Clérey-la-Côte (French pronunciation: [kleʁɛ la kot] ⓘ) is a commune in the Vosges department in Grand Est in northeastern France.
The village forms a part of the Côtes de Meuses, the micro-climate of which is similar to that of the Mediterranean side of France.
The forest ends and is replaced by calcerous fields whose fauna is rich and varied (grasses, leguminous plants and orchards), principally serving as bovine grazing areas.
In spite of its small population, the village Clairey-la-Côte, had two castles whose ramparts are still visible from Rue du Bois and from above the church.
During a cholera epidemic, the town's many victims were buried in a mass grave in the forest, which remains visible today.
But at the beginning of the twentieth century, the vineyards were abandoned following the phylloxera infestation and the competition of cheaper wines from the south.
The mayor, Jean-Louis Schmit (RIP 2003), invited Swedish lumberjacks to clear the debris and was decorated in the agricultural order of merit.
Dates of Importance: Close to the village is the old locality of Moncourt which was completely destroyed during the Thirty Years' War.
Although located in the Meuse department and in the commune of Sauvigny, the chapel was bought by the inhabitants of Clérey-la-Côte as a national treasure.