The best traffic-free bike rides around Saint-Prancher

In the 18th century, the church of Saint-Brice was attached to the parish of Autreville, deanery of Neufchâteau, diocese of Toul. It was under the patronage of the canons of Saint-Euchaire de Liverdun, now in Meurthe-et-Moselle. The current building was constructed in 1768 at the instigation of Jean-Baptiste Panel, parish priest of Harmonville and Autreville since 1763. A foundation stone preserved in the south wall mentions, which is quite rare, the names of the contractors and the king's architect, residing in Metz »: Dominique George. Only one other church is known to be attributable to him, that of Maizières, in Meurthe-et-Moselle. The two contractors, Dieudonné Mariiez and Jacques Jérôme Prétot, are moreover from this same village. Archives attest to the numerous repair works carried out during the first half of the 19th century, which ended with the purchase of a clock (1841) and three bells (1843). The building is, as is often the case in the region, a barn church whose plastered nave ends in a pentagonal choir with a ribbed vault. The nave and choir are covered by a long tiled roof of mechanical tiles replacing the original hollow tiles. The in-built bell tower is, for its part, covered by a slate spire on a square base. Built in rendered rubble – the ashlar being exclusively reserved for the facade – the church is of great sobriety, tempered neither by the visible corner chains, nor by the molded segmental arch lintel of the portal, nor by the sculpted decorative element, perhaps an old eucharistic oculus (15th century?) inserted into the masonry of the bell tower. Inside, the choir has retained its wooden paneling. The two side altars, the pews with turned wooden armrests and feet, the pulpit adorned with lambrequins and topped by an angel blowing its trumpet, are very likely contemporary with the construction. The church of Saint-Brice preserves a statue of Saint Roch (last quarter of the 16th century) from an old chapel that housed a hermit in the 18th century, and an octagonal baptismal font with a baluster base. In 1998, for the repair of the plasterwork and zinc roofing of the church, the Sauvegarde de l’Art français granted aid of 75,000 F.

Remains of the castle of the Counts of Vaudémont.

The tower is the vestige of the seat of the counts of Vaudémont. The height of their reign was between 1071 and 1472. Now in ruins, it is preserved for the future.

Less known alternative to visiting Colline de Sion.

The RAD RACE 96HOURS is a self-supported bike packing challenge on gravel roads. This means that you are on your own between start and finish of the event. You have to think for yourself and prepare carefully because everything you bring along needs to fit on your bike while you are still able to ride it. Water, nutrition and the right equipment are crucial as well as an honest judgement of your capabilities. The route that we provide is an option but not mandatory to be followed. rad-race.com

Nice little quiet road on the edge of the forest. Be careful though because the road is not closed to cars. A beautiful small road between fields and woods. Unfortunately, the road is not closed to motorists, so be careful.