Forteresse de Châtel-sur-Moselle

With 5.5 hectares of remains, the medieval fortress of Châtel-sur-Moselle is considered one of the largest in Europe. Its construction goes back to the eleventh century, when Gérard de Vaudémont rebelled against his elder brother Thierry, Duke of Lorraine. It was then enlarged in the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries, the Counts of Vaudémont and then of Neufchâtel-Bourgogne adapting their buildings to changing defence systems. In the seventeenth century, Louis XIV's soldiers buried the fortress under 200,000 tonnes of rubble. It was rediscovered in 1972 during the first excavation, organised in reaction to a large property development that still spoils the site today. The Association du Vieux Châtel restores, maintains and brings the medieval site to life. It runs guided tours during which visitors can see the objects found in the digs, the restored towers, the ramparts, storage buildings and three levels of underground galleries.

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