Forest Wind: Artistic Walks In The Woods
If you are looking for an idea for a family outing that combines cultural discovery and walking in the fresh air, come and discover the various Vent des forêts trails! The forest between Bar-le-Duc and Verdun is dotted with works of art to be discovered along the various signposted hiking trails.
Works in harmony with the forest
Vent des forêts is an initiative that offers you to hike in the woods between Bar-le-Duc and Verdun and go on a discovery of a hundred contemporary art installations.
These works in wood, iron or stone are the creations of international artists. They have been installed in the forest with the help of many volunteers and local craftsmen.
For nearly 20 years, the Vent des forêts association has invited about ten artists in residence each year for a fortnight in the country Villages surrounding the forest: Fresnes-au-Mont, Ville-devant-Belrain, Lahaymeix, Dompcevrin, Pierrefitte-sur-Aire and Nicey-sur-Aire.
This is how the works, now spread over 5000 hectares of forest, came into being.
Walks to do with the family
Each of the Vent des forêts installations is like a surprise you have to look for in the woods. Enough to encourage children to walk with a good step!
The 7 proposed Hiking trails are so many ideas for family walks because the attraction of discovery makes you want to walk, including the youngest who are sometimes lagging behind...
Real artistic treasure hunts in the woods, these different routes are very well marked and make Walking much more fun for children.
They combine the pleasure of a walk in the open air with curiosity and the discovery of surprising installations, which are revealed at the bend in the forest paths.
During the walk, you can take the time to pause and admire each of the works.
In these times of pandemic, it should be noted that these art walks are a good way to introduce children to contemporary art, while avoiding the crowds in museums.
Seven trails to discover
The Vent des forêts association has created no less than 45 km of trails lined with contemporary art installations.
Since 1997, more than 200 works have been created in this forest. Today, about 100 works are still visible on the trails.
The association offers no less than 7 discovery trails, ranging from 3 to 14 km in length and varying in duration (between 1h and 4h30 of Walking on average):
- Circuit of Marcaulieu
- Louvent circuit
- Short circuit
- The Three Fountains circuit
- Gros Caillou Tour
- Camonin Cross Tour
- Gros Charme Tour
Practical information
To find out more about each of these marked trails and the works to be discovered, we invite you to consult the official website below.
To better enjoy these artistic trails in the forest and to better understand the intentions of each artist, consider downloading the Vent des forêts mobile app.
Finally, note that a map presenting the different trails is available for self-service at the town hall of Fresnes-au-Mont.
The trails are accessible to all, on foot or by bike. They are open all year round but it is advisable to avoid the period from September to March corresponding to the hunting season.
Contact
Town Hall of Fresnes-au-Mont
21, rue des Tassons
Tel : 03 29 71 01 95
Mail : [email protected]
