Douaumont walks

Connect, in 9 km, the memorial, the destroyed village of Fleury, the ossuary, the Zigzag Trench and Fort Douaumont.

A route steeped in the history of the Great War.This route offers a chance to explore the woods replanted following the 1914–1918 war between France and Germany.There are several historical remains to explore, such as bunkers, shelters and buildings including the Douaumont Ossuary and Fort Douaumont.

This walk takes you past many ruined structures, a destroyed village, monuments, memorial stones and recently restored trenches. It passes by Fort Douaumont and the Douaumont Cemetery. Look carefully at the ground – you’ll still find plenty of shell fragments and sometimes even whole shells.

This history-filled route allows you to discover structures, shelters, command posts, entrenchments and an intermediate ammunition shelter still in good condition, as well as some remains of trenches and isolated combat posts.

A very pleasant walk with sweeping views.

The Étang d’Amel, owned by the Conservatoire d’espaces naturels de Lorraine, was designated, along with the adjoining land, as a Regional Nature Reserve in 2006 by the Lorraine Regional Council. The Étang d’Amel nature route, which runs through the villages of Senon and Amel-sur-l’Étang, features information boards and two observation points. This allows you to watch the birds without disturbing them.

A memorial hike on a site where very deadly battles took place between February and April 1915, considered by some historians to be a prelude to the Battle of Verdun (nearby), which was triggered a year later. Several monuments and numerous remains mark the route, including impressive craters left by huge explosions.

Starting from Doulcon, you will discover the typical landscapes of the Meuse coast. A detour through the pretty village of Mont-devant-Sassey has some beautiful architectural surprises in store for you! You will then reach the village of Sassey-sur-Meuse via the coast before reaching Dun-sur-Meuse and then Doulcon via the towpath along the navigable Meuse. Passing through four municipalities: Dun-sur-Meuse, Doulcon, Mont-devant-Sassey and Sassey-sur-Meuse, you can start your walk from any of them. You can also split this walk to shorten it or avoid the forest during the hunting season.

A historical walk exploring the Butte de Vauquois and the National Necropolis of La Maize. The Battle of Vauquois took place during the First World War. The village was built on the hill of the same name, making it a strategic location. Vauquois is a key site associated with trench warfare, a tactic involving the digging of deep tunnels and the burial of tonnes of explosives within them to cause significant damage on the surface before launching an assault.

You will discover the Étang des Bercettes, classified as a sensitive natural area, and walk along the Argonais massif. TheGR®14climbs to reach the Haute Chevauchée. During this hike, you will explore part of the nature trail where you will find all manner of trees, including black walnut and silver fir.

A beautiful walking route amongst the old stone buildings, tunnel fountains and the countryside. Although described as a walking route, this route can also be tackled by mountain bike (in which case, adjust the starting point due to road signage; see description).

Close to the village of Dompcevrin, this Vent des Forêts hike takes you on a journey of discovery through the works of various artists in the heart of the Meuse forest.

Near the village of Dompcevrin, this 12 km Vent des Forêts hike takes you on a journey of discovery through the Meuse forest, where you can admire various works of art.

Near the village of Lahaymeix, this 3 km Vent des Forêts walk takes you on a journey to discover various works by artists in the heart of the Meuse forest.

Near the village of Pierrefitte-sur-Aire, this 10 km Vent des Forêts walk takes you on a journey to discover various works by artists in the heart of the Meuse forest.

Fancy a walk that combines architectural prowess and forest? The Ariethal trail is for you. From Fléville, venture into an enchanting forest setting to admire the curves of the famous stone giant nestled in its green setting, the Ariethal Viaduct. This route will also invite you to enter the memorial plantation dedicated to the Big Red One, a living, green tribute that links this land to history.

Listed as a Regional Nature Reserve, the Lachaussée pond has remained in its natural state. Many birds have made their home there or stop off during their migration. It is a haven of peace for flora and fauna.Please note: it is forbidden to stray from the existing paths, particularly around the ponds, otherwise you may be liable for a hefty fine.

Nestled between the Aire Valley and the forest, this route starting from the village of Châtel-Chéhéry and its elegant château will take you to the outskirts of Apremont-sur-Aire to discover a significant memorial site: the German military cemetery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Famous for its Witches’ Festival, Fillières also offers lovely countryside and woodland walking trails. This walk through the woods will let you discover the charms of the Crusnes through the seasons. The path is currently impassable due to fallen trees. Forestry work is not yet complete.

Famous for its Witches’ Festival, Fillières also offers lovely walking trails. This one combines a walk through the forest with country lanes. It runs alongside the River Crusnes and offers you peaceful spots to recharge your batteries in the heart of nature.

Starting from the village of Fresnes-au-Mont, this ‘Vent des Forêts’ walk takes you on a journey to discover various works by artists in the heart of the Meuse forest.

This hilly mountain bike trail takes you to the heart of an authentic region combining forests, countryside and vast fields. Starting from Nouart, the birthplace of General Chanzy, the route passes through several villages and hamlets: Tailly, Barricourt, Les Petites Censes, Les Forgettes, Les Tuileries... where remarkable stone buildings, witnesses to the local heritage, can be seen. A varied and rhythmic trail, ideal for mountain bikers in search of nature, hills and historical discoveries.

This hilly mountain bike trail takes you into the heart of an authentic region combining forests, countryside and vast fields. Starting from Nouart, the birthplace of General Chanzy, the route passes through several villages and hamlets: Tailly, Barricourt, Les Petites Censes, Les Forgettes, Les Tuileries, Rémonville... where remarkable stone buildings, witnesses to the local heritage, can be seen. A varied and fast-paced trail, ideal for mountain bikers in search of nature, hills and historical discoveries.

A route combining rural forest landscapes and some interesting monuments from the Great War. There is also a lovely view of the Woëvre plain, Montsec and Lake Madine.

A walk along the Chiers, on a mainly tarmac-surfaced and easily accessible route. This walk takes you close to former industrial and production sites that are now disused. In the tranquillity of the forest, imagine the hum of activity from days gone by still echoing amongst the trees and the remnants of the past.

A beautiful walk near Saint-Mihiel on small paths where you can see orchids, a menhir and animals.

Starting from Sivry-les-Buzancy, the trail winds through fields and villages, passing through Bayonville and Imécourt, offering beautiful views of the surrounding countryside. The highlight of the route, Landreville Castle, reveals itself as you walk, adding a touch of heritage to this accessible and rejuvenating hike. Ideal for lovers of nature, tranquillity and local discoveries.

This lake is a reserve with sensitive natural environments, home to a diverse range of flora and fauna.It is a wild environment except on its northern shore, where there are leisure centres that are very pleasant during the summer months, but don't be put off by the crowds and don't hesitate to pay for parking.

This very natural route takes you on a journey of discovery through the wooded hills on the border between the Batte (Belgium) and Coulmy (France) valleys.Anyone with even a passing interest in the region's industrial history will also discover its mining and steel-making past, highlighted by the Transfrontier Iron Mines Trail and a number of information panels along the route.The trail passes by some of the iron mines that brought prosperity to the region in the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as the Musson slag heap, which over time collected all the slag from the mines on the Musson and Halanzy sides. Now cleaned up, it has been turned into a nature reserve managed by the DNF (Nature and Forestry Division).

A circular route that follows open paths with views overlooking Rembercourt-sur-Mad, crosses the forests of the Villecey-sur-Mad communal woodland, runs alongside the Grand Fontaine stream with views of the old ponds, follows part of the Metz-Madine path and runs alongside old buried blockhouses.

An easy walk between Jaulny and its castle and Rembercourt-sur-Mad, through the surrounding forests and along the River Rupt de Mad.

Gaume, this beautiful hilly region in southern Belgium, is known for its mild climate. However, I have no idea if the area is popular with hikers... There are hiking markers all along the route. It is possible that you will encounter few or no people.

A short walk along the border that will allow you to discover or rediscover Orval Abbey.

Lasauvage and Fond-de-Gras are must-see sites for understanding the mining history of this cross-border region.The railway line between Fond-de-Gras and Pétange was built in the 19th century to facilitate the transport of iron ore from the hills to the steelworks and foundries located on the plain.The narrow-gauge network, which can be seen in both Lasauvage and Fond-de-Gras, was used to transport the ore from the underground mine galleries to the transfer points.Fond-de-Gras, formerly known as the Lamadelaine industrial station, has now become a living museum of the region’s mining and industrial past and houses magnificent relics from days gone by. It is also the home of the ‘Train 1900’ and ‘Minièresbunn’ (underground) tourist trains, which operate mainly at weekends and on public holidays from May to September.

A pleasant walk in Gaume, even in gloomy weather, through countryside and forests.The route begins by climbing up to the plateau overlooking Rachecourt before descending into the depths of the Batte valley.After the small reed pond, the route crosses the country ridge before descending to Battincourt, where the playground offers a few benches and a welcome picnic table.In Battincourt, the walk follows the marked "Les Sept Sources" trail in the opposite direction until just beyond the Battincourt ponds.On the way back, the route passes through a lovely arboretum!Please note that some sections, such as the Bois de Pertot, can be very muddy.

Start at the Ermitage de Saint-Léger, continue towards the Trou du Pérou and its waterfall, pass by the Étang du Fourneau David, then the Source Pétrifiante, and finish by crossing the Bois de Saint-Léger.

The mines, the mines of yesterday, the iron mines... this is the main theme of this hike.Fond-de-Gras is the most informative site on this subject: it was the station where narrow-gauge trains converged to unload iron ore into standard-gauge wagons bound for the steelworks and blast furnaces of Pétange, Differdange and others in Belgium and Germany.

A walk to explore Remenauville, a village destroyed during the First World War, with an extension southwards along the edge of ‘Petite Suisse lorraine’ and through the fields.

A walk through the Meuse countryside, taking in woods, meadows and ponds.