The road to the salt country
Beneath our feet, our subsoil holds a vast and abundant salt deposit . This gift of nature has shaped the history and landscape of our region for millennia! Between the departments of Meurthe-et-Moselle and Moselle, the Salt Country Route offers a suggested itinerary to discover the history of its exploitation, which began in the Iron Age and continues to this day.
Taking this route means discovering unique landscapes shaped by salt production, themed museums , and saltworks still in operation. Exploring it also means discovering heritage gems , enjoying outdoor activities , and savoring wine delights *.
On the way to an unusual getaway!
Morey
At an altitude of 305 meters, the Château de Morey overlooks the Natagne Valley. The former residence of the Dukes of Lorraine in the 16th century, it is a unique and authentic site steeped in history. While the castle is privately owned and not open to the public, it can easily be admired from the road below.
Manoncourt-sur-Seille
The Seille valley has many castles and fortified houses , intended to protect the entrance to the valley and its precious salt deposits.
The Marcol family, lords of Manoncourt, built this château and its 3-hectare park in the 16th century. Largely destroyed during the First World War, it was rebuilt in 1919-1920 by Monsieur Colin, a wealthy local industrialist. At that time, the Château de Manoncourt was also known as La Maison Colin . The majestic frescoes that decorate the château's ballroom are attributed to Louis Guingot , an artist, inventor, and member of the Nancy School . The interior timber framing is the work of Émile Gallé.
A little history…
Over 200 million years ago, a sea covered the territory now divided between the departments of Meurthe-et-Moselle and Moselle. When it evaporated, it left behind a vast salt deposit! Traces of a proto-industry have been found, beginning around 800 BC near Salonnes and Marsal and continuing for 500 years! From the Middle Ages onward, salt from the Saulnois region was a valuable resource and a symbol of power ; dozens of abbeys exploited it in the Seille Valley. The struggle for control and possession of the Saulnois saltworks lasted for centuries, until the territory was annexed to the Duchy of Lorraine, and then to France in the 17th century.
The construction of the Marne-Rhine Canal in 1853 opened up industrial salt production to other areas. In 1871, the salt production in the Saulnois region came under the control of the German Empire. In response, the French salt industry developed in the Sânon Valley, thanks to the Marne-Rhine Canal. Numerous saltworks were established during this period. Some of them remained a significant part of the local economy until the early 1960s.
He gave
Watered by the Seille River, Nomeny was part of the Bishopric of Metz before being incorporated into the Duchy of Lorraine in 1612. While the old town of Nomeny remained fortified until the 17th century , its ramparts were destroyed on the orders of Richelieu, and its Romanesque fortress was dismantled on the orders of Louis XIV. As for the Gothic castle , it served as a quarry for the construction of the cavalry barracks of Stanislas Leszczynski, Duke of Lorraine! Today, the remains of towers and curtain walls , the fortress's moats, and the paving stones of the castle courtyard still survive.
Aulnois-sur-Seille
It was the Bishopric of Metz that also had a fortified house built here . Transformed and enlarged over the following centuries, the Château d'Aulnois-sur-Seille boasts an architecture that reflects the building's purpose: from a defensive castle to a more luxurious and comfortable residence . The site now houses a nursery and primary school.
Drilling
The coast of Delme
From its height of 403 meters, the coast of Delme offers a superb panorama of the Saulnois and the Nied. Classified Regional Nature Reserve, there are two sectors of limestone lawns where wild orchids grow, as well as Mediterranean-type vegetation such as wild thyme. Many species of butterflies, birds and reptiles have also taken up residence on this witness hill.
Un hiking trail decorated with orientation tables allows you to fully appreciate its landscapes and its unique ecosystem.
The contemporary art center
The contemporary art center is located in the former synagogue of Delme. An unusual venue, it hosts several exhibitions each year and an artist residency . Artists are invited to develop site-specific projects, and the artworks are often produced on-site. Since its opening in 1993, the art center has developed a strong and distinctive identity.
Vic sur Seille
The Bishops' Castle
Vic-sur-Seille boasted prosperous saltworks until the medieval period . In 1200, a powerful fortified castle was built by the Bishop of Metz to protect them from the covetousness of his neighbors. While destruction has accumulated since 1815, the castle is now a beautiful, romantic ruin. Nevertheless, one can still admire the new gatehouse in the Flamboyant Gothic style, built at the beginning of the 16th century.
The Mint
The town was chosen by the bishops of Metz as the capital of their temporal power. The architecture of Vic-sur-Seille was strongly influenced by their presence. Many Rhenish artists practiced their craft there over the centuries, as exemplified by the Mint, dating from 1456 and boasting remarkable architectural decoration.
The Georges de la Tour Departmental Museum
Vic-sur-Seille is the birthplace of Georges de la Tour, one of the greatest French painters of the 17th centuryThe artist was the subject of numerous commissions from King Louis XIII and an important Parisian clientele.
The museum presents a beautiful collection of French paintings, from the 17th to the early 20th centuryThe culmination is the painter's most singular work, Saint John the Baptist in the desert, recognized as a major painting.
The Vic-sur-Seille vineyard
The town's prosperity has long been linked to salt, but also to viticulture. Today, its 8 hectares of vineyards are part of the Moselle AOC area and produce rosé, white, red, still, and sparkling wines. Several estates welcome visitors for tours and tastings*.
Middlevic
Halfway between Vic-sur-Seille and Marsal, let's stop for a moment in Moyenvic. The presence of a saltworks there is documented as early as the 9th century. A subject of dispute between the bishops of Metz and the Duchy of Lorraine, it became French in 1661. In decline after the Revolution, it was closed in 1897. Today, only one building remains , rebuilt at the end of the 18th or the beginning of the 19th century.
Marsal
Salt ponds
The presence of salt is evident in the Seille Valley, through salt marshes and meadows. These natural environments, rare in France and Europe, are home to halophytic flora characteristic of coastal areas, including the famous samphire . A discovery trail has been created to explain the formation of these salt marshes while respecting the ecosystems.
The Gate of France
A remnant of the Vauban fortifications , this is one of the entrances allowing access to the old salt city. In 1699, the saltworks closed: the fortified enclosure, including the Porte de France, gradually lost its defensive role.
The Departmental Salt Museum
Located in the Porte de France, the museum traces the history of salt in Marsal and the Saulnois region . It also recounts the history of this former strategic stronghold. The collections highlight salt production techniques used since prehistoric times. Among the treasures preserved are archaeological remains, religious objects, and everyday items, offering a glimpse into life in bygone eras. The exhibition design emphasizes the defensive structures and features a 3D reconstruction of the citadel as it appeared during Vauban's time.
The royal saltworks of Dieuze
For centuries, the exploitation and trade of salt have been a source of wealth for Lorraine and in particular for the Saulnois region which owes its name to it. From 1408, the saltworks of Dieuze took on the appearance of a fortified bastion and formed a separate urban complex. Attached to the royal domain in 1737, they then became the main source of production among the six salt works in the kingdom. At its peak, this activity employed up to 700 workers.
The visit allows you to discover the salt well building (the riding school), the Délivrance building (former salt stores), the administrative building and its park, and the monumental 18th century gate.
The Lindre estate
East of Dieuze begins the Land of Ponds. It features a diversity of environments: forests, cultivated fields, wet meadows, ponds, lakes, reedbeds, and highly branched waterways. It is an important stopover for migratory birds.
Located within the Lorraine Regional Natural Park, the Lindre estate is classified as a Sensitive Natural Area (ENS) and covers 1,000 hectares. This haven of peace comprises a dozen fish ponds. Two bird observatories allow visitors to observe the 250 bird species that inhabit the estate, including common cranes. Discovery trails allow you to appreciate this unique environment.
Tarquimpol
Situated on the peninsula of the Lindre pond, Tarquimpol is an ancient Gallo-Roman site , now one of the most beautiful villages in Lorraine. Its lovely heritage includes the church of Saint-Etienne with its 12th-century Romanesque round tower, and the castle of Alteville.
Bures
The Sensitive Natural Area of the Parroy pond
Let's leave Saulnois to join another territory whose history is closely linked to the exploitation of salt: the Land of Sânon.
Arriving in Bures, a landscape of ponds is once again revealed. Classified Sensitive Natural Area, Parroy pond can be discovered along an educational trail. Decorated with information panels on the site's flora and fauna, it allows different views of the pond and the reed bed which constitute the natural habitat of many birds.
The leisure center
In the southern part of the lake, the leisure center offers a range of water sports and outdoor activities. Canoeing, pedal boating, windsurfing: your getaway to the land of salt takes on a real holiday feel!
The V52 and the Marne-Rhine Canal
The Marne-Rhine Canal connects Nancy to Strasbourg. It offers boaters seven ports and river stops, providing access to shops and opportunities to explore the surrounding area. The V52 cycle route, which also connects these two cities, follows the canal bank.
The salt headframe of Einville-au-Jard
The headframes are slender wooden structures built to protect a well . It is through these structures that the deep salt layer is reached. Here, the salt aquifer lies 150 meters below our feet. The extraction technique is simple: water was pumped to reach the deposit and dissolve the salt. Then, the salt-saturated liquid, called brine, was brought to the surface via a pumping system. Finally, the brine was transported to the saltworks where it was evaporated to extract the salt.
This headframe has been reconstructed and moved to the edge of the road leading to Einville. Inside, period equipment and an exhibition evoke the history of the saltworks in the Sânon valley from 1870 to the present day.
Dombasle-sur-Meurthe
Southeast of Nancy, salt production was revived in the 19th century thanks to the Solvay company , which developed the process for manufacturing sodium carbonate using ammonia. This mineral alkali, also known as soda ash, is used in numerous manufacturing processes. The Dombasle factory, still in operation, was founded in 1873 to produce this soda ash, using salt from Varangéville.
The stud farm and the saddle salt museum in Rosières-aux-Salines
It is to Colbert that we owe the organization of the first royal stud farms in order to ensure the army's remount. Rosières stud farm in Les Salines was created in 1767 by the Marquis de la Galaizière, representative of the King of France in Lorraine. It is one of the oldest stud farms in France. It is located on the location of the former royal saltworks, closed in 1760 after 600 years of activity.
If the stud farm is today a training center and an equestrian complex, it also houses the salt museum in the saddle which allows you to discover this unique story.
Saint-Nicolas-de-Port
The French Brewery Museum
Operating for nearly a century, until 1985, the Saint-Nicolas-de-Port brewery is part of a long local brewing tradition. Today, the site is entirely dedicated to the history of beer in Lorraine and France, and to brewing techniques. The buildings date from the 1930s and are a fine example of Art Deco industrial architecture . Conclude your visit with a tasting of a beer* specially brewed for the French Brewing Museum!
The Basilica of Saint Nicholas
The history of this building is closely linked to that of the region. It was indeed Duke René II of Lorraine, after his victory over the Burgundian Charles the Bold in 1477, who commissioned the construction of the basilica . Since then, it has attracted ever-increasing numbers of pilgrims and visitors. Built in the Flamboyant Gothic style, the basilica is dedicated to Nicholas, the patron saint of Lorraine.
Varangeville
The former priory and the church of Saint-Gorgon
Near Saint-Nicolas-de-Port, head towards the town of Varangéville. The priory tower is the only remaining vestige of the first church, built in the 9th century and dedicated to Saint Gorgon. In the 15th century, construction began on a new building, the church we know today. Upon entering the Church of Saint Gorgon , one appreciates the architectural principle of the hall church : the height of the nave vault and that of the side aisles is the same.
The salt mines of Varangéville
The thick, flat layers of salt, developed over centuries thanks to technological advancements, allowed for the evolution of underground mining. The Varangéville salt mines are the last still operating in France. Nearly 300 km of tunnels stretch beneath your feet, sheltering a salt deposit over 230 million years old. 160 meters underground , an unusual experience awaits you. Accompanied by a guide, you'll discover the mine's history from 1856 to the present day! Here, some forty miners perpetuate an ancestral craft every day: the extraction of rock salt. And to extend the experience, you can even enjoy a meal within the underground galleries!
Haraucourt
The House of Salt
In the heart of the salt basin, this educational space aims to promote the history of industrial salt exploitation in Lorraine.
Reopening planned for 2026.
The salt collapse observatory
The landscape is sometimes marked by vast collapses, as here at Haraucourt. They result from the subsidence of cavities formed by salt extraction in brine. This landscape upheaval is home to unique vegetation, flora, and fauna. It is also of paleontological interest, with the cliffs revealing fossils.
Un observatory has been specially designed on the site. Panoramic binoculars and educational tools allow you to discover this unique landscape.
The national necropolis of Courbesseaux
Meurthe-et-Moselle and Moselle have always been border regions and victims of various world conflicts. While the village of Courbesseaux was destroyed in 1914, the national necropolis stands as a symbol of the battles that devastated the Grand Couronné area. It now holds the remains of 2679 victims of the First World War.
*Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health, consume in moderation