Bar-le-Duc (), formerly known as Bar, is a commune in the

Meuse The Meuse or Maas is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a total length of . History From 1301, the upper ...

département In the administrative divisions of France, the department (, ) is one of the three levels of government under the national level (" territorial collectivities"), between the administrative regions and the communes. There are a total of 101 ...

, of which it is the capital. The department is in

Grand Est Grand Est (; ) is an Regions of France, administrative region in northeastern France. It superseded three former administrative regions, Alsace, Champagne-Ardenne and Lorraine, on 1 January 2016 under the provisional name of Alsace-Champagne-A ...

in northeastern France. The lower, more modern and busier part of the town extends along a narrow valley, shut in by wooded or

vine A vine is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent (that is, climbing) stems, lianas, or runners. The word ''vine'' can also refer to such stems or runners themselves, for instance, when used in wicker work.Jackson; Benjamin; Da ...

-clad hills, and is traversed by the

Ornain The Ornain () is a 116 km long river in northeastern France, right tributary of the Saulx (Seine basin). It is formed near the village Gondrecourt-le-Château by the confluence of the small rivers Ognon and Maldite. It flows generally nort ...

, which is crossed by several bridges. It is bordered on the north-east by the

Marne–Rhine Canal The Canal de la Marne au Rhin (, ''Marne–Rhine Canal'') is a canal in north-eastern France. It connects the river Marne and the Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne in Vitry-le-François with the port of Strasbourg on the Rhine. The original o ...

and on the south-west by a small arm of the Ornain called the ''Canal des Usines'', on the left bank of which the upper town (''Ville Haute'') is situated. The highly rarefied

Bar-le-duc jelly Bar-le-duc jelly () is a highly regarded preparation of jelly originally composed of select whole seeded currants, typically white currants or red currants. The name ''Bar-le-duc'' refers to the geographical origin of the preparation in the F ...

, also known as Lorraine jelly, is a spreadable preparation of

white currant The white currant or whitecurrant is a group of cultivars of the red currant (''Ribes rubrum''), a species of flowering plant in the family Grossulariaceae, native to Europe. It is sometimes mislabelled as '' Ribes glandulosum'',Darina Allen ...

red currant Red currant is a common name for several plants and may refer to: * ''Ribes rubrum'', a shrub native to western Europe and widely cultivated * ''Ribes sanguineum ''Ribes sanguineum'', the flowering currant, redflower currant, red-flowering curra ...

fruit preserves Fruit preserves are preparations of fruits whose main preserving agent is sugar and sometimes acid, often stored in glass jars and used as a condiment or spread. There are many varieties of fruit preserves globally, distinguished by the meth ...

. First mentioned in the historical record in 1344, it is also colloquially referred to as "Bar caviar".

History

Bar-le-Duc was at one time the seat of the county, from 1354 the

Duchy of Bar The County of Bar, later Duchy of Bar, was a principality of the Holy Roman Empire encompassing the ''Barrois, pays de Barrois'' and centred on the city of Bar-le-Duc. It was held by the County of Montbéliard, House of Montbéliard from the 11t ...

. Though probably of ancient origin, the town was unimportant until the 10th century when it was fortified by

Frederick I of Upper Lorraine Frederick I (c. 912 – 18 May 978) was the count of Bar and duke of Upper Lorraine. He was a son of Wigeric, count of Bidgau, also count palatine of Lorraine, and Cunigunda, and thus a sixth-generation descendant of Charlemagne. In 954, he mar ...

. Bar was an independent duchy from 1354 to 1480, when it was acquired by

Duchy of Lorraine The Duchy of Lorraine was a principality of the Holy Roman Empire which existed from the 10th century until 1766 when it was annexed by the kingdom of France. It gave its name to the larger present-day region of Lorraine in northeastern France ...

. The ''Ville Haute'', which is reached by steps and steep narrow thoroughfares, is intersected by a long, quiet street, bordered by houses of the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. In this quarter are the remains (16th-century) of the château of the

dukes of Bar Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ...

, dismantled in 1670, the old clock-tower and the college, built in the latter half of the 16th century. The church of Saint-Étienne (constructed during the 14th and 15th centuries) contains the

Cadaver Tomb of René of Chalon The Cadaver Tomb of René of Chalon (, also known as the Memorial to the Heart of René de Chalon or ''The Skeleton'') is a Gothic art, late Gothic period cadaver monument (''transi'') in the church of Saint-Étienne at Bar-le-Duc, in northeast ...

, a skilfully carved effigy in white stone of a half-decayed corpse. It was erected to the memory of

René of Châlon René (''born again'' or ''reborn'' in French) is a common first name in French-speaking, Spanish-speaking, and German-speaking countries. It derives from the Latin name Renatus. René is the masculine form of the name (Renée being the feminine ...

(died 1544) and is the work of 16th-century artist

Ligier Richier Ligier Richier (1567) was a French sculptor active in Saint-Mihiel in Northeastern France. Richier primarily worked in the churches of his native Saint-Mihiel. Starting in 1530, he enjoyed the patronage of Antoine, Duke of Lorraine, who commiss ...

, a pupil of

Michelangelo Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (6March 147518February 1564), known mononymously as Michelangelo, was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was inspir ...

. The lower town contains the official buildings and the churches of Notre-Dame, the most ancient in the town, and St Antony, with 14th-century frescoes. Among the statues of distinguished natives of the town is one of

Nicolas Oudinot Nicolas Charles Oudinot, duc de Reggio (; 25 April 1767 – 13 September 1847), was a French general of the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He is known to have been wounded 34 times in battle, being hit by artillery shells, sa ...

, whose house serves as the '' hôtel-de-ville''. Other sights include Notre-Dame Bridge, with five arches surmounted by a chapel in the middle. Bar-le-Duc served as the assembly point for essential supplies going to the besieged city of

Verdun Verdun ( , ; ; ; official name before 1970: Verdun-sur-Meuse) is a city in the Meuse (department), Meuse departments of France, department in Grand Est, northeastern France. It is an arrondissement of the department. In 843, the Treaty of V ...

during the

Battle of Verdun The Battle of Verdun ( ; ) was fought from 21 February to 18 December 1916 on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front in French Third Republic, France. The battle was the longest of the First World War and took place on the hills north ...

in 1916. Thousands of trucks, carrying men, equipment and food, travelled north, around the clock, on the road linking Bar-le-Duc to Verdun. The route was given the name

Voie Sacrée The Voie Sacrée ("Sacred Way") is a road that connects Bar-le-Duc to Verdun (Meuse (department), Meuse), France. It was given its name because of the vital role it played during the Battle of Verdun in World War I. Use during WWI After Mar ...

(Sacred Way) by the writer and politician Maurice Barres in April 1916, a reference to the ancient Roman ''

Sacra Via The Via Sacra (, "''Sacred Street''") was the main street of ancient Rome, leading from the top of the Capitoline Hill, through some of the most important religious sites of the Forum (where it is the widest street), to the Colosseum. The road ...

'', leading to triumph.

Population

Notable residents

Bar-le-Duc was the birthplace of: * Jean de Lorraine (1498–1550), Cardinal de Lorraine, Bishop of Metz, Archbishop of Narbonne *

Mary of Guise Mary of Guise (; 22 November 1515 – 11 June 1560), also called Mary of Lorraine, was List of Scottish royal consorts, Queen of Scotland from 1538 until 1542, as the second wife of King James V. She was a French people, French noblewoman of the ...

(1515–1560),

queen consort A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king, and usually shares her spouse's social Imperial, royal and noble ranks, rank and status. She holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles and may be crowned and anointed, but hi ...

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

and mother of

Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was List of Scottish monarchs, Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legit ...

* Francis, Duke of Guise (1519–1563), soldier and politician *

Louis Joblot Louis Joblot (9 August 1645 – 27 April 1723) was a French naturalist. He was born in Bar-le-Duc and died, aged 57, in Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest cit ...

(1645–1723), mathematician and microscopist *

(1767–1847),

marshal of France Marshal of France (, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to General officer, generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished (1793–1804) ...

* Jean-Joseph Regnault-Warin (1773–1844), writer, pamphleteer *

Rémi Joseph Isidore Exelmans The Remi were an ancient Belgic tribe. Remi or Rémi may also refer to: People * Georges Prosper Remi (1907–1983), male Belgian comic book writer and artist, better known as "Hergé" * José Vega Santana (born 1958), clown in Puerto Rico kn ...

(1775–1852),

Pierre Michaux Pierre Michaux (June 25, 1813 – January 10, 1883) was a blacksmith who furnished parts for the carriage trade in Paris during the 1850s and 1860s. He may have become the inventor of the bicycle when he added pedals to a draisine to form ...

(1813–1883) inventor *

Edmond Laguerre Edmond Nicolas Laguerre (9 April 1834, Bar-le-Duc – 14 August 1886, Bar-le-Duc) was a French mathematician and a member of the Académie des sciences (1885). His main works were in the areas of geometry and complex analysis. He also investigate ...

(1834–1886), mathematician *

Albert Cim Albert-Antoine Cimochowski, called Albert Cim, (22 October 1845 – 8 May 1924) was a French novelist, literary critic and bibliographer. Biography Born to a French mother and a Polish officer who fled to France after the 1830 November Uprising ...

(1845–1924), novelist, literary critic and bibliographer *

Henri Poincaré Jules Henri Poincaré (, ; ; 29 April 185417 July 1912) was a French mathematician, Theoretical physics, theoretical physicist, engineer, and philosophy of science, philosopher of science. He is often described as a polymath, and in mathemati ...

(1854–1912), mathematician and physicist *

Job Work, labor (labour in Commonwealth English), occupation or job is the intentional activity people perform to support the needs and desires of themselves, other people, or organizations. In the context of economics, work can be seen as the huma ...

(1858–1931), illustrator *

Raymond Poincaré Raymond Nicolas Landry Poincaré (; 20 August 1860 – 15 October 1934) was a French statesman who served as President of France from 1913 to 1920, and three times as Prime Minister of France. He was a conservative leader, primarily committed to ...

(1860–1934), statesman * Pierre de Bréville (1861–1944), composer *

Lucien Poincaré Lucien Poincaré (22 July 1862 – 9 March 1920) was a French physicist. Biography Poincaré was born at Bar-le-Duc July 22, 1862. After a distinguished academic career he became in succession inspector general of physical science in 1902, direct ...

(1862–1920), physicist *

Pierre Camonin Pierre Camonin (25 February 1903 – 14 November 2003) was a French organist, composer and improviser. Biography Born in Bar-le-Duc, Camonin was a student of Marcel Ciampi for the piano at the conservatoire de Paris. He studied pipe organ with ...

(1903–2003), canon and organist *

Jean Dries Jean Dries was the name used by the artist Jean Driesbach, who was born on October 19, 1905, in Bar-le-Duc in Meuse, France and died in Paris on February 26, 1973. He was a Lorrain painter by birth and was born the year Fauvism appeared at the S ...

(1905–1973), painter * Michel Bernard (born 1958), writer and senior official *

Anaïs Delva Anaïs Delva (; born 15 May 1986) is a French singer. She is known for providing the voice of Disney's character Elsa, from the animated movie '' Frozen'', in the European French version. She would also voice her in the Canadian French Canad ...

(born 1986), singer and actress * Benjamin Compaoré (born 1987), athlete Other notable residents were: * Jean-François Jacqueminot (1787–1865), who established a great silk factory * Ernest Bradfer (1833–1882), who established a major iron works in the town.

Gallery

Bar-le-Duc Place Saint-Pierre.jpg, Saint-Étienne Church and the court house (right) on Saint-Pierre Square in Bar-le-Duc Pont Notre-Dame, Bar-le-Duc 01 09.jpg, Notre-Dame Bridge over the

Statue d'Ernest Bradfer.JPG, Statue of Ernest Bradfer (1833–1882)

Twin cities

As of 2023 Bar-le-Duc is twinned with: * Griesheim (

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

) since 1978 *

Wilkau-Haßlau Wilkau-Haßlau () is a town in the Zwickau (district), Zwickau district, in Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the river Zwickauer Mulde, about 6 km south of Zwickau. Geography Location The town lies at the foot of the Ore Mountains in ...

(Germany) since 1994 *

Gyönk Gyönk () is a village in Tolna County, Hungary. History Gyönk was mentioned for the first time in 1280, but the neighborhood (and Gyönk) was already a populated area by then. The village was inhabited by Turks for some time, and by the time of ...

(

Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...

) since 1995 Cultural exchanges are made throughout the year and the twinning committee also offers

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

lessons.

References

External links

Official Bar-le-Duc website

Barleduc55.net: photos of Bar-le-Duc
{{Authority control Communes of Meuse (department) Prefectures in France Duchy of Bar