Circular forest loop to the north-west of Metz

Access: head for the Belle Vue hamlet on the D652 linking Metz to Rombas, just outside Woippy.
At the study and research centre, leave the D652 and turn left onto the only street in the hamlet. Park at the very end of this cul-de-sac (Sainte-Anne).

(S/E) After the last house, take the path on the left. After 100 metres, turn right onto a stony track (a former military track, now^{the GRP®®} Tour de Metz). Continue along this track for 1.2 km until you reach a gate blocking access to a kennel.

(1) Take the path on the left, going round the kennels for 300 metres, keeping to the right at all times until you reach a junction.

(2) Take the path on the right and carry on straight ahead until you reach the access road and the entrance gate to the kennels. Turn left and join the D50 road linking Woippy to Norroy-le-Veneur.

(3) Cross this road and carry on straight ahead after passing through what looks like a gate. Head up into the forest along this path lined with old wire fencing (the remains of a former private wildlife park). After a 900-metre climb through the forest, you’ll come to some fields and a large house.

(4) Turn right, skirting the woods; pass to the left of a pylon and continue along the path, climbing through the fields to the Croix de Vaux (a wayside cross on the heights of Saulny).

(5) Cross Rue de Plesnois and carry on straight ahead along a road until you reach a house. Then carry on straight ahead, heading uphill through the Bois Communal via Chemin de Moremont, and join a wide forest track at the football pitch. Walk for about fifty metres.

Turn left onto the “Panoramique” path just after the sports ground. After 800 metres, you’ll rejoin the main forest track, which will take you to the D7 road linking Saulny to Saint-Privat. Follow the forest track that climbs immediately to the right and leads to the Lorraine fortified complex.
After 300 metres’ climb through the forest, you’ll come to the gate leading to the military fortification.

(6) Take the path on the right and head down through the Plesnois woods, keeping to the left at every junction until you reach the top of Plesnois (alt. 275m).

(7) Turn left and follow the path down to Rue de la Fontaine. Turn left again and continue straight on along Rue du Centre, then turn right onto Rue Haute until you reach a Fork in the road. Take the left-hand road towards Norroy as far as the cemetery.

(8) Take the road on the left running alongside the cemetery, then follow the path that continues through the woods to Rue du Fort in Norroy.

(9) Pass close to Saint-Pierre Church.

(10) Turn left, then immediately right onto VC La Ruelle until you reach Grand Rue. Turn left, then immediately right.

(11) At the junction, take the street on the right. You are now on the^GR®®5-5F; continue along this street until you reach the junction with Chemin du Jas. Go straight on for about twenty metres.

(12) Take the road on the right and carry on straight ahead until you reach a junction.

(13) Turn left for 150 metres, then right onto a cycle path just before the first houses. Continue along this path behind the houses until you come back onto Rue du Patural. Turn right to join Rue Basse.

(14) Turn right to pass the pumping station and join the cycle path that runs behind the detached houses. Carry on until you reach Rue Verlaine. Turn right and continue to the Semécourt cemetery and sports complex, where you’ll rejoin the cycle path.

(15) Follow the cycle path to the right, running alongside the Ruisseau de Fèves, until you reach a fork.

(16) Take the cycle path on the left and go straight on for 400 metres until you reach a three-way junction. Turn right and continue along the path on the left bank of the Ruisseau de Plesnois until you reach Route de Belle Vue.

(17) Cross the road and first turn left then right to rejoin the cycle path on the right bank of the stream. Continue to the Route du Bois de Forêt. Cross the road and carry on straight ahead to the Plesnois sports ground.

(18) Turn left onto the path that winds its way down into the Bois Jacquemignon. Follow this path through woods and fields until you reach Sainte-Anne and the car park (S/E).

At (6), continuing straight on (500 m), you will find a fine military structure: the Feste-Lothringen fortified group, renamed the Lorraine fortified group after the victory in the First World War, is a German military structure of the von Biehler type.
Built by the Prussian army on the heights of Saulny between 1899 and 1903, it was intended to reinforce the north-western front of the first fortified belt by controlling the Metz–Verdun railway line, passing through Amanvillers, and the Metz–Briey road.
It was in fact designed to accommodate four infantry companies, in addition to the artillerymen.
It formed part of the second fortified ring of the Metz forts and saw its first action in late 1944 during the Battle of Metz.