Fey-en-Haye can be viewed through two dimensions of its history: the changes the village underwent during the First World War and the cultural route that passes through it. At the beginning of the war, from 1914 to 1915, Fey-en-Haye lay between the French and German lines. The Croix des Carmes monument, the Church of Saint-Gorgon-Sainte-Croix and the Croix des Carmes stained-glass window in Saint-Gorgon offer concrete forms of remembrance that complement this historical context. For travellers interested in the history of the First World War, the village thus offers several distinct points of interest.

A destroyed village and its reconstruction

Fey-en-Haye was completely destroyed during the First World War and rebuilt a few hundred metres from its original site. Its position at the front from 1914 to 1915 and its subsequent relocation address different questions: the first places Fey-en-Haye between the French and German lines at the beginning of the war; the second shows how the village changed location after its destruction. The history of the village is therefore not solely about a section of the front, but also about how the rebuilt village was established at a different site. These two aspects give its history both a temporal and a spatial dimension.

The monument and forms of remembrance

The Croix des Carmes monument, created by Emile Just Bachelet in 1923, stands at Le Grand Buisson in Fey-en-Haye. It depicts a stone cross carried by two French soldiers. The depiction draws attention to a specific motif: not only the cross, but also the two men carrying it. The Church of Saint-Gorgon-Sainte-Croix is both a memorial site and significant for its architectural heritage. The Croix des Carmes stained-glass window is located in the Church of Saint-Gorgon in Fey-en-Haye. It was designed to be viewed from both outside and inside. Visitors interested in how places of remembrance are designed will find several forms here: the depiction on the stone monument, the stained-glass window, and the church with its history of commemoration and architecture.

Fey-en-Haye on the cultural route

The Route du Saillant de Saint-Mihiel is a cultural route through First World War heritage that passes through Fey-en-Haye and follows the former front line. Specially installed signposting connects the most significant historic sites and helps visitors find their way along the route. Before your trip, check how the route is signposted on site. The cultural route therefore offers a different perspective from the individual memorial sites: it places Fey-en-Haye along a historic route, while the monument and church window are specific cultural points of reference in the village. When planning your trip, you can therefore decide whether to focus primarily on the former front line or on local forms of remembrance.

Choosing a focus for your trip

The themes can be considered at different scales: the village's position between the front lines and its reconstruction tell its local history; the monument and church window draw attention to forms of remembrance; the route extends this perspective along the former front. If you are looking for accommodation for a cultural stay, this distinction can help you choose the focus of your trip: local history, commemorative art or the cultural route.

Discover more destinations: Mexy, Pierre-Percée, Bréhain-La-Ville, Igney, Lunéville, Franconville, Saint-Pierremont, Crézilles

For an overview of the wider area: Meurthe-Et-Moselle.