Florange. Open House at Bétange Castle: Five Things You May Not Know About the Site
The Association for the Preservation of the Bétange Site is opening the doors of its castle this Saturday, June 14, to the residents of Florange and Terville . From 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., visitors will be guided through the 65-hectare park by Philippe Aymer, president of the association, and Fanny Aymer, its owner. This rare and exclusive encounter will allow them to discover the many facets of this heritage complex, listed as a Historic Monument. For those who are unable to attend, here are five things to know about the castle and its surroundings.
Although Bétange Castle was not built by the ironmasters themselves (it was built in the 17th century), it fell into the ownership of the De Wendels in 1834, after Victor-François De Wendel acquired it. Bought in 1856 by his cousin, Baron Théodore de Gargan, the Bétange site was then inherited by subsequent generations. The Count and Countess of Mitry, daughter of François de Wendel, settled there in the 1920s. Today, the castle belongs to their daughter, Odette de Mitry, and her family: Fanny, Philippe Aymer, and their children. It is the only castle in the steel valley still owned by the descendants of the ironmasters.
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In September 1939, the army headquarters took up residence in Bétange. Five shelters were built by the Engineers in the castle grounds and incorporated into the Maginot Line. They were never used: on June 18, 1940, Florange was captured by the Germans. The Nazis set up a training school in the castle. The Mitry family would not regain possession of their property until the fall of 1944, after General Patton's visit.
Bétange Castle is a park, but also an avenue of 156 chestnut trees that shelters significant biodiversity. Seventy species of birds and 13 protected species of bats have been recorded there. That's half of the species observed in Lorraine!
Labeled a Remarkable Tree, one of the oaks in the park is considered the oldest in Moselle . It is estimated to be 450 to 500 years old.
The park and its 4 km perimeter fence were listed as Historic Monuments in 1993. The castle followed in 2007. Most recently, in May 2025, the chestnut tree avenue was also listed. A first in Lorraine for a tree-lined complex!
FREE ENTRANCE.
A musical Sunday at the castle
The open house will be followed on Sunday at 3 p.m. by the 4th Rencontres musicales de Bétange. Bass-baritone Max Latarjet and pianist Daniel Streicher will offer the audience a musical journey across Europe with works ranging from Rossini to Debussy, including Rachmaninov, Vaughan Williams, and Albéniz. The concert will take place in the majestic setting of the Grand Salon of the Château de Bétange.
Entrance: €45.
Le Républicain Lorrain
