The largest collection of popular prints in Europe
This cultural establishment is home to one of the most important collections of popular prints in Europe. In total, over 100,000 prints make up its holdings, including numerous popular images printed since the 18th century in France (at Epinal, Orléans, Chartres, Paris and more), as well as images produced abroad (in Germany, India, Japan and elsewhere).
Putting on inventive, varied exhibitions year-round, the Musée de l’Image has become a recognized place of reference in terms of popular prints and imagery.
Map
Map
6 Charmes / Épinal
After Charmes, La Voie Bleue meanders along a magnificent greenway beside the Canal des Vosges. Vestiges of the area’s industrial textile heritage are clearly visible along this stage, notably with the former Nomexy textile mill, built in red brick, and the impressive Rotonde de Thaon-les-Vosges, built for workers to relax in. A peaceful path leads to the port at Épinal, known in France as the ‘Cité de l'Image’, because of its tradition of producing popular images of French life, its museum containing the largest collection of such illustrations in the country.
7 Épinal / Bains-les-Bains
From Épinal, La Voie Bleue changes in nature; now, you ride along an unspoilt part of the route, following the greenway beside the Canal des Vosges. After cycling beside Bouzey Lake (a reservoir built to supply the Canal des Vosges), then savour the bucolic setting that follows. Before arriving at Bains-les-Bains, stop to admire the Manufacture Royale (where tinware was once made), visible from the greenway.