Cussignière marshes in Baranzy

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Location and access. The Cussignière marshes are mainly located in Belgium, in the commune of Musson, to the south-west of the village of Baranzy. They extend into France, to the communes of Gorcy and Ville-Houdlemont, and are bordered to the south by an old disused railway, and to the north by the Virton-Athus main road. They are at an altitude of 230 to 235 metres above sea level. The Athus-Virton railway line cuts across the north section of the reserve. The area to the south of these tracks is mainly irrigated by the overflow from the large stream known as the Cussigny (or Coulmy in France). The source of this stream is above the village of Vaux-Warnimont (in the commune of Cosnes et Romain). The section north of the railway track is crossed by the Batte and Ecrevisses rivers. Where the Batte and Cussigny streams meet, the watercourse changes its name to the Vire. To the south, running along the border, the marshes are also crossed by an old disused railway that links the villages of Gorcy and Signeulx. The former rail track has been turned into a walking/hiking route between the communes of Gorcy and Ville-Houdlemont. A nature reserve has been established in the centre of the marsh. It belongs to a voluntary organisation, Natagora, and can be reached by taking a duckboard walkway, which connects to the disused railway. If you would like to visit the nature reserve at Cussignière, please contact the warden, Stéphan Bocca: 0032 (0) 477 03 64 422.These natural and unusual marshes are a unique site in the Gaume region.Located in Lorraine, the Cussignière marshes straddle the border between Belgium and France. Between the villages of Baranzy and Signeulx, they occupy a vast area formed by the confluence of the Batte and Cussigny stream. An itinerary for a cross-border walk takes you to explore the reserve and the many species that inhabit it. Since 2019 a footbridge has allowed the public to discover the wetter parts of the site.

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