Nancy France
France

Nancy France | Lorraine Cultural & UNESCO Heritage Guide

You arrive by water and disembark in the Age of Enlightenment. Nancy's marina, on the Marne-Rhine Canal, is about a ten-minute walk from Place Stanislas, one of the most beautiful royal squares in Europe. Few river ports of call offer such a shortcut between the gangway and a masterpiece listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Place Stanislas, an Open-Air Salon

Stanislas Leszczynski, the dethroned King of Poland who became Duke of Lorraine, gave his adopted capital an urban ensemble without equal, completed in 1755. The square that bears his name dazzles with its proportions: classical pavilions with balustraded rooftops, the fountains of Neptune and Amphitrite, and above all Jean Lamour's gates, lacework of wrought iron highlighted with gold that closes off the corners. The town hall, the opera house and the Museum of Fine Arts frame it; terraces fill the centre from the first rays of sunshine.

From the Carrière to the Medieval Cradle

In line with the triumphal arch opens the Place de la Carrière, a former tournament ground turned promenade lined with mansions. It leads to the Governor's Palace and then, through the Porte de la Craffe and its 14th-century round towers, to the old town. There, the narrow lanes around the Cordeliers church and the Ducal Palace of Lorraine, which houses the Musée Lorrain, tell the story of the city before Stanislas, that of the dukes and the battles against Charles the Bold.

The School of Nancy, the Other Golden Age

Around 1900, Gallé, Daum, Majorelle and their companions made the ducal capital a world centre of Art Nouveau. Their glassware, furniture and stained glass can be admired at the Musée de l'École de Nancy, set in a period house with its garden, and on the façades of Rue Félix-Faure or the Villa Majorelle. The Daum manufactory still sells its pâte de verre a stone's throw from the gates; strolling from one shop window to the next is like following the sap of an artistic spring that has never quite finished blooming.

Gourmet Breaks

  • The Sisters' macaron, crunchy outside and soft inside, has been made here since the 18th century.
  • The Nancy bergamot, a golden candy with a citrus scent, holds a protected geographical indication.
  • The Lorraine mirabelle plum is enjoyed in tarts, jams or brandy depending on the hour.
  • The rum baba is said to have been born at the court of the gourmet duke, according to a legend fiercely defended here.
  • The brasseries around the station serve quiche lorraine and potée, often in listed settings.

A City for Walking

The entire centre fits within a radius of a kilometre and a half around the royal ensemble: the Parc de la Pépinière and its shady paths extend the Carrière, with their rose garden and Rodin's statue of Claude Gellée; the cathedral closes off the 18th-century new town; and the shopping streets link the eras without abrupt transitions. Lovers of viewpoints can head to the Basilica of Saint-Epvre, whose spire dominates the old rooftops.

Returning to the marina along the canal quays, you pass anglers and students on bikes, and everyday Lorraine life takes over again after so much gilding. The dukes' capital has the singular gift of bringing together three golden ages in one walk: the Middle Ages of the dukes, the Enlightenment and the springtime of Art Nouveau. One stop is barely enough, and that is just fine: the golden gates know how to wait.

Frequently Asked Questions

At the marina on the Marne–Rhine canal, about ten minutes' walk from Place Stanislas. Few river calls offer such a short cut between the gangway and a UNESCO World Heritage masterpiece.
It is one of the finest royal squares in Europe, completed in 1755. Stanislas Leszczynski, the dethroned king of Poland who became duke of Lorraine, gave it to his adopted capital. It is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Its proportions and its gates. Classical pavilions with balustraded roofs frame the fountains of Neptune and Amphitrite, and Jean Lamour's gates, wrought-iron lacework picked out in gold, close the corners.
Place Stanislas, La Carrière up to the Porte de la Craffe, then the old town. Adding the École de Nancy museum means sacrificing something else: one call is barely enough here.
It is the former tournament ground, turned into a promenade lined with mansions, on the axis of the triumphal arch. It leads to the Governor's Palace and then, through the Porte de la Craffe with its 14th-century round towers, to the old town.
The tight lanes around the Cordeliers church and the palace of the dukes of Lorraine, home to the Musée Lorrain. They tell the story of the city before Stanislas: the dukes and the battles against Charles the Bold.
It is the global Art Nouveau movement that Gallé, Daum, Majorelle and their circle created around 1900. Their glass, furniture and stained windows are shown at the École de Nancy museum, set in a period house with its garden.
On the façades of rue Félix-Faure and at the Villa Majorelle. The Daum works still sells its pâte de verre a short walk from the Place Stanislas gates.
The macaron des Sœurs, made here since the 18th century, the bergamote de Nancy, a golden citrus-scented sweet with protected geographical status, and Lorraine mirabelle plum as tart, jam or eau-de-vie.
Yes. The whole centre fits within a kilometre and a half of the royal ensemble. The Parc de la Pépinière extends La Carrière with its rose garden and Rodin's statue of Claude Gellée; for views, climb to the basilica of Saint-Epvre.