Corravillers: Heritage and Landscape

Corravillers lies at the gateway to the Plateau des 1000 Étangs. Architectural and industrial history sit alongside named destinations in the landscape. These different focal points offer several thematic ways to explore the area, which you can weigh up when planning your stay.

Church and sacred art

The Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste was rebuilt in the last quarter of the 18th century. The bell-tower porch, built in the 17th century, and the choir have been preserved. At the same time, the church combines a Late Gothic choir with a Neoclassical portal. Late Gothic and Neoclassical refer to different styles; their juxtaposition in the choir and portal makes the contrast concrete. The older parts of the building and its reconstruction therefore belong to different historical layers of the structure.

The church also houses a classified group of apostle statues from the 18th century, made of polychrome-painted and gilded wood. The sculptural group adds an independent element of sacred furnishings to the architectural perspective and offers another point of cultural and historical interest.

The industrial history of Forge Clément

Forge Clément takes visitors from sacred architecture to the industrial past. It was established in Corravillers in 1852 as a factory producing forged tools and specialised in agricultural tools such as hoes, shovels, pickaxes, rakes and mattocks. This range of products brings the focus of its former production to life and sets Forge Clément apart as a subject of industrial history from the town’s religious monuments.

The former Forge Clément is now closed; old machines have been preserved and bear witness to Corravillers’ former industrial and technical heritage.

Landscape and regional setting

Corravillers is one of the municipalities in the Natura 2000 Plateau des mille Étangs area, a Special Protection Area (SPA). The Col du Mont de Fourche is 625 m high and offers a viewpoint overlooking the Vosges massif. The SPA designation provides the regional context; the pass is a specifically named viewpoint among the local landscape destinations.

The Rochers de la Louvière and the Cascade du Tampa are also places to visit in Corravillers. The two destinations represent different landscape features: the rocks and waterfall complement the view from the pass with further points of interest. The Pas de la Saint Jean is associated with a local legend that a footprint was left in a rock. This connection to the rocky landscape grounds the story in the local surroundings.

Historical context

The dates refer to different historical events: one part of the church dates from the 17th century, its reconstruction took place in the last quarter of the 18th century, and the forge was founded in 1852. This makes it possible to distinguish between the architectural history of the Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste and the industrial past of the tool factory.

Discover more destinations: Bourguignon-Lès-Morey, La Rosière, La Barre, Fougerolles, Charcenne, Châteney, Esboz-Brest, Fresse

For the wider travel overview: Haute-Saône.