The best traffic-free bike rides around Mandres-Aux-Quatre-Tours

Very beautiful place in the forest. Numerous gravel paths ranging from smooth white paths to rougher trails.

The Andilly German War Cemetery is located 10 kilometers north of Toul and three kilometers outside of Andilly (Meurthe-et-Moselle). With 33,085 dead soldiers, it is the largest German World War II military cemetery in France. At the beginning of September 1944, Allied troops were pressing toward Germany. From the Rhône Valley to the Vosges Mountains and the Rhine Valley, fighting against the retreating German troops caused enormous losses on both sides. In 1944, the Americans established a temporary cemetery here for their nationals as well as for fleeing German troops who had fallen in combat. This temporary cemetery contained 5,000 graves. After the war, the Americans relieved their soldiers and reburied them in the American War Cemetery in Saint-Avold. Andilly then became a German military cemetery, where 5,000 victims were buried at the time. From Saint-Avold, 575 German soldiers were buried, and from Épinal-Dinozé, 4,891 died in the Andilly area. In total, the death toll at Andilly rose to 11,000. Following the Franco-German agreement on military graves in 1954, the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge (German Military Graves Maintenance Service) was commissioned by the German government to develop this military necropolis for the victims of World War II in the early 1960s. Its members and benefactors funded its maintenance with their contributions and donations. Starting in 1957, the Volksbund began searching for and gathering in Andilly the bodies of German soldiers who had fallen west of Metz and in eleven departments: Nièvre, Saône-et-Loire, Côte-d'Or, Haute-Marne, Jura, Doubs, Haute-Saône, Vosges, Territoire de Belfort, Meuse, and Meurthe-et-Moselle. There were 2,000 unknown dead German soldiers in the Vosges who were transferred to Andilly. Thus, with 33,085 graves, the largest German military necropolis for the Second World War in France was created. In the spring of 1961, the cemetery was transformed from a garden perspective. The result was a solemn plot surrounded by bushes and trees. The cemetery was opened to the public in 1962.

This is where hemp fiber was once extracted by soaking the plants in ponds. A few information panels provide more information on this craft as well as the flora and fauna that have since settled there. Overall, this is a well-designed and informative site.

These old hemp roasts are the only ones preserved in Lorraine. The bonds between the bast and wooden parts are loosened in water with the help of various microorganisms.

The Chêne de la Nau is a remarkable oak from the Rambucourt forest, in the Grand-Est region. This majestic tree, approximately 300 years old, has a circumference of 420 cm and a height of 22 meters. It is one of the oldest and largest oak trees in France, and has witnessed many events and changes in the country.

Imposing remains. Good opportunity for a break in the shade.

The Neuf-étang des Mandres is a natural pond surrounded by forests and wetlands, sheltering a rich plant and animal biodiversity. You may be able to observe rare species of birds, amphibians, reptiles or insects, as this space is part of a protected area of ecological interest.

Located on the border of the departments of Meurthe-et-Moselle and Meuse, the ponds of the Forêt de la Reine extend over 5,000 hectares and are home to more than 10 natural forest ponds. You can walk the paths that connect the ponds, such as the Rangéval pond, the Mosée pond, the Romé pond and the Boucq pond, which has a remarkable reed bed. You will also be able to admire the fauna that inhabits this Natura 2000 site, such as the marsh harrier, the collared flycatcher, the great crested newt and the lark. Along the way, you will discover the legends and stories that surround this forest which owes its name to Queen Brunehaut, a 7th century sovereign who met a tragic fate. The ponds of the Forêt de la Reine are an ideal destination for long-distance runners who love nature and culture.