The Lorraine region of France
January 16, 2008
Lorraine, in northeastern France, shares borders with Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany. It is home to 2,310,376 and covers on 23,547 km2 (14,631 square miles). Formerly the duchy of Lorraine, it is now an administrative region made up of 4 districts, or “departments” of France, with Metz as their capital: Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), La Meuse (55), La Moselle (57) and Les Vosges (88).
Populated originally by Celtic tribes from Central Europe, Lorraine was later occupied by the Romans, who brought with them Lorraine’s first vines and who were quick to appreciate the virtues of the waters for the Vosgean springs. The Romans also built a network of cities and roads, represented today by the towns of Metz and Toul.
Due to its location, Lorraine was an area of exchange with Germanic cultures, but this relationship did not spare the area from invasions during the course of its history. Lorraine was hit hard by Hundred Years War, and also suffered from the many and constant conflicts engendered by the feudal system. Later, the Thirty Years war weakened the area again, until Stanislas Leszczynski inherited the duchy in 1738. His arrival marked a unique period beginning of rebuilding and refurbishment of Lorraine, which renewed itself thanks to policy of a cultural and artistic patronage. After this prosperous period the revolutions came, first the French Revolution 1789 then the industrial revolution. At the time of the First World War, Lorraine, on the front lines, sadly became famous for the battle of Verdun, then saw combat again during the Second World War.
Today, Lorraine’s location makes it a rich European crossroads, but also a special place for natural attractions. The area forms the Eastern limit of the Paris basin and is divided into three great geographical arenas:
First of all, the coastal country. Between plateaus and valleys, the terrain is divided into cuestas, in which can be distinguished Argonne, les Côtes de Bar, les Côtes de la Meuse et les Côtes de Moselle. Strewn with trees, this country forms the western part of the area, where the Meuse and the Moselle run. Agriculture and in particular vine growing are very present here, especially on the fertile plain of Woevre.
Next, the Lorraine plateau makes up the northeastern part of Lorraine, which extends from the Côtes de Moselle to the Western slope of the Vosges. This wooded, rolling countryside includes the valleys of the Pail, Nied and the Saar. The coast is characterized by its more rural character.
Lastly, the Lorraine of valleys rises to a peak with the Vosgean solid rock mass in the south. This old solid mass of the tertiary era culminates at 1362m (4469 feet) in Hohneck. The mountains, significantly eroded, are characterized by their rounded tops called “Balloons” and have altitudes much higher in the south than in the north. Covered with moors and meadows, this environment is preserved and on display in a Regional Natural Reserve. The forest is one of the more noticeable natural features of the area, covering more than 30% of the territory. The various natural resources present here hold an important place in the economy of Lorraine and of France. This soil abounds in natural riches like peat bogs, which are protected by the Natural Reserves.
The PNR (Parc Nationale Regionale) of Lorraine, founded in 1974, covers 210000 hectares and includes more than 200 villages. A variety of landscapes can be found there, such as the valley of Woevre and the lake country and the plains characteristic of Lorraine, as well as remarkable flora and fauna.
The PNR of the Vosges of North, created in 1975, stretches over 122,000 hectares and presents to visitors an environment of great biological interest, as well as a historical heritage made up of castles, churches, museums, archeological sites, and houses typical of local architecture.
In addition to its varied landscapes, vegetation and terrains, Lorraine also boasts many great rivers and other bodies of water. 550 km long, the Moselle runs northward through clay-based plains and connects the Vosges to the Rhine. Meurthe is its principal feeder and joins up with it north of Nancy. The Meuse also serves a great part of the area, beginning from the Haute-Marne to join the Ardennes. Canals supplemented this already dense river system in order to connect Lorraine to Germany, Belgium and the south of France. The best known of these is certainly the canal of the Marne in the Rhine. These 700 km of inland waterways, dotted with the river ports of Frouard, Metz and Thionville, are today wonderful avenues by which to explore the area in a pleasant and relaxed way, on rented pleasure boats or on a river cruise.
Lorraine abounds in bodies of water, for the most part artificial. Created mostly during the Middle Ages by monks for the raising of fish, they are located between the plain of Woevre, the valley of the lakes and swamplands. Only the Vosgean lakes are of natural origin. Among these, Lindre is the largest fishpond, but also of note are Lake Gerardmer, Lake Madine, and the ponds of Gondrexange and of Stock.
Vosgean Lorraine, and more precisely its natural springs, is known since antiquity for their pure waters. Some are used commercially for drinking water, like the spring waters Vittel and Contrex, while others are dedicated to spas and hydrotherapy, like Plombières-les-Bains or Amneville-les-Thermes.
All these preserved environments that make up Lorraine are the setting for a multitude of activities for tourists, whether they want to ski in les Vosges, hike through vineyards, in the mountains, engage in water sports on the lakes or rivers, not to mention relax in a spa. Each landscape is a wonderful excuse to go and discover the natural riches and historical and cultural heritage of Lorraine.
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