Laval: Church, Legends and Paper History

When looking for a hotel in Laval, it helps to consider which themes you would like to shape your stay. The Église Sainte-Madeleine combines architecture with historic furnishings; the Parc pédagogique Alain Thirion is a public garden, and the audio trail “La papeterie dans les Vosges” offers views of the paper mill site. The “Légendes Vosgiennes” experience adds a distinctive touch with immersive trails and puzzles.

The building history of the Église Sainte-Madeleine

The Église Sainte-Madeleine was built around 1875 in Laval-sur-Vologne. The Neo-Romanesque building is made of pink sandstone and has a 23-metre-high tower. Its style, material and height give the church a distinctive architectural profile. To this day, it retains its furnishings and a gallery organ dating from 1864, made by Manufacture Abbey. The organ therefore predates the church building, which was constructed around 1875; the two dates mark different stages. The church is being restored. If you are planning a visit, check in advance what visiting options are available.

A garden in the former castle grounds

The Parc pédagogique Alain Thirion covers 12,000 m² in the former castle grounds of Laval-sur-Vologne and opened in 2023. As a public garden, it can be visited independently. The grounds also include a children’s play area. If you are travelling with children, you can take this specific feature into account when planning your day; at the same time, the garden offers a different focus from a visit centred on architecture. The area of 12,000 m² and its former use as castle grounds offer different clues to the character of the place. Visiting arrangements may change; check the current options before your visit.

Puzzles and local legends

The immersive trails at “Légendes Vosgiennes” include puzzles. Each area of the park is inspired by a local legend. This gives the experience a recurring theme of folklore, while the puzzles add an interactive challenge. The experience is available in French, English, German and Dutch. The current language selection may change; if a particular language is important to you, check before your visit. Unlike the church’s building history, this experience focuses on storytelling and puzzles.

Paper mills as a point of interest

The audio trail “La papeterie dans les Vosges” is an audio trail in Laval-sur-Vologne and offers views of the paper mill site. Its title sets the paper-making theme; the view adds a concrete connection to the mill grounds. Unlike the church, where the architectural style and furnishings are the focus, this audio trail combines the subject of paper production with a view of the industrial site. This gives you a choice between two different interests: architectural details or a view of the paper mill site. As tourist availability may change, check in advance whether the audio experience is available when you plan to travel.

Discover more destinations: Jeanménil, Wisembach, Rugney, Saint-Léonard, Bulgnéville, Ban-De-Laveline, Hadol, Le Syndicat

For the regional travel overview: Vosges.