Moselle circulars: between Neuves-Maisons and Maron

Start on Rue des Saules in Neuves-Maisons, alongside the canal; there are 5–6 parking spaces available.

(S/E) Cross Avenue Aristide Briand at the pedestrian crossing, then Rue Nicolas Cugnot. Cross the bridge over the canal. At the end of the bridge, turn right and take the cycle path between the canal and the Moselle.

(1) Leave the cycle path and continue straight ahead.

(2) When you reach the footbridge, go straight on.

(3) At the end of the island, retrace your steps back to the footbridge.

(2) Take the footbridge on the left.

(4) At the end of the footbridge, turn left and continue along the wide path running alongside the canal.

(5) At the first house, veer to the right, cross the railway line and continue along Rue du Bac.

(6) At the Stop sign, turn left and cross the Moselle.

(7) Take the first path on the left and continue along the Moselle.

(8) At the edge of the woods, continue along a small path. Join an old tarmac road, then a cycle path

(9) Cross the footbridge and continue along the cycle path. Go round the back of the village hall and the sports grounds, then carry on straight ahead.

(10) At the junction of the cycle path and the road, under the bridge, you can see an old lock. Carry on straight ahead.

(11) Pass Rocmet harbour and carry on straight ahead.

(12) At the footbridge, carry on straight ahead. Enter Pont-Saint-Vincent, continue along the Moselle by taking Rue Aristide Briand, then pass in front of the sailing club. At the fence around the sports ground, you can cross the green space to reach the banks of the Moselle and see the remains of an old swimming pool.

(13) After the sports ground, cross the car park to reach the banks of the Moselle and continue to the right along the cycle path. Pass under the road bridge.

(14) At the exit, turn right and go up the stairs. After a 360° bend, cross the Moselle and then the canal to reach the car park (S/E).

Alternative route:
(2) You can turn right and take the footbridge, then follow the route from point (4), which saves about 4km.
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This walk takes you along part of the Neuves Maisons wide-gauge canal, which opened in 1979 to accommodate 1,500-tonne barges.
Walk to the end of the island to see the point where the Moselle splits and the wide-gauge canal begins.
Between points (4) and (5), on the old Toul–Neuves Maisons railway line, you can see an old iron ore silo which, using the Zinzin system (cable-hauled buckets), was used to load wagons bound for the Neuves Maisons plant from the mines at Sexey-aux-Forges.
At point (10), beneath the road bridge, you can see a former lock from the first Moselle canal.
At point (11), at the port of Rocmet, chute 2 was used to load two 280-tonne barges per day between 1860 and 1870 with iron ore from the Sainte-Anne mine in Sexey-aux-Forges bound for Neuves Maisons; you can also see a former footbridge on the towpath between Pont-Saint-Vincent and Maron. For those interested, take a look at the excellent website featuring numerous period photographs of the town of Sexey-aux-Forges: History of Sexey-aux-Forges
At point 13::, see the remains of the old Pont-Saint-Vincent swimming pool on the banks of the Moselle.