Avillers-Sainte-Croix: Stained Glass, History and Hiking Route

Avillers-Sainte-Croix lies amid the Woëvre Plain. Both the landscape and local cultural themes are relevant when planning your trip: sacred art, religious traditions, and the history of the Templars and Hospitallers shape the historical perspective on the town. A named hiking route adds a specific opportunity for outdoor activity to these highlights. You can therefore plan your stay around a cultural interest or a designated trail.

Stained glass and religious traditions

The parish church of Sainte-Croix contains a collection of figurative stained-glass windows. J. Benoît of Nancy and the Graff and Adam workshops of Bar-le-Duc created them between 1923 and 1936. The windows feature biblical, historical and saintly figures. Different themes thus come together in one collection; the period in which they were made and the named artists also give the windows a specific art-historical context. If you are interested in sacred art, this is a clear cultural point of interest.

A local tradition is also associated with the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross: it is said to have once housed a piece of the cross of Jesus Christ. In local tradition, Saint Nicholas is regarded as the protector of young children, people wishing to marry and travellers. Local tradition thus links the veneration of saints with different stages of life. Avillers-Sainte-Croix is also home to a gilded wooden statue of the saint dating from 1830. Its date of creation is well before the period in which the stained-glass windows were made, bringing different historical periods to the fore in the local religious heritage.

Templars, Hospitallers and the Calvary

The town’s history extends beyond art and religious traditions. The hospital in Avillers was the first establishment of the Templar Order in the Diocese of Verdun. The Templars’ holdings associated with Avillers later passed to the Hospitallers. This brings two distinct historical connections together: the hospital’s position within the diocese and the later transfer of the holdings to another order. For you as a traveller, this offers an institutional perspective on the town’s history, distinct from the imagery and local traditions.

In April 2019, stonemason Jean-Louis Paillet of Bouconville restored the Calvary at the entrance to Avillers-Sainte-Croix. If you wish to visit the Calvary or the church interior, check visiting arrangements in advance.

“Les vergers par Avillers-Sainte-Croix” hiking route

The “Les vergers par Avillers-Sainte-Croix” hiking route is a specific option for outdoor activity. It is 3.68 km long, has an ascent of 21 m and is rated easy. The distance indicates the length of the route, while the ascent indicates the elevation gain; “easy” is the designated difficulty category. Together, these details provide a specific starting point for deciding how to fit the route into your plans. Route details may change; check the information before setting out.

Discover more destinations

Laheycourt, Écouviez, Les Hauts-de-Chée, Varennes-en-Argonne, Nettancourt, Le Neufour, Brandeville, Vacherauville

For the overview of the wider region: Meuse.