Bainville-aux-Miroirs: Nature, Heritage and Cycling Routes

In Bainville-aux-Miroirs, natural surroundings, local history and cycling come together as distinct travel themes. The La Moselle Sauvage regional nature reserve also includes the town. Other highlights include the surviving remains of the Château de Bainville-aux-Miroirs and the Église Saint Maurice. When planning your trip, you can focus on the landscape, architectural history or one of the named cycling routes.

Landscape and nature in La Moselle Sauvage

La Moselle Sauvage covers around 12 kilometres of the Moselle River and surrounding areas. These include alluvial forests, meadows, gravel banks and oxbow lakes. The protected area is home to more than 130 species of regional or national interest. The European beaver is also present; its presence may vary seasonally. Alluvial forests are forests along rivers that are periodically flooded; oxbow lakes are former river channels separated from the main course. Gravel banks are shallow accumulations of gravel in the riverbed in question.

Self-guided visits, as well as guided and educational tours, are available on request. There are also marked trails. Seasonal conditions may apply. Check local access rules before visiting, and bear in mind that tours are available on request.

The Château and Église: Local History

The Château de Bainville-aux-Miroirs was built by the Counts of Vaudémont in the 13th century, before 1263. The surviving features include a 26-metre-high rocky spur with a stone structure, a curtain wall and a residential building. These remains give the Château a tangible connection to the town’s medieval architectural history. Bainville-aux-Miroirs became a strategic location for the Counts of Vaudémont when they were in open conflict with the Dukes of Lorraine.

The Église Saint Maurice has its origins in an 11th-century Benedictine priory. The nave and choir, by contrast, date from the 18th century. Here, you can see two distinct historical periods: its early origins as a priory and the later date of the building sections named today.

Cycling routes and distances

The cycling route between the Colline de Sion and Bainville-aux-Miroirs is 30 kilometres long and passes through twelve municipalities. It was inaugurated in 2023 and continues to be listed as a route by the local tourist office. Via Bainville-aux-Miroirs, it connects the Colline de Sion with the Véloroute La Voie Bleue.

The Véloroute de la colline de Sion runs from Bainville-aux-Miroirs to Saxon-Sion. A variant via Haroué is 36 kilometres long. Read the distances alongside their respective locations: 30 kilometres for the cycling route between the Colline de Sion and Bainville-aux-Miroirs, and 36 kilometres for the variant via Haroué on the Véloroute towards Saxon-Sion. Check route conditions and signage before setting off.

Discover more destinations: Jaulny, Heillecourt, Liverdun, Dommartin-sous-Amance, Flirey, Gondreville, Saint-Clément, Fey-En-Haye.

For the main travel overview: Meurthe-Et-Moselle.