The Moselle hills starting from Prény

A route in Lorraine which, starting from the pretty little picturesque village of Prény, offers all kinds of contrasts: valley and plateau, forest and vineyard, town and village, medieval castle and high-speed train line.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.35 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 268 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 266 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 359 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 207 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Prény (54530)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 48.980558° / E 5.993211°
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the car park of Prény Town Hall, located on the edge of the village. Take note of the beautiful view over the valley.

(S/E) Leave the village and turn right onto Route de Thiaucourt. Begin the descent for a few metres.

(1) Take the small, barely visible path that leads left into the thicket, first along the edge of the forest and then under cover, until you reach the Beaume Haie stream. Cross the stream. After 100 metres, turn right.

(2) You will come to a crossroads. Turn right and follow the wide, straight path markedGR®5in red and white, which leads out of the forest and to the first houses in Pagny-sur-Moselle. Turn left onto Rue de Baulans, which climbs up to a right-hand bend.

(3) Stay on the main road, which now crosses the Pagny vineyards. Continue straight ahead for about 700 metres until you reach the crossroads, then take the street on the left and then left again, between the last houses in Pagny.

(4) Pass by the imposing Oratory of the Virgin Mary and continue straight ahead. The street turns into a path that climbs steeply to the fountain.

(5) Continue climbing, and after the wide left-hand bend, follow the renovated dry stone wall.

(6) Enter the forest and continue climbing until you reach the bench.

(7) Shortly after the bench, leave theGR® and take the left fork. Move slightly to the right to admire the two venerable twisted beech trees.

(8) Return to the path, begin the descent and, after two hairpin bends, you will reach the crossroads you took earlier.

(2) Take the wide track straight ahead, staying in the forest. Climb slowly towards the plateau along the Beaume stream to reach its source. Then follow the Grande Côte until you reach the edge of the forest.

(9) Walk along the forest for about 500 metres until you reach the crossroads with the large dirt track.

(10) Turn right for a round trip to the large La Grange en Haye farm, visible from afar.

(11) Retrace your steps.

(10) Once back, continue straight ahead on the dirt track that winds through the fields until you reach a junction with a small country road.

(12) Cross the road and follow the LGV for about 1.5 km.

(13) Turn left onto a small tarmac road at Les Chadenets and climb until you reach the metal sculpture in the field on the left.

(14) Continue along the road towards Prény and enter the village via Rue Cotes Coirot. Turn right and, after the wide bend, you will see the old castle tower, covered in ivy, on your right. Pass under the large Porte aux Champs gate.

(15) Immediately turn right onto the small staircase leading down. At the bottom of the stairs, turn left and follow Rue des Remparts to the town hall car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 315 m - Departure: Car park in front of the town hall.
  2. 1 : km 0.24 - alt. 310 m - Entrance to the trail
  3. 2 : km 1 - alt. 229 m - Crossroads of the circular
  4. 3 : km 2.01 - alt. 227 m - Entering the vineyard
  5. 4 : km 2.75 - alt. 230 m - Oratory of the Virgin Mary
  6. 5 : km 2.94 - alt. 254 m - Fountain. Educational panel
  7. 6 : km 3.18 - alt. 283 m - Dry stone wall
  8. 7 : km 3.53 - alt. 319 m - Bench
  9. 8 : km 3.6 - alt. 323 m - Hêtres Tortillards (Pagny-sur-Moselle)
  10. 9 : km 7.67 - alt. 321 m - Exiting the forest
  11. 10 : km 8.12 - alt. 336 m - Crossroads with the main dirt road
  12. 11 : km 8.48 - alt. 339 m - Grange en Haye farm
  13. 12 : km 10.54 - alt. 359 m - Crossroads with the departmental road
  14. 13 : km 12.07 - alt. 312 m - Small crossroads
  15. 14 : km 12.35 - alt. 338 m - Sculpture
  16. 15 : km 13 - alt. 344 m - Prény Castle
  17. S/E : km 13.35 - alt. 315 m - Arrival: Car park in front of the town hall.

Notes

Two possible water sources: The pretty fountain in Pagny (5) and a water tap in Prény, opposite the guardhouse. (15)

The last part of the route, from La Grange en Haye (approximately 5 km), is on the Lorraine plateau, with no shelter available. Bring a hat to protect yourself from the sun in midsummer, or a windbreaker in windy weather!

Worth a visit

(S) The village of Prény has a unique layout. Nestled at the foot of its picturesque castle, it is one of the few hilltop villages in Lorraine and offers magnificent panoramic views over the Moselle valley.
(3) A vineyard in Pagny? Indeed, and it produces good wine.
(5) Fountain: fill up your water bottle and admire the work of the Sonneurs de la Côte, who developed the site. There is an educational panel on the flora of the Côtes de Moselle, including its ten different species of orchids.
(6) Dry stone wall, renovated thanks to the Sonneurs de la Côte.
(7) Admire the superb panorama of the Moselle valley, crossed in the distance by the high-speed railway viaduct, and on the horizon, the Butte de Mousson in the line of sight of a false telescope.
(8) Don't miss the two twisted beech trees, which despite their great age (around 100 years old) are barely more than 2 or 3 metres tall. They are a botanical enigma and as such are protected by an ONF enclosure. Nearby is a normal beech tree of the same age.
(12) The large farm at La Grange en Haye sells its fruit and vegetable produce during the season, as well as processed products (fruit juices, jams), allowing visitors to stock up on local produce. A selection of cold drinks is also available.
(14) Metal sculpture by Angela Detanico and Rafael Lain, created to mark the arrival of the high-speed rail line.
(15) The Château de Prény, now in ruins and listed as a historic monument, still retains an imposing appearance despite its condition. Access is now impossible.
Before passing under the Porte aux Champs, take a moment to admire the magnificent renovated guardhouse!

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 13 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
User 13771275

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 09, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I enjoyed the short circular loop to Pagny more.
The long stretch through the forest that follows must be more pleasant when the trees have regained their foliage, or in the warm summer weather.
The return trip along the wide track from the Grange en Haye farm and then along the TGV line is much more monotonous... The end of the route regains its interest with the climb to the village and the castle ruins, offering a beautiful panoramic view of the Moselle valley.

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Moune57
Moune57

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike, especially the part through the forest. Very easy. Forest path all the way. Very beautiful views. From the farm onwards, it becomes less interesting as the route follows an old road through fields and runs alongside the high-speed rail line. Prény is a very pretty village and the ruins of its castle are worth a look. Worth doing again, but choosing a different circular route to avoid walking alongside the high-speed rail line.

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François VERNIER
François VERNIER

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike that takes you through the forest (with its twisted beech trees), vineyards, fields and the village of Prény with its castle. Worth doing again in spring, summer and autumn.

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Christecol
Christecol

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk through a beautiful forest with a few points of interest. I would definitely do it again in autumn.

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GUILLAUME.S
GUILLAUME.S

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 08, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Pleasant hike in the heatwave as it is very shady

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ericleg57
ericleg57

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 07, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike due to the beautiful village of departure (Prény) and stunning views of the Pagny-sur-Moselle valley below. Passing by the Baume stream allows dogs to cool off, as it remains full even during this heatwave.
There are two difficulties on the route, probably due to the renewal of the GR markings:

- At the start, turn right at the top of the stairs without following the GR, otherwise you will go in the wrong direction. Recent markings may be misleading. You can go directly to the Thiaucourt road from the car park without passing by the ramparts that you see on the way back.

The route from point 8 is confusing: follow the yellow rectangle in the forest to reach the forest exit leading to the farm.

For our part, we closed the route by taking the second forest path from point 8, which leads back to Preny. This allows you to walk entirely through the forest and avoids walking along the LGV, which is an uninteresting part of the route and too sunny during heatwaves.
Otherwise, it is a superb hike that allows you to discover a pretty valley and a very picturesque village.

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biache.pascal@orange .fr
biache.pascal@orange .fr

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 23, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A very interesting first half of the route
From the farmhouse in Haye, it's a bit disappointing: an old, wide, damaged road, followed by the TGV line, even if the end offers some nice views.
However, Prény is a pleasant little village perched on a hillside. With a few variations, it should be possible to make a nice circular route.

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windgilles
windgilles

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk starting from the ruins of the haunted castle of Prény, with varied landscapes, beautiful views and a reliable route. I extended this route a little at the end after point 11, passing through the Bois des Forges and Les Huit Chemins.I did it on a beautiful winter's day, but I think it would be even more beautiful in spring or autumn when passing through the vineyards of Pagny Sur Moselle.

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alain salvador
alain salvador

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 17, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello
At the top of the stairs leading to the castle, remove the sign saying "follow the GR trail" and turn right instead.
Kind regards

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lestoinous
lestoinous

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 14, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant route that allowed us to discover the beautiful ruins of Prény Castle and its historical significance.
It was a pleasant ride in unusually calm conditions, given that lockdown restrictions were being lifted, with little train traffic and no aircraft noise, leaving the soundscape to the birds and allowing us to focus our attention on the abundant but discreet wildlife. As usual, we took the liberty of meandering through the numerous forest clearings. An easy route where the eye takes in the beauty of the large fields of cereals and rapeseed dotted with large colonies of flowers honouring the French flag. Finally, as a reward for our attention, nature offered us a feast of cherries and wild strawberries. Thank you again, Visorando!

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franchie
franchie

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 16, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very pleasant walk through woods and fields. Like Dany, I don't see the point of climbing up to the castle on the way there; you might as well walk down to the Preny road (not Thiaucourt as indicated) from the car park. Similarly, there's no point in making a detour to the Grange en Haye farm (point 9). No matter how hard I looked, I never saw the blockhouse (2nd point 3).

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Dany-REGNIER
Dany-REGNIER

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 14, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A beautiful walk that is 50% forest and 50% plain. At the start, it is possible to set off in the opposite direction from the car park and rejoin the route at the end of the street, which avoids the climb up the steps to the castle. This route is taken on the way back downhill.

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Frantz57
Frantz57

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 12, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

The village of Prény is truly charming and the castle is very distinctive and clearly steeped in history.
A beautiful, varied walk that is not too difficult. Vineyards and orchards are very much in evidence.

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