Neufchâteau: Renaissance, Meuse Trails and Holiday Apartment

Neufchâteau is the first place in the Vosges département to be designated a “Site Patrimonial Remarquable”. Place Jeanne d’Arc forms the historic centre of Neufchâteau; historic town palaces line the square. This places the defining historical points of reference in a clearly named location, while the further discoveries of churches, palaces and trails reveal different sides of the town.

Culture and History

The Hôtel de Houdreville is a Renaissance town palace and houses Neufchâteau’s current town hall. Its Renaissance staircase was restored in 2014, and visitors can explore the building’s medieval cellars. Renaissance features, a restored architectural element and medieval cellars stand side by side here, offering visitors several points of connection across different periods.

The churches also preserve special traces of history. The Église Saint-Christophe was first mentioned in 1094. The Église Saint-Nicolas combines two churches in one; free visits are offered there in summer. The religious sites therefore differ both in their documented history and in their architectural feature and seasonal visiting offer.

Le Scala forms part of the complex of the former Couvent des Dames Augustines. The Chapelle Wiriot has a vault dating from 1505 without vault caps and is considered the only one among 300 chapels in France with this feature. These two places broaden the view of Neufchâteau with a former monastic ensemble and a very specifically described detail of architectural craftsmanship.

Trails and Nature

The EuroVélo 19 route, “La Meuse à vélo”, runs through Neufchâteau. On part of its route, the Circuit de la Frézelle follows the Frézelle stream. This places a long-distance cycle route alongside a trail with a clear connection to a body of water, without the two offers having the same character.

Neufeys Forest consists mainly of beech woodland and is home to a giant sequoia. The Circuit de Neufeys designated for Neufchâteau is a 13 km-long hiking trail. The different trail options can be weighed against one another for daily planning according to activity type and landscape connection: cycling, a stream, and woodland together with a clearly specified hiking route each provide their own focus.

Discoveries Along the Way

The family trail “Un détour dans la Plaine” begins in the Rouceux district and follows lightly trafficked paths along the Meuse. Its named starting point, route and course along the Meuse give this offer its own spatial orientation within Neufchâteau.

The “Livret jeu découverte” is intended for children aged 4 to 6, who can use it to discover Neufchâteau’s historic centre. With games such as dot-to-dot pictures, hidden-picture puzzles and mazes, it guides children to Neufchâteau’s most important monuments. It is sold at the tourist office reception as a set with a bag and small extras. Its age range, game formats and form of distribution clearly distinguish the offer from an ordinary sightseeing list.

When choosing a holiday apartment in Neufchâteau, travel dates, room category and cancellation conditions can be considered as separate criteria on the offer pages. The decision can be guided by the focal points already mentioned: historic buildings, playful discoveries, the Meuse, cycling or hiking.

Further Places

Gemmelaincourt, Claudon, Brouvelieures, Champ-Le-Duc, Corcieux, Rehaupal, Le Tholy, Ban-Sur-Meurthe-Clefcy

For the overarching travel overview: Vosges.