The Lac de Gerarmer is a lake surrounded by mountains and forests. It links with the Vologne, which has its source at the foot of the Hohneck nearby. The Lorraine poets used to sing the pearls of the Vologne. Her bed was paved with a freshwater mussel nicknamed pearl mussel. It produces high-valued, iridescent, pink or yellow pearls. It measures about 5 inches long and 2 in large (11 cm by 5 cm) and has a life expectancy of around 80 to 100 years. Marie Leczinska, Queen of France, often got dressed at court with jewels adorned with Vosges pearls. The mollusk was almost decimated, due to its fame and the pollution of the neighboring textile factories.