Hattonchâtel is located on a rocky promontory and was fortified in the ninth century by Hatton, Bishop of Verdun, who gave the village its name. The citadel was destroyed in 1634 by order of Richelieu. Miss Skinner, an American benefactor, helped to restore the architectural heritage furthermore damaged during the First World War. Definitely worth a visit are the Maison à la vôute (twelfth and fourteenth century) at the entrance of the village; the Maison aux arcades; the wash-house (rebuilt in 1921); the calvary (sixteenth century); the church with its stained glass windows by Jacques Grüber; the fourteenth century chapel portal; and the fourteenth century cloister of which only one gallery remains, but that contains a very famous triptych, the gothic altarpiece attributed to local Renaissance sculptor Ligier Richier.
And last but certainly not least, do not forget to visit Miss Skinner’s castle, rebuilt on her behalf in the twenties of the last century and now a private hotel. This castle preserves old elements, such as the west side moat, the main gate’s arch, a part of the northern wall and the lower level of the main building’s south facade, overlooking the plain of the Woëvre and offering an exceptional view.