The best traffic-free bike rides around Vexaincourt

Situated in the heart of the Vosges, this dam, together with Lac de la Plaine, forms an important water reservoir. The dam was built to feed Lac de Pierre-Percée via an underground system. The climb up to it is gradual and rewards you with a view of the peaceful Lac de la Plaine. The road along the lake is ideal for a breather, with little traffic and lots of nature. Perfect for a short break or a photo opportunity during your ride.

This impressive dam, located in the Vosges, forms an artificial water reservoir together with the Lac de Pierre-Percée. The dam is 69 metres high and 330 metres long, built with a clay core and lined with volcanic rock. It plays an important role in water management and energy production via an underground water connection with the Lac de la Plaine. The surrounding area offers beautiful views and is ideal for hiking along rocky paths, forests and viewpoints over the lake.

Pierre-Percée is a small mountain village in the east of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department, on the edge of the Vosges Mountains. With fewer than 100 inhabitants, it is one of the smallest communes in the region. Situated on the edge of the Plaine Valley, the village is built at the foot of the ruins of the medieval Château de Pierre-Percée, which once belonged to the Counts of Salm. The village's name refers to a 33-meter-deep well carved into the rock beneath the castle. During the Thirty Years' War, the village, like the castle, was largely destroyed. In the 20th century, Pierre-Percée regained significance with the construction of the EDF reservoir and the creation of a recreation area, which today attracts tourists for hiking, water sports, and nature experiences.

The Second Princes' Palace of Salm was built between 1773 and 1778 by Ludwig Karl Otto. After the prince's escape in 1793, it was converted into a cotton mill. After this period, the building fell into disrepair. It has now been restored and is used as a residential building.

This memorial commemorates the dead of the First World War as well as the citizens of Pierre-Percée who died in other wars.

Rothau played an important role in the valley's religious history, as evidenced by this 19th-century Protestant church. Admission is free.

Near the Pierre-Percée lake, the Plaine lake is smaller, less known but just as charming. It also has the advantage of being bordered by a beautiful cycle path. Not the surface we prefer for mountain biking, but a great way to advance in the valley to access the many spots of the Vosges.

The Senones monastery, an abbey in the Rabodeau valley in the present-day town of Senones in Lorraine, was founded in 661 by Saint Gondelbert, the former Archbishop of Sens. The documentary evidence is incomplete. The Benedictine monk Richer of Senones wrote the story up to 1263. However, his work is disputed. Around two hundred monks are said to have lived in the abbey in the 9th century. The monastery became a fief of the bishops of Metz, and Angilram in particular tried to gain ties. The order's power lay with the diocese of Toul. In 1103, Kunegund, the widow of Matfried of Tincry, and her sons donated goods to the abbey's Tures priory. Her eldest son Gobert became vogt of Senones in 1105. From 1111 to 1126, Hermann II of Salm was vogt. His son Henry I continued his work. Abbot Augustin Calmet became famous through his Bible commentary La Saint Bible en Latin et en françois, avec une commentaire littéral et critique. Prince Konstantin Alexander Joseph of Salm-Salm ordered the secularization of Senones Abbey on February 24, 1790, against which the abbey protested in the chapter on March 1 and filed a complaint with the Imperial Chamber Court in Wetzlar. Nevertheless, the monastery was dissolved in 1793. The bell tower is from the High Middle Ages, the other buildings date from the 18th and 19th centuries. In 1983, the abbey was classified as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abtei_Senones