Vitry-lès-Nogent can be discovered from different perspectives: at the Church of Saint-Vallier, the focus is on its construction history and architectural layout; around the village, cliffs and forests offer viewpoints with panoramic views of the village. There are also walks where you can look for La Pierre Perçée. If you are planning a stay, you can choose between architecture, historical traces, and scenery. What interests you most: building materials and forms, individual monuments, or a view of the village?
Saint-Vallier: Construction history and layout
The Church of Saint-Vallier in Vitry-lès-Nogent was rebuilt in 1785–1786 by Joseph Valter, following plans by François Nicolas Lancret. It also has stained-glass windows dating from 1750. Its architecture includes an elongated floor plan and a dressed-stone façade; the rest of the masonry is made of rubble stone. Dressed stone refers to worked building stones, while rubble stone consists of irregularly broken stones. This makes it possible to distinguish between the materials used for the façade and those used for the rest of the masonry. The layout of the nave is also described in detail: it has three aisles, each with five bays. Bays divide the nave into individual sections. The floor plan, building materials, and internal layout are therefore distinct aspects through which to explore the architecture, in addition to the history of its reconstruction.
Dolmen and other historical traces
At the Pierre Alot dolmen, a single element takes centre stage: its capstone weighs about 9 tonnes and is 3.20 metres wide and 2.50 metres long on the south side. In 1887, the dolmen was added to the supplementary list of historic monuments. This offers a different way in than Saint-Vallier: there, the focus is on form and layout; here, on the capstone’s dimensions and the monument’s historic designation.
Other details highlight different features. In Rue du Colombier, a small, round, deteriorating tower is among the remains of a former fortified house. In the courtyard of Mauvaignant, the coat-of-arms cross depicts lilies and Saint Hubert on horseback above the column. An early historical reference concerns Vitry (Vitreium), which is mentioned at the beginning of the 13th century. The tower, the cross, and the historical name form are different points of interest: the remains of a formerly fortified house, a specific image, and a historical reference.
Viewpoints and walks
Those who would like to focus more on the landscape will find rocky cliffs and forests around Vitry-lès-Nogent, with viewpoints offering panoramic views over the village. This is a different focus from taking a closer look at masonry, floor plans, or historical symbols. Visitors can also look for La Pierre Perçée on walks in Vitry-lès-Nogent. The landscape and this walking idea offer a different way to experience the village than its construction history.
To help choose your own focus, compare the different scales: at the church, the subject is an entire building; at the dolmen, the dimensions of a capstone; at the coat-of-arms cross, the motifs depicted; and at the viewpoints, the panoramic view of the village. This can help you decide whether you would prefer to plan your stay around architectural details, individual historical traces, or walks.
Discover more destinations: Nully, Anrosey, Auberive, Bourmont, Chevillon, Saints-Geosmes, Vaux-Sous-Aubigny, Villars-Santenoge.
For the broader travel overview: Haute-Marne.
