Mandray

Mandray is a commune in the Vosges department in Grand Est in northeastern France.Inhabitants are called Mandresayens or Mandresayennes according to gender.GeographyMandray is located some ten kilometres southeast of Saint-Dié on the eastern side of the département, and at the western edge of the Vosges Mountains. It nestles in the valley of the Mandresay, a small tributary of the Meurthe River which itself rises nearby. The commune is within the Ballons des Vosges Regional Natural Park.The commune comprises not one single village but rather a grouping of dispersed hamlets at varying altitudes, these being Haute-Mandray, Mi-Mandray, Basse-Mandray, Bénifosse, la Béhouille, la Nold, le Pré du Moulin, Mardichamp, le Raichant, les Angles and les CarrièresUsing the Mandray Pass, it is possible to drive to Fraize and to La Croix-aux-Mines. Despite a sign indicating an altitude of 707 meters, the actual altitude of the pass is now calculated as 694 meters.HistoryMandray was the scene of fighting early in the First World War. In retaliation, the Germans torched the church on 28 August 1914 and shot some civilians.