Mirecourt is located in Lorraine in the Vosges department, around 50 kilometers south of the Lorraine capital Nancy, which is comparable in size to Bonn. Mirecourt has around 10,000 inhabitants.

Mirecourt was already surrounded by a wall in 960 and therefore had city rights. For centuries, Mirecourt was a city of wholesale trade: violin and organ making as well as lace production made it one of the richest cities in Lorraine.

Mirecourt, which today lives almost exclusively from the furniture and agricultural industries, is unique in France in terms of its violin-making and lace-making tradition. Violin making is still practiced professionally today. Founded in the 17th century, it developed rapidly and made Mirecourt the center of French violin making. Other instruments such as organs, barrel organs and guitars were also made here.

As the seat of the national violin-making school, Mirecourt remains a leader in France, comparable to Cremona (Italy) and Mittenwald. The history of violin making is presented in the violin making museum in the town hall, while the history of barrel organ making and its relatives can be seen in the museum of mechanical musical instruments.

Lace-making flourished in Mirecourt in the 18th and 19th centuries, until industrial production and a lack of demand almost led to the complete disappearance of the art of lace-making. Since around 1980, some women from Mirecourt who had not forgotten how to make lace have revived this art in an association for the promotion and preservation of lace-making.

Mirecourt's sights include the church, the Romanesque chapel and the large market hall. The "Notre Dame" church, begun in 1303, is a good landmark with its bell tower. The high altar contains paintings by 17th century Lorraine masters. Some of the church's objects are classified in the national register of French artistic monuments.

On the right bank of the Madon is the "de la oultre" chapel, which is of Romanesque origin. It is located in the district of Saint Vincent, the patron saint of winters, in former vineyards. It is Mirecourt's oldest church and was used until 1825. The large market hall in the main street dates back to 1617 and was built on even older foundations. The large hall on the second floor served as a market hall for cloth merchants and shoemakers. Today, it is one of the most important buildings in the region.

On a trip along the Rhine in 1957, the then pastor of Mirecourt, Jean Noel, visited Schwarzrheindorf, among other places, as he remembered reading the word "Schwarzenrheindorf" on a bell in the tower of his church. Jean Noel and his brother Karl Müller were both in favor of bringing the bell "Michael and Magdalena", which had been brought to Mirecourt under Napoleon, back to Schwarzrheindorf.

A new bell was cast for Mirecourt at the expense of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It was consecrated in Mirecourt in October 1964 and bears the following inscription:

"My name is Johanna. I replace my older sister, who has returned to the Schwarzrheindorf bell tower after an absence of 170 years. I was cast in 1964 on the initiative of Father Karl Müller in Schwarzrheindorf, Senator Henri Parisot, Mayor of Mirecourt, Canon Jean Niel, Archpriest of Mirecourt. I have as godmother Her Excellency Mrs. Roland de Margerie, wife of His Excellency the Ambassador of France, and as godfather Dr. Franz Meiers, Minister President of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia. We both sing to the glory of God and as a pledge of peace and unity on both sides of the Rhine."

On March 27, 1965, the time had also come in Beuel: the old bell "Michael and Magdalena" arrived festively decorated together with six new bronze bells. Former German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer and the Mayor of Mirecourt, Henri Parisot, also took part in the celebrations.

The rapid intensification of contacts in the following years is shown by the election of a Mirecourt woman as Beuel's Wäscherprinzessin in 1968. In the early summer of 1969, an official partnership was established between the two municipalities.

Since then, many thousands of citizens from both cities have made contact with each other and filled the partnership with life. To mark the 25th anniversary, a complete carnival parade with more than 500 carnivalists from Beuel was moved to the Vosges town.

The successful partnership was confirmed and honored by the European flag awarded by the Council of Europe and the "Prix association France-Allemagne" in Paris.

The town twinning between Beuel and Mirecourt is a living example of the exchange between citizens of both municipalities. Frequent meetings and activities create friendships that are maintained and deepened by the warm atmosphere, shared experiences and celebrations.

Clubs from both countries also meet regularly. For example, sports clubs take part in competitions in the respective twin city and local music groups contribute to the "Fete de la Musique" in Mirecourt. Every two years, a group of cyclists from Beuel sets off for Lorraine. After a beautiful tour along the Moselle and through the Vosges, the cyclists arrive in the twin town after five days.

Numerous artists from Beuel and Mirecourt take part in the respective exhibitions in the twin city, and children and young people get to know the twin city and life in their host family during a youth exchange.

Every year, a citizens' trip to Mirecourt is organized in which everyone can participate. The warm hospitality makes every visit a personal gain. The return visits from the French take place regularly on "Beuel festive days" such as Weiberfastnacht and Pützchens Markt. Every year on Weiberfastnacht, the guests from Mirecourt follow the Rathaussturm and support the Wäscherprinzessin in her assumption of power. In some years, they even actively participate in the Weiberfastnacht parade with members of the Beuel partnership committee.