The best road cycling routes around Saint-Mard

For several centuries, it was the old castle chapel that served as the parish church in Bayon. In 1865, Mgr Charles-Martial ALLEMAND-LAVIGNE, bishop of Nancy and Toul, moved by the advanced state of degradation of the chapel, which was threatening to collapse, urged the parishioners to raise a subscription for the reconstruction of a church worthy of a cantonal capital. It was not until 1879 that this subscription was set up by Abbé MICHEL, parish priest, and raised 101,022 F, distributed as follows: 76,022 F from subscriptions, 15,000 F donated by the church fabric, and 10,000 F by the Commune. The new church being estimated at 153,000 F, the difference was the subject of a subsidy request to the State and the Department. Work began in 1881. The new church was consecrated on September 24, 1884, by Mgr TURINAZ, bishop of Nancy and Toul. It is in the shape of a Latin cross and oriented to the West, opposite the previous church. In the Neo-Renaissance style, the building was designed by Mr. GIGOUT, architect, and built by Mr. JEUDY, contractor. In 1905, 21 years after its consecration, numerous defects were noted which compromised the structural stability of the building. The diagnosis established by the expert appointed by the Commune and the Prefect noted, among other things, the fall of a complete section of cornices onto the square, where children were playing. It also noted that vegetation was taking root and dislodging the stones. The installation of scaffolding to carry out the essential repairs allowed for a deeper diagnosis and revealed the "unheard-of" defects of the building. In October 1918, the sacristy was set on fire, as was part of the choir, where the tiling lifted in places. Cracks appeared in the transept and some plaster panels detached from the vault. In the inter-war period, the church underwent numerous repairs. On June 20, 1940, the church was hit by shell fire. The vault over the choir and the high altar were destroyed. The central vault was damaged. The lighting and the bells were put out of order. The bell tower, particularly targeted, was heavily damaged, as were the clock and the organ. From 1948 onwards, major renovations were financed thanks to "war damages". In 1952, the church was equipped with a sound system and the stained glass windows were restored. The following year, a new altar, designed by Abbé GUÉNAIRE and built by the THOMAS company of Bayon, was installed. In January 2012, following a negative opinion from the district safety commission, the church had to be closed to the public "as long as the stability of the bell tower was not assured". After very significant work was carried out, the building has welcomed the faithful again since May 2015. The Saint Martin church is 44.25 meters long, 18.25 meters wide, and originally housed 520 chairs (390 today). Its height is 15 meters under the vault and 18 meters under the dome. The spire soars to a height of 54 meters. By prefectural decree of March 28, 2012, the Saint-Martin church was entirely listed as a Historical Monument "as a representative example of Neo-Renaissance architecture in Lorraine and of the work of architect Léopold GIGOUT". It houses religious heritage which is also listed in the inventory of Historical Monuments but as "objects": a pietà and three 15th-century statues from the old church, as well as a deposition scene dating from the early 16th century and from the chapel of the Hospital.

The baroque castle of the Dukes of Lorraine is the largest in Eastern France and is considered the "Lorraine Versailles". It was severely damaged by a fire in 2003 and restored in the 2010s after high-profile fundraising campaigns. The castle and park are worth seeing.

Lovely greenway for cyclists. Pleasant setting.

A surprising and unusual location where a canal crosses over a river. The view is surprising and offers a beautiful panorama.

nice little hill 👍

beau château

The climb to the Col du Minet gives you stunning panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, making it a must-do for road cyclists seeking both the challenge and the beauty of the pass.

The castle courtyard and the park are freely accessible 👍