Rombas, the main town in the Orne valley in the heart of a 400 acre forest, is a dynamic town which has been able to achieve a happy combination of quality of life, care for the environment, and modernity. The town's origins are very ancient. In the foothills of the Drince, traces of human presence have been found going back to 15,000 BC. In the 9th Century, the monks from the Abbey of Gorze taught the villagers how to grow vines, and this was to be the prime source of revenue for a thousand years. Rombas has retained many vestiges of its agricultural and wine-growing past, especially in its architecture. In the 19th Century, it experienced considerable industrial development, and its recent economic restructuring has been a success. One of its main advantages lies in its location, just a few dozen kilometres away from Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany, near Metz and Thionville. Its environment and quality of life are preserved with care and attention by the local council: the town centre has been redeveloped, its buildings renewed, and many trees planted. Its floral displays are particularly well cared-for, thanks to three plantings a year and the originality of the floral creations. The Parc Heringen. The Fond Saint Martin: a leisure area in the heart of the forest, recommended for all nature-lovers! This is the place for sports and exploration; an animal park houses many species of local and European fauna in semi-freedom.