Vosges. Plombières-les-Bains Miniature Park: Family Passion on a Large Scale

"When we leave the Park, customers often suggest ideas to us... there's no shortage of them," laughs Georges-Alexis, 34. In the Houfflin family, the son! Entering the Miniature Park in Plombières-les-Bains is like immersing yourself in a world that combines a passion for the historic sites of the Grand Est region with that of miniature reproduction. A place where a world filled with the scent of childhood and history blends. In a bucolic park located opposite the town's Casino, the whole family has divided up the tasks. Alongside their son, Georges-Eric and Céline, the parents, have imagined the layout of the historic monuments, spread out like so many stages in a carefully curated universe. A "green setting, in the heart of the imperial park," recall the managers.

The adventure began some thirty years ago. It has been punctuated by many stages, but the family passion has never faded. "We try to introduce the public to monuments in the Grand Est region, mainly in Alsace and Lorraine, by combining our family passion for miniatures with our love of our region," says Georges-Alexis. "Among visitors, interest often focuses on small constructions, such as the Haut-Fer or the Arzviller inclined plane," continues his father.

While the Vosges site is currently experiencing its peak tourist activity, summer requires the season to end in mid-autumn. For the Houfflin family, it was then appropriate to look into potential new miniature creations. The process? "We do everything ourselves," the parents explain. This means determining the location, going there to take photos, and working from the resulting images to create the models that will determine the structures, much like the conclusions of a design office. "We generally make sure to add a miniature each year," explains Georges-Eric Houfflin, who long held the reins of the Saint-Amé park before moving to Plombières-les-Bains. The major tourist attractions of Lorraine and Alsace are all represented, such as Strasbourg Cathedral, which opens the park to walkers, but also the unmissable Place Stanislas, perhaps while waiting for the Metz train station. "With each new creation, we experience it as a small victory that delights us," explains the mother, Céline Houfflin. "This place is a part of us , a bit like our baby ."