Hombourg-Haut is a city of Moselle, in the region of Grand Est, 50 kilometers east of Metz.
Located in the natural region of Warndt, a geological and forest massif that covers the east of the Moselle and the German Saar, the territory of the town is crossed by the Rosselle.
The city developed from the thirteenth century when the bishops of Metz built a fortified castle on a hill replacing a first stronghold below, in the heart of the former village of Hombourg-Bas, which was absorbed to the Revolution.
In the sixteenth century, the fief passes to the Duke of Guise and the Duke of Lorraine and finally to the princes of Phalsbourg, not returning to the Kingdom of France in 1766. Meanwhile, the Thirty Years War has weakened the city and the castle was partly dismantled by Richelieu.
After the establishment of a first forge in 1758 by Charles de Wendel, Hombourg-Haut experienced in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries a new boom thanks to the metallurgical industry in connection with the mines of the coalfield in Lorraine whose strongholds are nearby, as Freyming -Merlebach.
The city which has only 1,500 inhabitants in 1800 passed the cap of 10,000 inhabitants in 1968 at the peak of the mining and metallurgical industry, and after the development of workers' cities.
With the cessation of the exploitation of the coal, Hombourg-Haut begins a reconversion. If the town has only about 7,200 inhabitants, its rich historical and environmental heritage and its associative dynamism are valuable assets that justify a tourist stage.
A discovery of the city must begin with the medieval high town around the remains of the castle built in the thirteenth century. Owned by the bishops of Metz until 1572, it was sold to the Duke of Lorraine in 1581 and enlarged in the late sixteenth century and early seventeenth. The whole paid a heavy tribute to the Thirty Years War. Wall sections and a bastion have been preserved, as well as a fortified gate, which was rebuilt in the 17th century.
But the city has other interesting heritage elements, such as the remains of the first castle on Hombourg-Bas, Hellering castle (eighteenth and nineteenth centuries) burned in 1918, or the castle Hausen, built by the family of Wendel in the eighteenth century then headquarters of Houillères Bassin de Lorraine until 1996 and now City Hall.
On the religious level, we will be interested in the superb Saint-Étienne collegiate church of the 12th and 15th centuries and in the Saint Catherine chapel of the 13th century, with its Gothic bays, which served as a funerary chapel for the local lords. to become a center of pilgrimage after its restoration in the 17th century.
The Convent of the Récollets (eighteenth century) which replaced the chapter of Saint-Étienne is worth the detour, as several chapels of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries built in the working class.
We will not forget the Villa Gouvy, built by a forge master in 1852 and which now houses the Tourist Office...
Guided tours are offered including the upper town and the main historical sites. Price: 4 euros. Reservation on +33 3 87 90 53 53.
On the environmental front, the forests of Zang and Steinberg total 350 hectares crossed by trails.
We will also enjoy the pond of Papiermühle where recreational facilities have been developed.
Many hiking opportunities are offered to visitors, including historic sites, forests or discovery of old industrial areas. Documentation and information on +33 3 87 90 53 53.
Numerous "multi-sports" areas dot the city, including football and basketball courts, and children's games. A fitness trail has been set up in the Riviera district and a bowling alley is available at rue des Romains (La Chapelle district).
We will not forget the tennis fans (contact +33 3 87 90 59 55) or, for those who would try a horse ride, the equestrian center Mélusine (call +33 3 87 81 48 69).
As for the fishermen, they can inquire on the most adapted places and the regulation on +33 3 87 90 56 84.
Finally, many shows and concerts are scheduled at the Paul-Verlaine Cultural Center (Information on +33 9 75 64 90 44).
The Festival des Rencontres Musicales offers year round quality classical concerts as part of the collegiate or in the village hall for the New Year's concert always offered by the Orchester National de Lorraine, which is given in the hall communal festivities.
The second weekend of January, collectors' fair and flea market.
In March, the Carnival includes a costume parade for Tuesday Gras and a ball in the evening.
The second Sunday of August, summer festival at the pond of Papiermühle. On the program, fun and musical animations.
