The name of the Moselle comes from the Latin Mosella, meaning the Little Meuse. (The Meuse is another European river, flowing from France through Belgium and the Netherlands to Germany.) The Moselle Valley was celebrated in the ancient Roman poem Mosella by Ausonius.
The Moselle’s source is in the Vosges Mountains; downstream it has formed the Moselle Valley between the Eifel and Hunsrück mountain regions. The Moselle is approximately 340 miles in length from source to mouth.
The Moselle flows through France, Luxembourg and Germany. It is a tributary of the Rhine, joining it at Koblenz. The Moselle Valley is an industrial area, with coal mining and steel manufacturing, and can accommodate large cargo ships. However, the Moselle Valley is also known for its beautiful scenery; the German portion of the Moselle features castles and vine-covered hillsides, and includes picturesque stops at Trier, Bernkastel, Cochem and Koblenz. Excellent wines are produced in the Moselle regions of Germany, Luxembourg and France, most notably Riesling, Elbling, Müller-Thurgau, Kerner and Auxerrois.