The best cycling routes around Pettonville

The baroque castle of the Dukes of Lorraine is the largest in Eastern France and is considered the "Lorraine Versailles". It was severely damaged by a fire in 2003 and restored in the 2010s after high-profile fundraising campaigns. The castle and park are worth seeing.

Cheap, Pitches are clean, hot water. Basic. There is a ticket machine at the back of the building. No shop/boulangerie is close.

This year we booked a room. Very comfortable size. We were able to store and charge our bikes in the shed. We only served breakfast; for dinner, we went down to the canal.

"The Mairie de Badonviller was originally built in 1811, during the Napoleonic era, and served as the administrative centre of the young municipality. After being badly damaged during the First World War, the building was rebuilt in 1924. "Located on the edge of the Vosges in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department, Badonviller is a village with a turbulent history. In the 19th century, it became a local centre thanks to the flourishing faience industry. But it was during the First World War that Badonviller became known nationwide. On 12 August 1914, the village was one of the first French municipalities to be occupied and pillaged by Bavarian troops. This event was widely reported in the French press and made Badonviller a symbol of German brutality. The village was badly damaged during the fighting and later partially rebuilt. Today, monuments, the necropolis and the townscape bear witness to this turbulent period. Badonviller is part of the 'sentiers de mémoire' — memorial routes that keep the history of the war in the Vosges alive."

"The giant Monument aux Morts de Badonviller, located next to the Église Saint-Martin, is an impressive memorial commemorating the village's inhabitants who died or went missing during the Great War (1914–1918), the Second World War, and the conflicts in Indochina (1946–1954) and Algeria (1954–1962).

"The Église Saint-Martin in Badonviller is a rare example of religious architecture in the Louis XVI style (1788). Although it is of Romanesque origin, its elegant façade is particularly striking, which is one of the few remaining examples of this style in the Lorraine region. Together with the Chapel of the Visitation in Nancy, this church forms a unique duo. The church was badly damaged during the First World War and partially rebuilt afterwards.

War Memorial: This modest but impressive monument in Vaucourt commemorates 37 French soldiers of the 2nd Battalion of Chasseurs à Pied who died here in 1914. A second plaque honors American soldiers from WWI and resistance fighters from WWII. A silent witness to the sacrifices made in this small village for freedom and peace.

In August 1914, the quiet village of Vaucourt fell victim to the first week of the First World War. During the so-called "Wednesday", the village was attacked, bombed and partly destroyed. Seven civilians were killed. Today, the serene atmosphere of the village is a reminder of the resilience of its inhabitants and the scars of a forgotten front line.