Heading east, in the footsteps of Saint Nicolas and the salt mines of Lorraine

From the heart of Nancy and its sumptuous Place Stanislas, this first stage of the V52 takes you along the bucolic paths that run alongside the Marne-Rhine Canal.

You leave the city gently from the marina, where a pleasant, flat route begins. The urban landscape soon gives way to the tranquil banks of the canal. On the horizon, the Gothic spires of the Basilica of Saint-Nicolas-de-Port are a reminder of the popular traditions surrounding the patron saint of the people of Lorraine.

As you travel along the canal, you will pass through a number of small towns with a tranquil atmosphere. In Varangéville, take a diversion into the bowels of the earth: France's last active salt mine offers an unusual immersion experience at a depth of 160 metres. If you have time, you can also reach Lunéville via a signposted secondary route, "Au fil de la Meurthe": its 18th-century château, nicknamed the "Versailles of Lorraine", is well worth a visit.

The route becomes more rural from Crévic onwards. The countryside becomes more open, with meadows and copses, an atmosphere conducive to strolling. The stage ends at Parroy, beside a peaceful pond nestling in a green setting. An ideal backdrop for a nature break after a gentle first day on the road.