Parroy / Hesse

Far from bustling cities, this stage leads you through countryside that encourages you to take your time. Several kilometres after Parroy, you might stop at the village of Lagarde, known for its pretty port de plaisance, or marina, on the canal. Beside Moussey, the company town of Bataville was built in 1931 by order of Czech entrepreneur Thomas Bata and is a timepiece worth seeing. The cycle route continues on, passing a vast lake, the Étang du Stock, that might be described as a reservoir of biodiversity and is listed as a world biosphere reserve. At Réchicourt-le-Château, you pass by the deepest Freycinet-gauge lock in France. This stage ends at Sarrebourg, a town famed for its Chapelle des Cordeliers, decorated with magnificent stained-glass windows designed by Marc Chagall.

The route

This stage following the course of the Canal de la Marne au Rhin boasts really high-quality surfacing. A bit before Gondrexange, at the level of the lake, the Étang du Stock, our route joins up with another cycle route, EuroVelo 5; the two share the way up to Strasbourg. To reach the centre of the town of Sarrebourg, there’s a link you can ride along just before the village of Hesse, continuing along the Canal de la Marne au Rhin.

Don't miss

• Lagarde: the port
• Moussey: the company-built town of Bataville
• Réchicourt-le-Château: the major lock, the Grande Écluse
• Gondrexange: the lake, the Étang du Stock
• Sarrebourg: Musée du Pays de Sarrebourg; Chapelle des Cordeliers, with Chagall-designed stained-glass windows