Why visit Northeast France?

intro

Map

What is the landscape of Northeast France like?

Northern France is a region of hills and plains. Lorraine, in the northeast is a province of scattered hills, thick with forests. Here can be found most northerly of the mountain ranges of France—the Vosges. These mountains rise gradually from west to east by great dome-like summits, whereas on the east they fall away abruptly to the plain of Rhine valley in Alsace. They look out towards the Black Forest of Germany, and have much the same character. The Vosges are rounded hills, thickly wooded and studded with charming little villages. Forests of spruce and beech climb to 4,000 feet in the Vosges, but the summits have kept their moors and open pastures, while clearings are common below. Lower down towards Alsace there are woods of chestnut and of walnut.

Here are the almost permanent battlefields of France. For the most part the countryside is undulating and a rich agricultural area. There is Amiens, however, whose lovely cathedral has escaped damage in two wars. Of interest is Champagne, with its great vineyards. Here is Reims with its glorious cathedral, one of the most historic in France. Epernay is another great centre of the champagne industry. And then there is Troyes, famous in history and containing some magnificent churches and quaint old streets.

Metz has the oldest church in France, the 4th-century church of Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains, while the Cathedrale de St-Etienne is a Gothic masterpiece. From its 300-foot tower, the view is sublime. Nancy is full of architectural gems and harmonious squares, such as the beautiful Place Stanislas opposite the Arc de Triomphe and the Place de la Carriere.

East and south-east of Reims are the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine, for so long "bones of contention” between France and Germany. Strasbourg, one of the larger cities in France, is an important river port on the Rhine in the shadow of the 470-foot spire of the Gothic Cathedral. This is the site of the famous astronomical clock. Colmar, too, is renowned for its many timbered houses. The south-eastern part of Alsace is a wonderful touring district. There are few towns, but the whole area has a picturesque character which will delight you. Do not miss seeing the castle of Lutzebourg.

The Champagne region consists of plateaus and cliffs, often exposed to the south and east, which are covered with the famous vineyards of Champagne. North of here, France is made up of a series of flat plains and rolling country. Thick hedges, and rows and clusters of trees adorn the countryside.

What is the nature of Northeast like?

TEXT

What is the climate of Northeast France like?

TEXT

The official websites