The best traffic-free bike rides around Les Paroches

A historic building with three elegant round arches on the front, dating from the 16th century. Originally, an inn called À la Couronne, later known as À l'Écu de France, stood here as early as 1447. This inn provided shelter for travellers arriving after the city gates had closed. 🏛️ Architecture: The arcaded façade is a rare remnant of the old buildings of the faubourg Saint-Thiébaut. The current structure was rebuilt in the second half of the 16th century. 📍 Address: 30 Rue Porte à Nancy, 55300 Saint-Mihiel 🏷️ Status: Listed as a Historic Monument since 1984. Private property, but clearly visible from the street.

A beautiful late 16th century mansion located in the heart of Saint-Mihiel. Once owned by the noble Gondrecourt family, this building was later modified in the 18th century. The Renaissance-style facade and U-shaped courtyard are evidence of the wealth of the time. 🕰️ Historical fact: In 1424, Duke René I of Anjou and Isabella of Lorraine stayed here. Duke Leopold of Lorraine also stayed there in 1698. 📍 Location: 16 rue Larzillière-Beudant, Saint-Mihiel 🏷️ Status: Private property, but the exterior is visible from the street. Occasionally accessible during European Heritage Days.

Founded around 708 by Count Wulfoalde, this Benedictine abbey became an important religious and cultural centre in Lorraine. The abbey was under the protection of Charlemagne and flourished under Abbot Smaragdus in the 9th century. Today, you can still visit the abbey church of Saint-Michel, home to the masterpiece La Pâmoison de la Vierge by Ligier Richier. The 18th-century monastery library houses thousands of ancient works and is one of the most beautiful in the region.

This monumental pediment is the remains of the former Colson-Blaise cavalry barracks, built from 1777 and extended in 1842. The pediment, with its sculpted motifs, once adorned the main façade of the complex. Since 1929, it has been protected as a historical monument. Today, the pediment lies loose on the ground, as a silent witness to the military history of Saint-Mihiel.

This former abbey church forms the historic heart of Saint-Mihiel. Originally built in the 9th century, it took on its current form during major renovations in the 17th and 18th centuries. Inside, you can admire a magnificent baroque organ (1679–1681), colourful stained glass windows and the masterpiece La Pâmoison de la Vierge by sculptor Ligier Richier. A place where art, history and spirituality come together.

2 rue Notre-Dame 55300 Saint-Mihiel One of the oldest civil buildings in the Meuse, built around 1350 and bought in 1428 by René I, Duke of Bar, later known as “Le bon Roi René”. This stately home with four wings around a courtyard served as a residence and courthouse. The facade is a beautiful example of late medieval architecture. Today it is privately owned, but the exterior can be freely admired.

Lac de Madine is an artificial lake of almost 10 km², created in the 1970s as a water reservoir for the city of Metz. It is located in the heart of the Lorraine Regional Nature Park and is part of the Natura 2000 network for its ecological value. The lake has two islands, 250 hectares of forest and 42 km of shoreline. In addition to its role in the drinking water supply, it is an important recreational area with two main sites: Nonsard-Lamarche and Heudicourt-sous-les-Côtes. Visitors will find marinas, beaches, cycle and walking routes, restaurants and nature reserves.

The current church of Montsec was built in 1929, replacing an older church dating from 1723 that was badly damaged during the First World War. The original church had been restored in 1900, but was completely destroyed during the fighting around the Saint-Mihiel salient. The new church is dedicated to Saint Lucy, patron saint of light, and is a symbol of reconstruction in a village that was almost completely destroyed between 1914 and 1918.