Crossing ages and landscapes

You'll travel through time on this stage, from the Gallo-Roman era to the spectacular 18th century, via the Renaissance... Picturesque roads along the Meuse, majestic forests dotted with lakes and a few sporting climbs await you on this stage!

Leaving the Valley of Colours - Vaucouleurs takes its name from the Gallo-Roman Vallis Colorum - you can follow the picturesque lanes that stretch along the river. To the south of Void, a beautiful climb awaits you.

Take a break in Commercy, not just for its madeleines - the town is the birthplace of them - but also for its Château Stanislas, a superb neoclassical building that takes us right back to the 18th century. At that time, King Stanislas was spectacularly embellishing the town of Nancy and the surrounding area. The Château de Commercy was one of the favourite residences of the former King of Poland and his court.

Mécrin, Brasseitte, Han-sur-Meuse: the route takes you through the beautiful Lorraine Regional Nature Park, with its wet forests, forest and meadow ponds and 340 lakes, home to a remarkable array of flora and fauna. This enchanting atmosphere slowly takes hold of you... But you'll have to come to your senses nearAilly-sur-Meuse, where a short, steep slope will save you from the road. Take heart: at the top is the Tranchée de la Soif, a touching memorial to the 1914/1918 war.

This is where things get a little tougher, much to the delight of sports enthusiasts and mountain bikers! The Meuse à vélo route takes you to Saint-Mihiel, a town with beautiful Renaissance facades, the birthplace of the sculptor Ligier Richier in the early 16th century. Don't miss the church of Saint-Etienne, with its superb Entombment carved in Saint-Mihiel stone. The former Benedictine abbey and its impressive 18th-century library are also well worth a visit.