An altarpiece inscribed with the year 1731, the market halls completed in 1869 and a recommended walk along the Mouzon offer different highlights in Lamarche. Those interested in heritage will find architectural history, places of remembrance and a connection to the water. The PARCOURS LAMARCHE includes eleven stops. These include the tower of the former castle, the market halls, Place de Bellune and the Église Notre-Dame de l’Assomption. This selection alone makes clear that the town cannot be reduced to a single period or type of attraction: architecture, religious art and remembrance sit side by side.

Architectural history and religious art

The Église Notre-Dame de l’Assomption dates from the 13th century. It was altered and extended in the 16th and 17th centuries, and is classified as a historic monument. Its history therefore encompasses a medieval origin and later phases of alteration. The church also houses an organ by Nicolas Antoine Lété of Mirecourt. Looking at the building’s history and looking at the organ raise different questions: how has a building changed over the centuries, and which specific instrument is associated with its maker’s name? Both aspects give the church its own cultural profile as a stop on the PARCOURS LAMARCHE.

The altar and the altarpiece of Joan of Arc, formerly of Saint Anne, are in the Église de l’Assomption in Lamarche. The altarpiece bears the inscription “Sainte Anne Priez pour nous 1731”. Alongside the periods that mark the building’s history, this is a precisely dated detail. The year is part of the inscription and provides a specific point of reference for viewing the altarpiece. Those who prefer to focus on a single object of religious heritage rather than the development of a building will find a distinct perspective here.

Squares, monuments and remembrance

Place de Bellune commemorates Claude-Victor Perrin, Duke of Bellune, who was born in Lamarche in 1764. Opposite the Église Notre-Dame de l’Assomption stands a monument commemorating Colonel Renard and depicting his airship “La France”. The two memorials offer different points of focus: Place de Bellune connects a place with the life of someone born in Lamarche; the monument depicts an airship in connection with Colonel Renard. Another year is associated with the Ancienne Maison de Charité: the Sisters of Charity of Nancy moved into the house in 1753. These stops bring together a biography, a memorial monument and the history of the house, although they represent different kinds of remembrance.

Along the water

The itinerary also recommends a relaxing walk along the Mouzon. This adds a landscape perspective alongside architecture, religious art and remembrance. A simple distinction can help you choose what to focus on: the Notre-Dame church and the market halls draw attention to building phases and a year of completion; Place de Bellune and the monument opposite the church are connected with remembrance; the walk along the Mouzon puts water and movement in the foreground. If you are choosing Lamarche for a cultural stay, you can think in advance about which of these perspectives matters most to you, rather than simply ticking off the stops.

Discover more destinations: Mazirot, Fays, Thaon-Les-Vosges, Fraize, Gemmelaincourt, Sainte-Marguerite, Housseras, Golbey

For the overview of the wider region: Vosges.