Walks and hikes: a nature-sized escape

A route true to the spirit of the Trail de la Croix des Carmes: the flagship race of Pont-à-Mousson, with a challenging and fun course



The TCC 32km is the flagship race of the Trail de la Croix des Carmes, the choice race for those who love challenging, playful, demanding trail running…



With its 32km and 1100m of elevation gain, this route crosses the iconic trails of Pont-à-Mousson, just 30km from Nancy and Metz. There's no room for boredom: a succession of steep climbs, technical sections, and challenging restarts will test both your legs and your mental strength!



Throughout the journey, you will walk through places marked by history: vestiges of the First World War, commemorative monuments, landscapes that tell stories as much as they evoke emotions.



WARNING: The trail route does not necessarily follow a marked path; some paths may be difficult to navigate depending on the weather.

Walk along paths with evocative names punctuated by markers bearing the “P” for Pagny-sur-Moselle and dotted with multiple and sometimes remarkable flowers and shrubs to discover, particularly in spring.

The Sensitive Natural Areas policy of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department aims to preserve remarkable sites.

The Moselle Riverside Meadows site benefits from a prefectural biotope protection decree, and since 2009, the municipality of Pagny-sur-Moselle has acquired most of the land in order to carry out numerous preservation and development activities. It is composed of alluvial meadows and former gravel pits. The alluvial meadows on the banks of the Moselle, which have become very rare in Lorraine, give this site regional importance.

A 2 km educational trail will teach you all about the rich animal and plant life of this site, as well as its history. Along the route, educational panels will introduce you to the secrets of the Sensitive Natural Area, the Moselle river and the dam fall, the historic dry meadows along the banks of the Moselle, and the gravel pit ponds.

The history of the town of Pont-à-Mousson begins in the 1230th century with the construction of a bridge spanning the Moselle; the first mention of the bridge, under the name "Pont à Mousson", appears in XNUMX.



To connect the present with the past, you must climb the famous Mousson hill and, in the courtyard of the old fortified castle, contemplate the town of Pont-à-Mousson and its bridge over the Moselle below.

This hilly route starting from Sainte-Geneviève offers you the most beautiful views of the valleys of the Natagne, the Moselle and even the Seille.



Along the route, you will cross various landscapes, agricultural or wooded, and will be able to observe a few castles in the villages or at the bend in a path.

The Croix des Carmes is a commemorative monument of the First World War, located in the commune of Montauville near Pont à Mousson.



The Croix des Carmes was one of the sectors where the fighting at Bois Le Prêtre in Lorraine took place.



Worth seeing: the forester's house known as "Du Père Hilarion" and its fountain, witnesses to the 1914 war.

The Blue Route voted Cycle Route of the Year 2026 at the Dutch trade fair "Fiets en Wandelbeurs"



After taking the time to discover Pont à Mousson and its treasures: the Prémontrés Abbey, the Musée au Fil du Papier, Place Duroc, etc., join the towpath and the island of Esch, and head along the Moselle.



This stage of La Voie Bleue is marked by the confluence of the Moselle and the Meurthe, which you will follow by bike to the gates of the Ducal City of Nancy, passing through Dieulouard and its Medieval Castle; Custines, where you will also find the entry point to the Boucle de la Moselle, which runs for 85 km and serves the towns of Liverdun (famous for its madeleine); Toul and Nancy. The Boucle de la Moselle is the name given to this section of the river that surrounds the city of Nancy from the west, crossing varied and bucolic landscapes; Frouard, the remains of its castle and the Éperon battery; Champigneulles and its listed park of the Château de Bas; Malzéville and the Douëra park….



You've finally reached the gates of Nancy, known for its three 18th-century-style squares, including the famous "Place Stanislas," a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nancy is one of the must-see stops on your journey.

From the Pétant cemetery in Montauville, head to the place called "le Bois le Prêtre," which was the scene of violent fighting between German and French soldiers from 1914 to 1915. The trench lines were so close that sometimes only 20 meters separated them.



This circuit will take you near the House and the spring of Father Hilarion, near the Croix des Carmes and to the old destroyed village of Fey-en-Haye.