Aerial photos, agricultural and industrial sites, Alsace.

Hot-air balloon drifting above the city of Metz. Lorraine, Grand Est, France.

Cathedral of Metz. Moselle, Lorraine, Grand Est, France.

Temple Neuf. Metz, Moselle, Lorraine, Grand Est, France.

The Grand Ballon is the highest mountain in the Vosges Massif and in the Grand Est region (surface area of 57 441 km2). Although its elevation is only 1424 meters above sea level, on a clear day, most often in the winter, the Mont Blanc summit can be seen at a distance of 230 kilometers. Towards the southwest, the Grand Ballon dominates the Thur Valley. Geishouse, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, Grand Est, France.

Being the highest summit over a vast area, the Grand Ballon’s summit was chosen for the installation of an air traffic control radar, it is operational since 1997. It is a regional control center for northeastern France, it controls civil aircrafts transiting in the area. The angular architecture is the work of Claude Vasconi, an alsatian architect. Geishouse, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, Grand Est, France.

The Donon is the highest summit in the northern Vosges Mountains with an elevation of 1008 meters. The Donon is a mythical place that has been revered since prehistoric time, by the Celts, then the Romans. Many archeological artifacts have been found in the area. The summit is crowned with a pastiche of a roman temple built in 1869 by a local architect. Grandfontaine, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, Grand Est, France.

The “Chemin des Cimes” is a tourist attraction built on a summit in the northern Vosges Mountains. The “Chemin des Cimes” (Path of the Peaks) is an aerial walkway at the canopy level with informative boards on the surrounding landscape. And there is this 29-meter-high observation tower accessible by a long winding walkway with the option of getting back to terra firma through a tunnel slide. Cleebourg, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, Grand Est, France.

This overpass above the A5 highway in the forest of Châteauvillain is a wildlife crossing. It allows wild animals to cross over the highway without getting the risk of being killed or injured by speeding vehicles. Collisions between automobiles and animals can also result in human injury and property damage. Châteauvillain, Haute-Marne, Grand Est, France.

The Alsace Plain is a densely populated area between two large forested mountain ranges: the Vosges in France and the Black Forest in Germany. Many man-made barriers such as highways result in a host of problems for wildlife: loss or fragmentation of habitats, isolation from resources, lack of genetic diversity, etc... Wildlife crossings such as this overpass above the A35 highway facilitate the migration of animals. Epfig, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, Grand Est, France.

Near the village of Sundhoffen, farmers use an ancestral method to dry corn. Every October, this 200-meter-long crib, perpendicular to the prevailing winds, is filled with the corn in ears, which will be left to dry until the spring. This method saves money on storage and drying costs, it is also environmentally friendly. Sundhoffen, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, Grand Est, France.

In the administrative district of Haute-Marne, agriculture and wind power are two important sectors of the economy. In the spring, canola fields in bloom display a bright yellow, this plant is primarily used for the production of rapeseed oil. The wind farm of Mont Gimont has a total of 24 wind turbines, each one with its 90-meter-wide rotor can produce 2 MW of power. These wind turbines are manufactured by Vestas, a Danish company. Rouécourt, Haute-Marne, Grand Est, France.

The Cattenom nuclear power plant is one of the world's largest, it has an electrical output of 1300 MW for each of its four pressurized water reactors. In 2021, it produced 29.39 TWh of electricity, that is enough to cover the needs of nearly 7 million French households for one year. In 2011, 79% of electricity produced in France was from the nuclear sector, by far this was the highest percentage in the world—a distant second was Ukraine with 46%. Cattenom, Moselle, Grand Est, France.

The Fessenheim nuclear power plant began producing electricity from its two reactors (each generated 900 MWe) in 1977. In 2017 (photo), it was the oldest operational nuclear power plant in France. In 2020, its two reactors were decommissioned leaving France with 56 reactors in operation in 18 power plants across the country. The power plant located on the bank of the Grand Canal d’Alsace (fed by the Rhine River) had sufficient water to not need any cooling tower. Fessenheim, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, Grand Est, France.

France being a nuclear powerhouse for the production of electricity and for being a nuclear deterent, it produces a lot of highly radioactive nuclear waste. The site of Bure was deemed suitable for the long-term burial of highly dangerous radioactive waste. The site is managed by the national agency for the management of radioactive waste or ANDRA (Agence Nationale pour la gestion des Déchets RadioActifs). The underground research laboratory sits at a depth of nearly 500 meters in a layer of clay; highly radioactive waste will have to remained undisturbed for hundreds of thousand years. Bure, Meuse, Grand Est, France.

Industrial site in Hayange. Lorraine, Grand Est, France.

Power generating station and lock on the Grand Canal d'Alsace. This hydroelectric station is operated by EDF (Électricité De France), the national electric utility company, one of the world’s largest producer of electricity, mostly from nuclear. The water pressure difference due to the 13 meters of height created by the dam activates 6 turbines that produce 150 megawatts of power. More than 16,000 vessels passes through the lock annually. It is also operated by EDF and provided free of charge. Strasbourg, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, Grand Est, France.

The Independent Port of Strasbourg is the second most important river port in France after Paris. The Ports of Strasbourg, include ports that are outside the City of Strasbourg such as Lauterbourg in the North and Marckolsheim in the South. The Rhine River is vital to the economy of Western Europe and has been for centuries. The Port of Rotterdam (Europe’s busiest) is at the river’s delta on the North Sea, and the Mediterranean near Marseille can be reached from Alsace with the historic Rhône-Rhine Canal which was completed in 1833. Strasbourg, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, Grand Est, France.

Standing on a promontory overlooking the Suize Valley, the square Donjon of Chaumont was built between the late 11th century and the early 12th century. It is the only remnant of the castle of the Counts of Champagne and the oldest building in Chaumont. The Donjon served as a prison from 1830 to 1866. It was listed as a Historic Monument in 1926. Chaumont, Haute-Marne, Grand Est, France.

Ponds of Outre-Moselle. Lorraine, Grand Est, France.

Hot-air balloon drifting smoothly above a sea of clouds providing an ethereal experience to its passengers. Soon the early morning fog will dissipate and reveal beautiful medieval villages in a landscape of vineyards. Alsace is a strong contender in France when it comes to tourism, even more so in relation to its size. The aerial way gives a good overview of the region. Colmar, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, Grand Est, France.

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