Discover Goviller: Church, Heritage and Landscapes

Get to know Goviller through its architectural history and landscapes. Distinctive highlights to consider when planning your trip include the Parish Church of Saint-Epvre, the 17th-century cemetery calvary, Puits Chazy and the wooded summit of Bois d’Anon. If you are interested in architecture, you will find specific building phases and artistic details here; the landscape and hiking offer different points of interest.

Parish Church of Saint-Epvre: building phases and furnishings

The Parish Church of Saint-Epvre was built at the end of the Gothic period and expanded in 1847 with two side aisles designed by the architect Charles Vivenot of Nancy. Side aisles run alongside the nave; in Goviller, they mark a precisely dated extension to the older building. The church also features architectural elements with a defensive function. The construction date, later extension and defensive function are distinct aspects that help place the architecture in context. If you plan to visit the church, check its current opening hours in advance.

The furnishings include 16th-century works, among them an altarpiece depicting the twelve apostles and an altarpiece of the Passion, as well as several statues of saints and the Virgin Mary. Some of these furnishings are in storage. An altarpiece is a decorated structure behind or above an altar. The two altarpieces mentioned here have different themes: one depicts the twelve apostles, the other the Passion. Together with the statues, they offer insight into different forms of religious art.

The cemetery calvary

Goviller’s cemetery calvary dates from the 17th century. One side shows Christ on the cross; the reverse features a figure of the Virgin Mary. Its construction can also be described through specific details: decorative volutes support a small pitched roof and the crossbeam. Volutes are curved ornamental forms. The work thus combines imagery on its front and reverse with the design of its structural elements.

Puits Chazy: a place to rest and enjoy the view

Puits Chazy was once a four-metre-long well structure. In 2022, the structure and its surroundings were renovated. A picnic table at Puits Chazy offers a view of Sion Hill. The spot is also suitable for a break before ascending or descending Mont D'Anon. If you are planning this ascent or descent, you can include a stop at Puits Chazy as a useful landmark; the view towards Sion Hill is another point of reference at the site.

Bois d’Anon: changing slopes, woodland on the summit

Two distinct periods in time meet on the southern slope of Bois d’Anon: once shaped by vineyards, the slope is now divided between orchards and fallow land. The wooded summit has existed since at least the 18th century and reaches an elevation of 438 m near Goviller. The landscape features described here are therefore quite different: on the slope, the focus is on changes in land use; on the summit, on the enduring woodland. This contrast offers a tangible way to explore the landscape without conflating its distinct areas.

Hiking from Goviller

The hike “Par les trois villages de Goviller, Selaincourt et Dolcourt” begins at the car park on Rue de l'Abbé Jean Harmand in Goviller. The route description was updated in 2023. Check local trail conditions before setting out. The car park mentioned is the starting point around which you can plan this hike.

Cheese from Goviller

In Goviller, the farm cheese dairy Fromagerie l'Etoile de la colline makes cheese from organic cow’s milk produced on its own farm. Local cheese-making is another topic to add to your trip planning alongside architectural and landscape history. If you are considering a visit, check the latest information about the business and its products in advance.

Discover more destinations:

Baccarat, Puxe, Houdémont, Pompey, Homécourt, Moncel-Lès-Lunéville, Essey-Lès-Nancy, Thiaucourt-Regniéville

For the overview of the wider region: Meurthe-Et-Moselle.