The wild Moselle from Mangonville

Park opposite the church in Mangonville on Grande Rue.

(S/E) Leave the car park and head towards the church to take Grande Rue to the left, heading south-south-west. Continue straight ahead until the road turns left and becomes Rue de la Fontaine. At this point, take Chemin de la Banasse opposite the bend (on the right-hand side of the street). After the last house on the left, this road turns sharply to the right and changes from a tarmac road to an unpaved track. It is lined with trees on both sides.

(1) At the junction with a path on the right, Chemin de la Banasse turns sharply left. Follow it southwards. The path climbs up the hillside, initially through a clearing, then along the edge of a wood on the right, before entering the wood. Further on, it runs close to the edge of a cultivated clearing on the right towards the top of the hill and descends the gently sloping hillside.
It eventually leaves the woods and crosses a mixed area of crops and irregular tree plantations. It joins Rue des Vignes in Bainville aux Miroirs.
Turn left and go down Rue des Vignes to the junction with Rue de Lebeuville. Cross Rue de Lebeuville carefully, which has two lanes.

(2) Turn right and follow Rue de Lebeuville westwards until you reach the junction with Chemin J. Carreau (a tarmac road for about 50 metres, then unpaved), which climbs slightly. Turn left onto Chemin J. Carreau and follow it to Chemin Blanc de la Grande Corvée. Follow this road to the left, heading east.

At the next crossroads, turn left onto Chemin de la Grande Côte, which passes close to the cemetery on your right, with the church a little further away at the back of the cemetery.
Descend the hill via Chemin de la Grande Côte, noting the ruins of Bainville-aux-Miroirs castle on your right.
When you reach Rue de Lebeuville, cross it carefully and follow it to the right towards the D570 road.
Cross the D570 road with caution and continue straight ahead on the Montauban road. As you pass, admire the old nail factory and its large wheel. Cross the Canal de l'Est (southern branch) at lock no. 36.

(3) Continue straight ahead with caution on the road to cross the Moselle towards the south-east.
Just after the pumping station on your left, turn right onto the path that starts at the Nature Reserve (Sensitive Natural Area) welcome signs located in the car park.
Follow the path and head towards the river. Admire the landscape and the Moselle's continuous work on its banks. Be careful and do not get too close.
Continue along the river upstream. Observe the traces of old irrigation canals in the meadows.
Further on, the Moselle splits into two. Continue until you reach a crossroads.

(4) At the crossroads, take the left-hand path through the woods. Now is the time to discover the forest and its inhabitants.
Continue to a crossroads in a small clearing. Turn left and continue on the^GR®5F, which will take you back to the road. Turn left to return to the welcome point and continue straight ahead to cross the Moselle and return to lock no. 36.

(3) Turn right onto the towpath - VC de Chaurupt - which runs alongside the Canal de l'Est (southern branch) on your left. Follow it to the junction with Chemin de la Grande Parmentière at lock no. 37 in Chaud Rupt.
After crossing the road, continue along the towpath opposite.

(5) Further on, the path crosses the national road, which passes over a bridge over the canal on the left and serves the area known as Pré le Châtelain. Continue opposite on the towpath to lock no. 38 at Roville-devant-Bayon.

(6) Turn left and cross the Canal de l'Est via a bridge over which the Chemin de l'Écluse passes. Follow this path to enter the village.
At the next crossroads, turn right onto Rue du 4 Septembre 1944, which joins Avenue du Général Leclerc (the D570 road).

(7) Cross the D570 road carefully (at the pedestrian crossing) and take Rue des Acacias opposite.
Continue straight ahead on this road, which climbs gently between two hills, until you reach a crossroads at the end of a small wood on your right. At this point, the road crosses a small stream that has been running alongside it on the left for about 400 metres.

(8) Turn left and continue on the main path. This path goes around the Côte Rochot on the left before heading south. The path runs along the edge of a small plateau before descending towards the village of Mangonville. The path arrives in a small valley where an intermittent stream flows and enters Mangonville via the Petite Rue, a tarmac road at the level of the first houses. This street curves around the cemetery on the right-hand side. Continue along this road until you reach the steps on the left just before a house.
Turn left and take the steps to reach Grande Rue. Turn left to pass in front of the church. Cross Grande Rue and you will find the parking spot opposite the church (S/E).

The car park is located opposite the church in Mangonville on Grande Rue.
Access: RD570, 30 km south of Nancy.

This hike covers varied terrain and requires sturdy footwear.

This hike follows the Meurthe-et-Moselle nature hike no. 23 published by Greater Nancy entitled "La Moselle Sauvage" (The Wild Moselle). The route is marked with blue rings. At the start and end of the route, it follows the^GR®5fand, for a long stretch, a towpath that presents no orientation difficulties. The Sensitive Natural Area is specifically marked with signs. In addition, it is advisable to follow the directions in this description and on the map, while also taking in the landscapes you pass through. The distance indications from the starting point, and even the GPS coordinates of the waypoints (including the starting point), can also help hikers find their way.

Alternative route: at Lock No. 36 (3), turn left onto the towpath along the Canal de l'Est (southern branch). The route is then approximately 9 km long.

The route includes a circular loop through the sensitive nature reserve of Bainville aux Miroirs. Remember to bring your binoculars.
At certain times of the year, the Moselle may overflow onto the path. In this case, stick to the alternative route.
Dogs must be kept on a leash in the reserve.
During the hunting season, check with the Bainville aux Miroirs town hall for the dates of the hunts.

The towpath along the Canal de l'Est (southern branch) is a shared path reserved for pedestrians and bicycles.

An intrepid river
It is known as the "wild Moselle" because it flows freely between Charmes and Bayon, due to its power and its bed of pebbles and sand. Along this stretch, the river has enough power to constantly reshape its banks and course. It is also free from the irreversible consequences of gravel extraction observed upstream and downstream. The different environments that follow one another, from gravel banks to alluvial forests, from meadows to gorse heaths, allow for the maintenance of great diversity. More than a hundred species of birds inhabit the site.

A successful reintroduction of the European beaver
Begun in 1984, the reintroduction of the European beaver, which is protected at European level, has been a success here. In order to settle permanently, this mammal requires the presence of trees such as willows, which it finds in abundance in the vast area of riverside forests. A common misconception is that beavers feed on fish. In fact, Europe's largest rodent, which can weigh up to 30 kg, is vegetarian!

A local nature reserve in Lorraine
Its 400 hectares are doubly protected: in 2006, the Regional Council classified the Moselle Sauvage as a "regional nature reserve" and the Conservatoire d'espaces naturels de Lorraine has been managing it for over twenty years. It has several complementary objectives: to build and preserve an exceptional natural heritage, to protect a natural area under the law, and to make it an exemplary place for environmental awareness and education.
Discovery booklet available for download:
For more information: and

Mangonville
19th-century church.

Bainville aux Miroirs
Traditional Lorraine village, located in the canton of Meine-au-Saintois, 30 km south of Nancy

Saint-Maurice Church
Originally an 11th-century Benedictine priory: Romanesque tower, 18th-century nave and chevet.

Bainville-aux-Miroirs Castle
Former fortified castle built by the Counts of Vaudémont in the 13th century (before 1263). Part of the Châtel-sur-Moselle castellany, Bainville-aux-Miroirs became a strategic location for the Counts of Vaudémont, who were then in open conflict with the Dukes of Lorraine. From the 14th century onwards, the fortress played a role in the war between the Houses of Lorraine and Burgundy. In 1477, after the Battle of Nancy, the castle was confiscated by Duke René II of Lorraine for treason. Badly damaged, it became a romantic ruin. All that remains today is a 26-metre-high stone spur, a curtain wall and a dwelling.

Bingerville Castle
Built in 1844 by Claude-Emile Binger, a second cousin of the explorer Louis-Gustave Binger, who became governor of Abdijean, to which he gave the original name of Bingerville. Claude-Emile Binger converted 90 hectares of gravel pits on the banks of the Moselle into pastureland by developing the banks and installing the necessary drainage systems. This project won an award in an agricultural competition. This vast pastureland provided fodder for the cavalry regiments of Nancy and Lunéville.

Wash house, fountains

Source: Nature walks in Meurthe-et-Moselle, official website of the commune of Bainville aux Miroirs and Wikipedia (excerpts)