Épinal and its surroundings offer many adventurous experiences as well as a historical discovery of many forts that invite you to immerse yourself in the past. Located around Uxegney, these forts were built to protect France against its enemies after the war with Prussia in 1870. At the time, Épinal had become a garrison town after the annexation of the Alsace and Moselle regions by the Prussians. A defensive line was then set up to protect the border and was given the name of La Route des Crêtes (the Route of the Ridges).
Today, there are still many historical remains in our area that are open to visit. For example, there are the forts of Uxegney, the Bois L'Abbé and the Grande Haye. Every year, enthusiastic volunteers maintain and restore these vestiges with energy and in high spirits so that you can visit them safely. Several hiking trails lead to these sites, so we invite you to keep some of your holiday time for a short tour filled with history.
Those who love history will find what they are looking for with the exceptional site of the fortress in Châtel-sur-Moselle. Go back in time during a tour filled with medieval and adventurous accounts skillfully told by eager narrators.
Near the Bouzey Lake, the tourist village of Chaumousey invites its visitors to discover some of the ruins of an abbey and a few houses that used to be there but vanished after damaging floods. A few steps away, you can be guided towards perfectly preserved traditional farms while walking along forest trails. These unexpected discoveries will be a good time to take pictures.
You can also walk around Épinal, where fountains and historic caves are filled with legends and history: don't wait any longer to learn about them! If you want to find them, head for the Fontaine des Trois Soldats (Fountain of the Three Soldiers), the Fontaine Goëry or the Grotte de Notre Dame located in the heart of the forest in Chanteraine.
These walks and sites will give you the chance to visit medieval vestiges, historical military sites, mossy fountains lost in the depths of the woods, old farmhouses and hamlets that seem to come out of a picture book. Our region is rich in historical heritage.