Heritage loop n°4 - the glassworks of Portieux

By bike, discover the right bank of the Moselle, from the Portieux glassworks, which was one of the most important crystal manufacturers in France, to the birthplace of painter Claude Gelée.

Follow the signs to the heart of the village of Portieux.
1) Discover the church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Initially a simple chapel consecrated in 1629, the building was constructed around 1740. Only the tower still dates from this period, the nave having been rebuilt in 1838. Next to it is the convent of the Sisters of Providence, founded in 1803. The nuns were from the convent of Essegney and provided education there. Its chapel is said to date from 1855.
2) Halfway between Portieux and La Verrerie is the former priory of Belval, founded in 1107. Today, this place has become a home for adults with disabilities. Some buildings from the 18th century can be seen there.
3) Founded in 1705, the Portieux glassworks was one of the most important crystal manufacturers in France. Nearly 800 workers were employed there at the end of the 19th century. A real industrial village thus formed around the factory, with housing, shops, and even a church, consecrated in 1900. The glassworks has now closed its doors.
4) Built in 1730, the Pilan mill crushed the materials necessary for the operation of the glassworks. It has a wheel with a diameter of 6 meters, which is the largest in the region.
5) The Commonwealth cemetery contains the graves of 199 soldiers who participated in World War I, as well as 13 soldiers from World War II.
6) Upon arriving in the village of Chamagne, you can particularly see the church of Saint-Denis. Built around 1730, its bulbous steeple differentiates it from other churches in the canton. It contains a pietà in stone from the first half of the 16th century. The village is also known for being the birthplace of Claude Gellée, an internationally renowned landscape painter born around 1600.
7) Your route will take you near L'Île-sous-Essegney, which is a protected natural area. Indeed, having gained speed in its upstream section, the water of the Moselle tears off pieces of land from the banks and deposits them on the opposite shore, allowing for the formation of meanders. The deposits of sand and pebbles see plants take root, then shrubs, and finally give way to a riverside forest.