Moselle

The Moselle is a river that starts in the Vosges mountains and flows through north-eastern France, Luxembourg, and western Germany. It is a smaller river that flows into the much larger Rhine river near the town of Koblenz. A tiny part of Belgium is also included in the area where the Moselle gets its water.

As the Moselle travels, it passes through some very beautiful landscapes. Near the towns of Trier and Koblenz, the river winds through a lovely valley. To the north of the river lies the Eifel region, and to the south is the Hunsrück area.

Long ago, the Romans farmed the land around the Moselle. Today, the slopes of the river are covered with rows of grapevines growing in terraces. These vineyards make some of the finest Rieslings, a type of white wine. Many old castles, now just ruins, sit on the hills above the villages. Two interesting towns along the river are Traben-Trarbach, known for its beautiful art nouveau style buildings, and Bernkastel-Kues, which has a charming old market square.

Name

The name Moselle comes from an old Celtic word, Mosela, which later became Mosella in Latin. This name was a smaller version of Mosa, the Latin name for the river Meuse, which used to flow close to the Moselle. The river was first written about by the historian Tacitus in his books Annals and Histories.

A Roman poet named Ausonius wrote about the Moselle in the 4th century in a poem called Mosella. He described a trip along the river, showing the beautiful landscapes that were helped by Roman leaders. The river later gave its name to two areas in France: Moselle and Meurthe-et-Moselle.

Geography

The Moselle River begins at an elevation of 715 meters (2,346 feet) above sea level on the Col de Bussang, located on the western slopes of the Ballon d'Alsace in the Vosges mountains. It flows for 544 kilometers (338 miles) before joining the Rhine River at Deutsches Eck in Koblenz at an elevation of 59 meters (194 feet) above sea level. In France, the river stretches for 313 kilometers (194 miles), forms a border between Germany and Luxembourg for 39 kilometers (24 miles), and then continues for another 208 kilometers (129 miles) entirely within Germany.

The Moselle runs through the Lorraine region in France and, further downstream in Germany, forms the boundary between the Eifel and Hunsrück mountain regions. The river’s average flow rate at its mouth is 328 cubic meters per second (11,600 cubic feet per second), making it the second largest tributary of the Rhine.

River sections

The part of the Moselle from the France–Germany–Luxembourg tripoint near Schengen to where it meets the Saar River near Konz, just before Trier, is known in Germany as the Upper Moselle. The section from Trier to Pünderich is called the Middle Moselle, and the part from Pünderich to its mouth at Koblenz is known as the Lower Moselle or Terraced Moselle. The Middle and Lower Moselle are known for their wide meanders and vineyard terraces.

From the tripoint, the Moselle forms the entire border between Saarland and Luxembourg.

Catchment

The Moselle’s drainage area covers 28,286 square kilometers (10,921 square miles). France contributes about 54 percent of this area, with the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate covering 6,980 square kilometers (2,690 square miles), Saarland 2,569 square kilometers (992 square miles), Luxembourg 2,521 square kilometers (973 square miles), Wallonia in Belgium 767 square kilometers (296 square miles), and North Rhine-Westphalia 88 square kilometers (34 square miles).

Tributaries

The three largest tributaries of the Moselle are the Meurthe, the Saar, and the Sauer. The Saar is both the longest and the largest tributary. The Sauer is the largest left-hand tributary and drains areas on both sides of the German-Luxembourg border. The Moselotte, a tributary at the Moselle’s mouth, carries about 40% more water than the Moselle itself, making it the main branch of the Moselle system.

List of tributaries

From the left

Madon, Terrouin, Esch, Rupt de Mad, Orne, Fensch, Gander, Syre, Sauer, Kyll, Salm, Lieser, Alf, Endert, Brohlbach, Elz.

From the right

Moselotte, Vologne, Meurthe, Seille, Saar, Olewiger Bach, Avelsbach, Ruwer, Feller Bach, Dhron, Ahringsbach, Kautenbach, Lützbach, Flaumbach, Altlayer Bach, Baybach, Ehrbach.

Towns

Towns along the Moselle include:

• in France: Épinal, Toul, Pont-à-Mousson, Metz and Thionville
• in Luxembourg: Schengen, Remich, Grevenmacher and Wasserbillig
• in Germany: Konz, Trier, Schweich, Bernkastel-Kues, Trabber-Trarbach, Zell, Cochem and Koblenz

Adjacent mountain ranges

From Trier downstream, the Moselle separates the Eifel (to the northwest) and the Hunsrück (to the southeast), two Central Upland ranges.

Geology

The Vosges mountains, where the Moselle River begins, were formed about 50 million years ago. During the Miocene and Pliocene time periods, the ancient Moselle River flowed into the ancient Rhine River. Later, when the Rhenish Massif rose up, the Moselle River created winding paths between the Trier Valley and the Neuwied Basin.

Water levels

The highest water level that boats can use on the Moselle river is 6.95 meters, and the normal level is 2.00 meters, measured at a place called Trier Gauge.

There have been times when the water was very high, like on December 21, 1993, when it reached 11.28 meters. There was also a very low water level of 0.47 meters in Bernkastel on July 28, 1921.

History

The Moselle River was known to ancient Romans as Flumen Musalla, and a poet named Ausonius wrote about it around the year 371. In the 10th century, the land along the river was called Mosellania.

During World War II, the river stood in the way of soldiers moving toward Berlin. In 1944, American forces crossed the river at a place called Dieulouard to help move past German troops. After securing a spot on the other side, more soldiers crossed and moved toward the city of Nancy, cutting off supplies to German forces there. By September 15, 1944, the city was freed thanks to the efforts of these soldiers.

In 1952, an agreement was made to improve the river for travel between Thionville and Koblenz. The river was made easier to travel on between Metz and Thionville when a canal opened in 1964. Importantly, the Schengen Agreement was signed by leaders from France, Germany, and Luxembourg at a point where the three countries meet, leading to easier travel between many countries in Europe.

Economy

The Moselle valley between Metz and Thionville is an industrial area, with coal mining and steel manufacturers.

The Moselle valley is famous for its scenery and wine. Most well-known is the German Mosel wine region, while the Luxembourg winegrowing region is called Moselle Luxembourgeoise and the French region is called AOC Moselle. Most notable among the wines produced here are Riesling, Elbling, Müller-Thurgau, Kerner, and Auxerrois. The German part of the Moselle is a tourist destination.

Navigation

After the Second World War, France pressed to be able to ply the Moselle with larger ships in order to link the industrial regions of Lorraine. When, in 1955, the population on the Saar voted to belong to West Germany, France demanded as "compensation" an upgrade of the Moselle. On 27 October 1956 they concluded the Moselle Treaty with Germany and Luxembourg for a canalisation of the Moselle and conceded to Germany in return the extension of the Grand Canal d'Alsace on the Upper Rhine instead of an extension of the canal via Breisach. In 1958 work began and by 26 May 1964 the Moselle could be officially opened from Metz to Koblenz as a major waterway for shipping with 14 locks. France extended it by 1979 as far as Neuves-Maisons. With that, 394 km (245 mi) of the Moselle have been upgraded with a total of 28 locks. In the years 1992 to 1999 the navigable channel was deepened from 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in) to 3.0 m (9 ft 10 in), which enables 1,500-tonne freighters to use the river, a 20% increase in capacity. The channel has a width of 40 m (130 ft), more on the bends. The Moselle Commission, founded in 1962 with its head office in Trier, is responsible for navigation. The Moselle Shipping Police Act which it has produced is valid in all three participant states from Metz to Koblenz.

In 1921 the Moselle (Mo) became a Reich waterway, today it is a federal waterway (Bundeswasserstraße) from Apach at the tripoint to its mouth on the Rhine at kilometre point 592.29 in Koblenz. The waterway is 242 km (150 mi) long and managed by the Trier and Koblenz Water and Shipping Offices (Wasser- und Schifffahrtsämtern Trier und Koblenz). It is categorized as a European waterway of Class Vb. Its kilometrage begins at its mouth at kilometre point 0 and runs upstream. Since 1816 it has formed a 36 km (22 mi) long condominium from Apach, a common Germany–Luxembourg sovereign area with a division of responsibilities set out in a 1976 agreement. The International Moselle Company, initially set up in 1957 to finance the construction of the river's upgrade, manages the shipping charges and the operation and maintenance of the waterway which they are used to fund.

Today the Moselle is navigable for large cargo ships up to 110 metres (360 ft) long from the Rhine in Koblenz up to Neuves-Maisons, south of Nancy. For smaller ships it is connected to other parts of France through the Canal de la Meuse and the Canal de la Marne au Rhin. There are locks in Koblenz, Lehmen, Müden, Fankel, Sankt Aldegund, Enkirch, Zeltingen, Wintrich, Detzem, Trier, Grevenmacher, Palzem, Apach, Kœnigsmacker, Thionville, Richemont, Talange, Metz, Ars-sur-Moselle, Pagny-sur-Moselle, Blénod-lès-Pont-à-Mousson, Custines, Pompey, Aingeray, Fontenoy-sur-Moselle, Toul, Villey-le-Sec, and Neuves-Maisons.

By 1970 more than 10 million tonnes of goods were being transported on the Moselle, the majority on towed barges. Upstream freight mainly comprised fuel and ores; downstream the main goods were steel products, gravel and rocks. There is an inland port at Trier, a transshipment site in Zell (Mosel); and there are other ports in Mertert, Thionville, Metz and Frouard. In addition to freighters there are also pleasure boats for tourists between the very busy wine villages and small towns of the Middle and Lower Moselle. There are also yachting or sports marinas in the following places: Koblenz, Winningen, Brodenbach, Burgen, Löf, Hatzenport, Senheim, Treis, Traben-Trarbach, Kues, Neumagen, Pölich, Schweich, Trier and Konz. The Moselle is linked near Toul via the Canal de la Marne au Rhin with inter alia the Meuse, the Saône and the Rhône. Other canals link the river to the North Sea and even the Mediterranean.

Locks and dams (weirs)

There is a total of 28 changes of level on the Moselle:

• 16 in France near Neuves-Maisons, Villey-le-Sec, Toul, Fontenoy-sur-Moselle, Aingeray, Frouard-Pompey, Custines, Blénod-lès-Pont-à-Mousson, Pagny-sur-Moselle, Ars-sur-Moselle, Metz, Talange, Richemont, Thionville, Kœnigsmacker and Apach
• 2 between Luxembourg and Germany near Stadtbredimus-Palzem and Grevenmacher-Wellen
• 10 in Germany near Trier, Detzem, Wintrich, Zeltingen, Enkirch, St. Aldegund, Fankel, Müden, Lehmen and Koblenz. Detzem is the highest lock – 9 m (30 ft) – and at 29 km (18 mi) the upstream reach is the longest on the river; it is the only lock to be built on a canal of some length excavated outside the river bed.

With the exception of Detzem, all the structures at each change in level are laid-out side by side; the lock is by one riverbank, the weir in the middle and the hydropower plant on the other bank. Between the lock and weir are a boat slipway and channel and boat lock, while between the weir and the power station is the fish ladder. The structures have been blended into the landscape through their low-level design; this was achieved by the choice of sector gates for the weir, vertically lowering upper gates and mitred lower lock gates. The water levels and hydropower works are controlled by the Fankel Central Control Station (Zentralwarte Fankel) of the RWE Power Company at Fankel.

Tourism

Through the Moselle valley run the Moselle Wine Route and the Moselle Cycleway, which may be cycled from Metz in France via Trier to Koblenz on the River Rhine, a distance of 311 km (193 mi).

Between Koblenz and Trier, large sections run on the trackbed of the old Moselle Valley Railway, far from the noise and fumes of motor vehicles. Every year on the Sunday after Pentecost, the 140 km (87 mi) of road between Schweich and Cochem is also car-free as part of Happy Moselle Day.

A number of notable castles and ruins adorn the heights above the Moselle valley and many are visible on a boat trip on the Moselle.

In 1910, a hiking trail, the Moselle Ridgeway, was established which runs for 185 km (115 mi) on the Eifel side and 262 km (163 mi) on the Hunsrück side. Another unusual trail runs from Ediger-Eller via the Calmont Trail to Bremm through the steepest vineyard in Europe.

Before the construction of barrages the Moselle was a popular route for folding kayaks which is why many of the weirs have boat channels. The river is still used today by canoeists, especially during the annual week-long lock closures when no commercial shipping is permitted.

In April 2014 the Moselle Trail was opened, a path running for 365 km (227 mi) from Perl on the Upper Moselle to Koblenz. Numerous Moselle Trail "partner trails", the so-called side branches (Seitensprünge) and "dream paths" (Traumpfade) enhance the hiking network in the Moselle Valley.

The ADAC's Rallye Deutschland has taken place since 2000 in the vineyards along the Moselle at Veldenz, Dhron, Piesport, Minheim, Kesten, Trittenheim, Fell, Ruwertal and Trier.

At Koblenz Locks the Mosellum offers exhibitions about the migration of fish in the Moselle as well as water ecology, navigation and power generation. With the construction of the visitor and information centre the most modern fish ladder along the Moselle was opened.

Wine

The Moselle winegrowing region lies along the Moselle with a cultivated area of about 10,540 ha (26,000 acres). The largest part, currently just under 9,000 ha (22,000 acres), is on German soil in the states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland; the Luxembourg part has an area of about 1,300 ha (3,200 acres) (see Wine in Luxembourg). Upstream on the Moselle the vineyards extend into France as far as Seille in the region of Côtes de Moselle with an area of 130 ha (320 acres) and to the region around Toul (Côtes de Toul) covering 110 ha (270 acres).

The German Moselle wine region, including its tributaries, bears the growing and manufacturing name of "Mosel". For marketing reasons the agricultural authorities of the region have divided it into six winegrowing areas. The wine literature and specialist press, by contrast, divide the region into four areas based on geomorphological, micro-climatic and also historical reasons:

Upper Moselle

The valley sides of the Upper Moselle (also called the Burgundy Moselle, Burgundermosel) with their overwhelmingly muschelkalk soils belong geologically to the so-called Paris Basin, which explains its low proportion of Riesling – only around 10% in 2010 – and the increasing cultivation of Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir grapes.

Trier Region

Around the city of Trier and in the valleys of the Saar and Ruwer with their side valleys, the Riesling is the predominant grape on the shale soils, with over 80% of the crop. One climatic feature of this area is the frequent orientation of often small southwest-southeast facing locations in which the vegetation is exposed to stronger, cooler winds and, especially in the light of recent global warming, often achieve lower degrees of maturity than in the narrow, often deeply incised valley of the Middle and Lower Moselle.

Middle Moselle

With around 6,000 ha (15,000 acres) of vineyard the Middle Moselle is the largest winegrowing area of the Moselle. According to the wine experts and trade, the "greatest" wines of the Moselle, both in quantity and quality, are grown here on land that has been consolidated into large concerns with much vaunted steeply sloped vineyards.

Lower Moselle

In the Lower Moselle Valley, there are a number of medieval castles, high above little villages, decorated with timber-framed houses, surrounded by steep slopes with small terraces in the narrow, winding valley. Here, cultivating vines is very labour-intensive and costly and it is difficult to make it economical. As a result, it is common for vineyards to fall into ruin here.

The wine industry on the German Moselle has been declining for decades. In 2005, statistics showed there were 10,375 ha (25,640 acres) of vineyard; by 2012 this had fallen to just 8,491 ha (20,980 acres). The vineyards that have fallen fallow are mostly those on extremely steep hillsides. There has been a major decline in the number of so-called Nebenerwerbswinzer (vintners for whom it is a secondary occupation), and the small, family farming operations that, until the end of the 1960s formed the majority of wine businesses. Comparative figures by the Chamber of Agriculture for Rhineland-Palatinate for several wine villages on the Lower Moselle show that there were still 797 wine businesses in the early 1960s, but by the early 2000s there were only just under 100.

There has been the opposite trend amongst the established traditional wine estates and more recent vintners with a sound education in oenology and business management, who have increased their business through the reclamation of once renowned, but long forgotten sites. The end of the 20th century saw the rediscovery of the use of special terroir in order to improve quality and value, which has led to a more nuanced view of Moselle wine that, a few years before, had been characterised by overproduction, label scandals and cheap offers.

Moselle umbrella brand

On 10 November 2006 in Burg, the Moselle Regional Initiative was founded. The introduction of the Moselle as an umbrella brand was based on that of the Eifel region and covers products and services from the areas of agriculture, forestry, tourism, handicrafts and nature.

Moselle slate

Moselle slate (Moselschiefer) is a manufacturing and trade description for slate from the municipalities of Mayen, Polch, Müllenbach, Trier and its surrounding area. Today only products from the roofing slate mines of Katzenberg in Mayen and Margareta in Polch bear the name Moselle Slate. The name is derived from the historical transport route for this slate along the Moselle to the Lower Rhine.

Railways

The following railway lines run or ran along the river:

• Koblenz–Trier railway (Moselstrecke), between Koblenz and Bullay, and in Trier, mostly on the left (northern) bank
• Pünderich–Traben-Trarbach railway, for its entire length, on the left (northern) bank
• Moselle Railway, between Bullay and Trier, on the right (southern) bank. Closed in the 1960s.
• Trier West Railway, between Ehrang and Igel, on the left (northern) bank
• Thionville–Trier railway (Obermoselstrecke), for its entire length, on the right (eastern) bank
• CFL line 1a, between Wasserbillig and Grevenmacher, on the left (western) bank. No passenger service remains.
• Metz–Luxembourg railway, between Thionville and Metz, mainly on the left bank
• Lérouville–Metz railway, between Metz and Novéant, mainly on the left bank
• Frouard–Novéant railway, mainly on the left bank
• Paris–Strasbourg railway, between Frouard and Toul
• Blainville-Damelevières–Lure railway, between Bayon and Épinal
• Épinal–Bussang railway, between Épinal and Remiremont, on the left bank

Moselle in literature

The river Moselle has been mentioned in many stories and poems. One famous old poem called Mosella was written in Latin by a person named Ausonius a long time ago in the 4th century. In a story from the Brothers Grimm called "The Seven Swabians," some characters get into trouble while trying to cross the river. A book from 1968 named Small Boat on the Moselle by Roger Pilkington also talks about the river, its legends, and the history of the places around it.

Castles

• Château de Meinsberg (dit de Malbrouck): near Manderen, this castle was built in the 15th century but rebuilt in the 1990s. Today it is used for many cultural events.
• Château Fort de Sierck-les-Bains: located right on the French-German border at Sierck-les-Bains, this fortress of the Duke of Lorraine dates back to the 11th century. Most of today's castle was built in the 18th century using plans from Vauban.
• Schloss Berg: a Renaissance castle at Nennig, today it is a hotel and a casino.
• Alte Burg: a manor house built in 1360 at Longuich. It is one of the few remaining manor houses in rural Rhineland-Palatinate.
• Schloss Lieser: a palace in Lieser built between 1884 and 1887 in historistic style.
• Landshut Castle: a castle built by the Electorate of Trier in the 13th century at Bernkastel-Kues.
• Grevenburg: ruins of a castle at Traben-Trarbach built by Johann III of Sponheim-Starkenburg around 1350. It was destroyed after many battles in 1734.
• Marienburg: a 12th-century castle that later became a monastery near Pünderich and Alf.
• Arras Castle: a 12th-century castle in Alf.
• Metternich Castle: a castle built around 1120 at Beilstein, today partly in ruins.
• Cochem Castle: The castle in Cochem was first built in the 11th century but was completely destroyed by French soldiers in 1689. The current castle was rebuilt in the 19th century.
• Thurant Castle: Above the town of Alken is Thurant Castle, built in the 13th century. It is the only castle with two towers along the Moselle. The fortress was constructed by Count Palatine Henry of the house of Guelph between 1198 and 1206. It was later divided into two parts. During the 19th century, it fell into ruin but was rebuilt in 1911. Since 1973, the castle has been owned by the Allmers and Wulf families.
• Ehrenburg: a 12th-century castle built by the Electorate of Trier at Brodenbach.
• Eltz Castle: The von Eltz family castle, which dates back to the 12th century. It is still privately owned today but is open to visitors.
• Lower and Upper Castle, Kobern-Gondorf: two castles from the 11th century, today mostly in ruins.
• Pyrmont Castle: This 13th-century castle near Roes was redesigned and expanded many times during the Baroque era.
• Bischofstein Castle: Across the river from the village of Burgen is this 13th-century castle, which was destroyed during the Nine Years' War but was rebuilt and is now used as a retreat center for the Fichte Gymnasium in Krefeld.