The town of St. Avold is located in the Lorraine region of northeastern France, 27 kilometers southeast of Saarbrucken and 45 kilometers east of the city of Metz. It is perhaps best known for the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial, a popular American World War II military cemetery that is the largest in all of Europe. The 113-acre site holds more than 10,000 graves and is definitely worth a visit.

St. Avold is the perfect place to spend some time on a road trip through the region. The history of the region is remarkable and closely intertwined with that of the German Holy Roman Empire. The area was hotly contested during both World War One and World War Two, but today remains part of France, thanks in large part to the efforts of the Resistance fighters and Allied forces during World War II. The culture here remains distinct and recent efforts are underway to revive the region’s Germanic heritage.