CHEMIN DE HALAGE / TOWING PATH

Discover the banks of the Saar: earthenware, nature, baroque heritage and Vauban fortress

In Sarreguemines, take the towpath in front of the Casino des Faïenciers, an emblematic building of the town and classified as a Historic Monument for its faience tile façade. Do not hesitate to make a small diversions to the site of the Moulin de la Blies, elected 9th favourite monument of the French in 2015. Take a stroll in the earthenware garden set up in the middle of the industrial wasteland on the banks of the Blies. Just next door, the Musée des Techniques Faïencières, housed in the former production plant that made the town famous, is a must-see.

On your way back to Saarbrücken, you will pass through the village of Grosbliederstroff. On the way, take a look at the St. Innocent church in the middle of the village. Built in 1745, its baroque interior houses listed furniture. The nearby ossuary is listed in the supplementary inventory of historic monuments.

Stop 6 km further on, on the other side of the border, at the Güdingen lock, one of the many river structures along your route.

A few more pedal strokes and you are in Saarbrücken, the capital of the Saarland. There are many culinary and cultural surprises waiting for you here. Take a stroll through the city centre, from the castle and the baroque architectural ensemble around the Ludwigskirche, to the Stiftskirche of St. Arnual, to the St. Johanner Markt market... There is no shortage of activities! From the city centre you can reach the railway station of Sarreguemines with the cross-border tram.

Then the landscape changes completely, you enter the industrialized part of the Saarland. Don't miss the imposing Völklingen ironworks, closed in 1986. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994. Take a look at this great witness to the golden age of the steel industry from a viewing platform on top of a blast furnace (visitors prone to vertigo are advised not to climb).

Another 14 kilometres and you have arrived in the fortress town of Saarlouis. Built in 1685 by Vauban on the orders of Louis XIV to secure the borders of his "pré carré", it still retains its bastions, casemates, barracks and lock bridges, witnesses of its military past. Finally, take the time to have a little gourmet break in the many restaurants in the town centre!