Mont-Saint-Germain Archaeological Site, Châtel-Saint-Germain, France

Located 7 km west of Metz, the archeological site of the village of Châtel-Saint-Germain, a 313-meter promontory, dominates the Montvaux valley. Hissé on a limestone spur, it alone brings together a wide variety of vestiges of many different eras.

The site consists of three parts. The first part houses the remnants of an area of Gaul from 2nd century.

The Merovingian necropolis is the second wave of occupation. The originality of this incredible cemetery of nearly 374 graves is its very unusual location, juched 300 meters high! The various search campaigns attest to the richness of funeral furniture (sarcophagi, stone coffers).

In the twelfth century, the Benedictine of the Abbey Saint Vincent of Metz. The monastic life of the monastic life is reflected in the annex buildings (artisanal facilities, bread oven). Only the tower tower of the Priory Church (with its only window) still exists today. From the top of its 9 m, its Romanesque style gives the place a great medieval charm.

While the historic attraction of the site is undeniable, the beauty of its natural surroundings (between slopes, wood and clearing) also contributes to its tourist success.

Access: parking (first to left after the village church), start of the trail on the right on the route 30 m higher. Take 25 min of climb enough! Think of having good hiking

References:

petitfute.co.uk

User Reviews

2dkayak (4 months ago)
Nice place for a stop.

Falco Wisskirchen (4 months ago)
A recommended excursion for anyone interested in history and ruins. It is a very unusual place where different eras mix and more question marks arise than answers can be found. A mystery for those who wonder.

poubelle roess (6 months ago)
Amazing ruin of the castle. The church tower, a few walls and a large necropolis remain. I don't know how many open stone coffins lying on the ground. Intriguing and exciting. The municipality could, however, better maintain the paths which are overgrown with brambles....

Stan De Closmadeuc (9 months ago)
The ruins are not very interesting. There are beautiful walks all around. Near Metz, these walks are shaded and pleasant in summer. Magnificent geocaches in the area.

Liane Hein (2 years ago)
From the large free parking lot (also suitable for mobile homes), it's only a 10-minute walk to the ruins. There are some information boards. The path is a bit bumpy, but no gradient. You can also do a small circular route that then leads down the other side and back across the street. Once you get to the front you have a great view and a bench to sit on. Visiting is free and the ruins are open 24 hours a day.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Zvonimir Hrvoj

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The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.

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Mont-Saint-Germain Archaeological Site

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