Meuse, Department in Grand Est, France
This department in northeastern France stretches across hilly terrain, large forests and farmed land. The river with the same name flows through the region from south to north, connecting several smaller towns along its banks.
The territory was created during the French Revolution in 1790 through a reorganization of administrative borders. World War I left deep marks here, especially through the fighting around Verdun between 1916 and the end of the war.
The name comes from the river that crosses the territory and once linked trading routes. In the villages and smaller towns you still notice the limestone and red brick architecture that has shaped local building for centuries.
Bar-le-Duc, the main town, sits around 160 miles (260 kilometers) east of Paris and is well connected by train and motorway. Visitors exploring the region should expect limited public transport in rural areas and occasionally narrow country roads.
In Bar-le-Duc there is still a red currant preserve whose seeds have been removed by hand with fine quills since medieval times. This technique has been passed down through generations and makes each jar a particularly labor-intensive product.
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