Lavilleneuve brings together two perspectives for a stay: a landscape shaped by meadows and waterways, and a history reflected in the Church of Saint-Denis, the Grange d’Anglecourt and an old fountain. Before looking for a holiday rental, you can consider whether the landscape or the area’s architecture and history should be the focus of your exploration. Both perspectives are based on specific features of the area.
Landscape, waterways and getting around
According to a municipal environmental report published in June 2022, meadows cover 76.3 per cent of Lavilleneuve, forests 12.2 per cent and agricultural land 11.8 per cent. Of the three stated proportions, the figure for meadows is clearly the largest.
The waterways also give the landscape a distinct, identifiable character. The Meuse is a class 1 watercourse and is among the major waterways that cross the area of Lavilleneuve. The Ruisseau de Rangecourt is six kilometres long and is also one of the area’s most important waterways. Alongside the land-use proportions, then, there are two specifically named waterways, with different details given for their classification and length.
Two road connections are relevant for getting around. The D132A départementale road crosses Lavilleneuve and connects Lénizeul with Rangecourt. The D234 connects Provenchères-sur-Meuse and Montigny-le-Roi with Lavilleneuve. Thus, the D132A is explicitly described as crossing the village, while the D234 connects Lavilleneuve with the two named places.
The Church of Saint-Denis and the history of Morimond
The Church of Saint-Denis dates from the first half of the 16th century. Its history is also linked to Morimond Abbey: the church received the abbey’s great tithe, and the abbey held seigneurial rights in Lavilleneuve. Lavilleneuve is historically closely connected with Morimond; at Saint-Denis, both the ecclesiastical and seigneurial connections are evident. Understanding the building therefore involves considering not only when it was built, but also the historical relationships of which it was part.
The Grange d’Anglecourt and the fountain
The so-called Grange d’Anglecourt was part of the area of Lavilleneuve. Pig farming was particularly important at the grange. It adds a historical agricultural perspective to the village’s ecclesiastical history.
Lavilleneuve has an old fountain built entirely of stone and topped with a cross. One of the village’s old fountain installations once included a niche, which no longer contains a statue. Together with the church and the grange, these buildings show different facets of the village’s history.
Which perspective suits your trip?
If you are weighing up landscape and history, Lavilleneuve offers two distinct points of interest: the proportions of land shaped by meadows and the named waterways on the one hand, and Saint-Denis, Morimond and the historic structures on the other. If you are mainly interested in historical connections, the relationship between the church and the abbey offers a specific focus. If you would like to understand the character of the landscape, the land-use proportions, the Meuse and the Ruisseau de Rangecourt offer a different perspective.
Discover more destinations: Longeau-Percey, Millières, Le Val-D'esnoms, Laferté-sur-Aube, Bailly-aux-Forges, Vignes-La-Côté, Haute-Amance, Saint-Dizier.
For the broader travel overview: Haute-Marne.
