Luxeuil-les-Bains et Fougerolles

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The heritage spa town of Luxeuil-les-Bains and the cherry town of Fougerolles

Ever since Antiquity, the hot springs here have made the reputation of this small spa town which specialises in the treatment of rheumatic pain, venous insufficiency and gynaecological disorders. At the same time they have also enabled the creation and development of small businesses and craft workshops.
At the end of Antiquity, Luxeuil, gateway town to the Vosges Mountains, was the site of a period of intense spiritual and intellectual activity led by Colomban de Luxeuil, an Irish monk who between 590 and 610 founded 3 monasteries to promote Christian faith and evangelize both the town and the region. During the Renaissance, the town acquired a rich architectural and ornamental heritage which can be seen along its streets and lanes where many of the listed houses have Gothic red sandstone facades.
There are also many 15th and 16th century mansions : maison espagnole, maison du Bailli, maison du Cardinal Jouffroy with its flamboyant style balcony, the oldest suspended stone balcony in France, maison François Ier, and its arcades, the octagonal Tour des Échevins (archaeological museum and works by the painter Jules Adler), and hotel Pusel. There are also numerous religious buildings from many different periods : the Romano-Gothic basilica of Saint-Pierre, a 13th century medieval abbey church with a superb organ case from 1617 held up by a statue of Atlas and a pretty cloister; the church of Saint-Martin and the monastery.
Luxeuil-les-Bains lace
Luxeuil is also famous for its lace (the Conservatoire de la Dentelle is in a superb setting in the old abbey kitchens) and local smoked ham.
The town has a Heritage and Cultural Centre which displays sarcophagi from Late Antiquity and the Merovingian Era discovered in 2008. There is certainly no time to be bored in this little town which has a full programme of cultural and sporting events, evening markets, etc.

The « Cité du Goût » of Fougerolles : cherries, a conservation orchard and Kirsch production

Distillerie cerise à Luxeuil les Bains — Fougerolles is famous for its cherry distilleries. Cherry growers, individual, small-scale and industrial distillers invite visitors to discover their trades and savoir-faire in this fascinating universe. In spring the orchards of Fougerolles turn white with cherry blossom, a beautiful scene which many people come to admire.
At the heart of a conservation orchard lies the Ecomusée du Pays de la Cerise, a living museum tracing the history of a family of distillers. It includes a mansion dating from 1829, distillery workshops, staff quarters, a ‘chalot’ and present the history of the area in an informative, fun way !
From the 1830s the production of Kirsch became an important activity with up to 40 distilleries (there are only 4 left today). At that time, one or two trains a day exported Kirsch and Absinthe from Fougerolles throughout France. The ban on Absinthe in 1915 dealt a fatal blow to this flourishing industry. The obtention of AOC (PDO) status in 2010 has given a new lease of life to the production of Kirsch.

Pays de Fougerolles

In the Pays de Fougerolles, forests occupy a third of the land enhanced by many dales and deep valleys with clear mountain streams and trout rivers which once powered water wheels for countless mills. Footpaths criss-cross the countryside between wayside crosses, chapels and calvaries built by our ancestors to remote hamlets and old farms with mossy stone roofs.
The area is a blend of tradition and modernity. Fougerolles is a member of the « Site Remarquable du Goût » network created in 1995 which brings together tourism, agriculture, ecology and culture. The town is a gem of southern Vosges and really should not be missed !
Discover Haute-Saône with Gites de France Haute-Saône : Hill Notre-Dame du Haut - Chapelle de Ronchamp, L’Ognon and its character villages, Vesoul, the River Saône."