The large greenhouses and ponds of Saint-Rémy

Circular passing along the Saint-Rémy ponds, the La Maxe greenhouses and the EDF thermal power plant.

Details

103596
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.24 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 6 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 6 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 171 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 161 m

Description of the walk

Parking is available at the multipurpose hall (near the church) in La Maxe.

(S) Start by taking the main road north. At the roundabout, turn left towards Saint-Rémy. Cross the A31 motorway. Follow the tarmac road for the 8.5 km walk.

(1) Walk north along the Saint-Rémy pond and the Metz water catchment area. Cross the A31 motorway again and, 500 metres further on, turn right to reach the Moselle.

(2) Follow the river along the cycle path towards the south-east.

(3) Pass close to the large greenhouses of La Maxe (on the right).

(4) Still on the cycle path, turn right and follow the EDF power station lagoon.

(5) At the northern edge of the power station, turn right and then left onto the small road that leads to the village via the D153b and our starting point.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 165 m - Parking at the La Maxe multipurpose hall
  2. 1 : km 1.62 - alt. 163 m - Étang de Saint-Rémy
  3. 2 : km 3.71 - alt. 161 m - Follow the river southwards - Moselle (la)
  4. 3 : km 4.77 - alt. 162 m - Large greenhouses.
  5. 4 : km 5.71 - alt. 164 m - EDF power station lagoon
  6. 5 : km 7.03 - alt. 164 m - Short route back
  7. S/E : km 8.24 - alt. 165 m - Car park

Worth a visit

Large greenhouses: These are irrigated with water drawn directly from the Moselle.

The power station: This is a thermal power station that generates electricity from coal combustion. Water from the Moselle, collected upstream, is converted into steam to power the electricity-generating turbines. It is then cooled before being discharged downstream into an artificial basin called a lagoon.
The power station will be shut down in April 2015, with dismantling work beginning in July and expected to take 10 years.

Local inns: in Malroy, La Table de Malroy, Aux Trois Capitaines or in St-Rémy.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 16 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.9 / 5
Route interest
3.8 / 5
gerasyl
gerasyl

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

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camillou38
camillou38

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 13, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

Not keen on this route...
Negative points:
the ponds are difficult to see behind the hedges and fences, even the Moselle sometimes disappears behind the trees, there is noise all the time, varying in intensity, but it accompanies us throughout. And then there were three illegal rubbish dumps (tyres and other items), the first LPO area where we wanted to stop was overgrown, so there was no view and it was being used as a public toilet.
Positive points: we saw a few birds and barges, and we had two hours ahead of us, so we were able to cover the route in 1 hour 45 minutes at a fairly brisk pace

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JGPMR
JGPMR

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 22, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Perfect for taking a break from the hills
Yes, you can hear the motorway, but it's not unbearable, and you can wave to the motorists
On the downside, there's no shade and it's on tarmac, ouch, ouch, ouch!

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papey
papey

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 20, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very clean hike

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MachGui
MachGui

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 10, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

An easy and enjoyable walk for a post-lockdown outing!....

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jjvisorando
jjvisorando

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 31, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An interesting route, but with two drawbacks:

- only tarmac
- the section west of the A31 is not very pleasant (motorway noise and fly-tipping)

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zrazra1947
zrazra1947

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 10, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

a rather pleasant walk, especially along the Moselle;
however, as already mentioned, the noise from the A31 motorway is somewhat "disturbing" at times

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zrazra1947
zrazra1947

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 06, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

a rather pleasant walk, especially along the Moselle;
however, as already mentioned, the noise from the A31 motorway is somewhat "disturbing" at times

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Michel CHAMPION
Michel CHAMPION

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 17, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

a very easy ride, mostly on roads or cycle paths covered with tarmac. The main attractions are the banks of the Moselle, the ponds (when accessible) and the birds that live there.

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lilrol
lilrol

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 13, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

It was our first Visorando walk.
We followed the route description but also used a Garmin watch.
It was perfect – the only downside was the very noisy motorway section at the start, but that was over quickly
We'll do it again
Thank you
Best regards

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papoupop
papoupop

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 17, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A charming walk after the first few kilometres along the motorway
Interesting views of the Moselle.

Not to be missed at the end of the walk:

- la Maxe bar, close to the car park, for a debrief. Friendly welcome

- the greenhouse shop with lots of products made in La Maxe!

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claudew57
claudew57

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 10, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

The ride is nice, but it would be better without the first part (D,1,2), which consists of following a road that is of no interest other than passing over the motorway twice and following it for a while!
On the other hand, between points 2 and 5, it's really nice!
A pleasant alternative is to take the path along the small road between the cemetery and the Sauvelot woods towards the Grande Chambière, which you follow to point 2, from where you rejoin the normal route to point 5.
When you reach point 5, instead of turning left towards La Maxe, take the small road/cycle path on the right, which leads back to La Maxe, passing by 162, where an observation point is currently being built.
In the end, you will have covered 6.979 km instead of the initial 8.27 km, but with more nature and less road!

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Randophil57
Randophil57

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 20, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

The ideal route for a Sunday morning run

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Carine&Laurent
Carine&Laurent

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 02, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

The first 2 kilometres are really disappointing: 2 passages over the A31 motorway, the constant noise of the motorway, the petrol station, and the incessant passing of cars on the road.
The rest of the walk is much more pleasant.
Worth trying again, but on rollerblades this time!

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