the annexation, tensions in the run-up to the First World War..
In a modern architectural setting, military accessories, paintings, sculptures, elements of monuments and objects of daily life are placed side by side in an aesthetic and educational museographic tour. We discover a letter from a soldier to his wife, a newspaper clipping announcing the armistice, a painting expressing the distress of the time... The visit is accompanied by numerous videos. The museum is located on the very site of the August 1870 battles, opposite the Halle du Souvenir, the most important commemorative monument of the 1870 war. The visitor can extend his tour by discovering other monuments in the surroundings and circuits on this theme.
Fruit gardens of Laquenexy
An enchantment! It all began in 1904 with the creation of a Viticultural Institute to rebuild the vineyards decimated by phylloxera. Here was selected the Auxerrois, which became the traditional grape variety of the region. In 1954, the Centre d'Études et d'Essais Horticoles de Laquenexy was established to revive fruit growing in Lorraine. Finally in 2004, renamed Jardins Fruitiers de Laquenexy, the site became a reference conservatory orchard for apple and raspberry trees. This eco-responsible orchard produces fruit juice and branded apples. An ancient technique born in the Paris region, apple marking was revived in Japan in the 1970s. Only a few sites master it. Les Jardins Fruitiers, in collaboration with a Japanese company, produces apples marked with bagging, gelatin and stencils bearing the effigy of celebrities. Walk through the discovery of many thematic spaces: garden of flowers to crunch, labyrinth of fruit forms, garden of the senses, forbidden garden, garden of the Robinsons... And for exoticism: Ohtehra, Amerindian garden, and Te Putake, māori garden, unique in the West.
Salt Museum in Marsal
The Porte de France, redesigned by Vauban in the 17th century, houses this departmental museum based on the exploitation of "white gold" in the Saulnois. Discover the techniques used from prehistoric times to the present day. And we learn that millions of years ago, the sea covered the valley of the Seille. Moreover, the village of Marsal owes its name to its many salt springs, hence the presence of saltwort.
Restructured and modernized in 2019, the Salt Museum offers a museography in 4 eras: protohistoric, Roman period, Middle Ages and modern times. In the Middle Ages, in the region, 73 monasteries or religious institutions exploited the salt pans from salt springs and salt stoves and made substantial income from them, including 32 salt wells in Marsal! The Odyssey of White Gold, a digital tour on a tablet with videos and animated maps, beautifully reveals this history. With Le Couloir du temps, an interactive and entertaining installation, you will travel through the ages until you come across an unprecedented archaeological discovery relating to the Celtic civilization. Also a collection of more recent salt shakers.
Georges de La Tour Museum in Vic-sur-Seille
Located in the medieval heart of Georges de La Tour's birthplace (1593-1652), this museum presents on 3 floors and 1,000 m² a collection of nearly 200 works including the famous paintings Saint John the Baptist in the Desert and Profile of a Woman signed by the greatest painter of Lorraine in the 17th century known for his play of light and shadow. The gift of the brothers Jacques and Guy Thuilier, heirs to the patrons of yesteryear, has made it possible to initiate a collection of works from the end of the 16th century to the beginning of the 20th century. On display are, in particular, 18th century sketches and landscapes by Jean-Bernard Restout, Pierre-Henri de Valenciennes and Georges Michel. On thethird floor, some nineteenth-century currents illustrate the values taught by the Academy and taught at the School of Fine Arts in Paris. With 3D helmet and joysticks, discover the workshop of Georges de La Tour with François Nardoyen, apprentice and nephew of the master. This virtual tour reveals a 3D reconstruction of his studio. You can zoom in on 5 major works of the artist from Vic. An immersion accessible by all the family. In reality, take part in one of the fun or educational workshops of the museum.
Departmental domain of Lindre
A sensitive natural area of a thousand hectares, this site of preserved nature with a great biodiversity gathers 12 fish ponds, reed beds, forests and wet meadows. This unique domain is partly dedicated to extensive pond fish farming and aquaculture experimentation. The Department has also chosen to develop nature tourism and environmental awareness. Its discovery is done independently thanks to two interpretation trails - one follows the dike and observatories including the magnificent perched hut Laô
The site hosts the largest concentration of bird species in eastern France. You have the possibility of practicing Geocaching: 3 official caches are hidden on the site, it is up to you to find them using your smartphone or a GPS hiker. Guided tours and nature activities are organized. The plus : direct sale of organic fish from the domain.
European archaeological park of Bliesbruck-Reinheim
This archaeological park, European and border, is located between France and Germany. It is a choice site for learning about Celtic and Gallo-Roman civilizations. Jointly managed by the Moselle Department and the Kreis de Saarpfalz, this park symbolizes the fraternity between peoples and the joint promotion of a common history at the source of European culture. Archaeological excavations carried out since 1972 have uncovered the remains of a Gallo-Roman city covering more than 30 hectares. The visit plunges you directly, or virtually with a tablet and reconstructions, into the heart of this era. Guided tours and various workshops are offered. For example, to discover the archaeology or the craft practices of the Gallo-Roman period. Also on the program, exhibitions and recurring events such as Vita Romana, the Children's Day.
USEFUL INFORMATION
When to visit?
Moselle welcomes you in all 4 seasons. However, you should know that at Christmas, this destination is particularly magical.
Duration
A weekend stay - including Friday - is enough to visit the 8 Passionnément Moselle sites. Two weekends is even better!
Budget
The castle and the Museum in Gravelotte are 7 €, the other sites are 5 €. All sites are free for children under 16. Moselle Passion Pass: 25 € (valid for one year, unlimited access to the 8 sites).
The pluses
Some sites are close enough to each other that it is possible to discover them in one day, for example the three near Metz.
The activities for children are numerous and varied in several Passionnément Moselle sites.
Several sites are enriched by a natural environment enhanced for the visit while preserving the local biodiversity.
Agreat activity: making a Christmas ball (3-6 years old) to close the season at the Salt Museum (December 10th).
The Passionnément Moselle sites have their own Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/passionmoselle)
The minuses
If the weather is not good - heat wave or heavy rain - you will have to postpone your visit to the Domaine de Lindre.
The Laquenexy Fruit Gardens change according to the seasons. In winter, they are not accessible.
Robert Schuman, bard of the reconciliation between France and Germany, is far too little known. Fortunately, the House dedicated to him is a remedy for this.
None of the Passionnément Mosellesites are open during the month of January, except for the Domaine de Lindre.
Getting there
In the heart of Europe, Moselle is easily accessible and well served. By train, Paris is less than an hour and a half away by TGV; by car: freeways and expressways; by plane, three airports (Metz - Luxembourg and Saarbrücken); by bus, not expensive with the BlaBlaCar Bus network, for example, which serves Metz and Thionville
Useful
Le Petit Futé has published a mini-mag on the 8 sites Passionnément Moselle 2022, informative, illustrated and practical, paper version and to download on the website of the Department
Sleep
Hotels, gites, bed and breakfasts, charming or unusual accommodations, the tourist office website lists the different accommodations that welcome you by category
MOSELLE SANS LIMITE - More information on the website
