After the Euro Marathon Metz: Nancy

The Route: Metz-Ville → Nancy (1 night) → Paris Gare de l'Est Logistics: TER regional trains, around 40 minutes, run through the day. From Nancy, direct TGVs reach Paris Gare de l'Est in around 1 hour 25 minutes. Marathon Month: October Duration: 1 night

Metz-Ville ──(≈40 min TER)──> Nancy
                                 │
      Paris Gare de l'Est ◄──(≈1h25 TGV)──┘

The Euro Marathon Metz finishes beside Centre Pompidou-Metz, a few minutes from Metz-Ville station, and a TER train covers the 40 minutes to Nancy. Nancy was the capital of the Dukes of Lorraine, and its centre is compact and flat, which is what legs need the day after 42 km. In mid-October the squares are quiet and cool enough for slow walking.

Place Stanislas and the Old Town

Place Stanislas, built in the 1750s, is a UNESCO World Heritage square of pale stone facades and gilded wrought-iron gates, entirely pedestrianised. Stand in the middle for ten minutes and you have seen the city at its best. The Musée des Beaux-Arts is on the square itself, with part of the old city ramparts in its lower galleries, and makes a good indoor stop if the weather turns.

Through the Arc Héré, on the north side of the square, the long Place de la Carrière leads to the Palais du Gouvernement. Beside it, the Parc de la Pépinière is a flat formal park with wide gravel paths, the easiest walk in the city.

Art Nouveau

Nancy was the home of the École de Nancy, the French Art Nouveau movement around Émile Gallé and Louis Majorelle, and the city has a museum dedicated to it, the Musée de l'École de Nancy, south-west of the centre. It is a short bus ride from the station, so it works as a half-day visit without much walking. Check its opening days before planning a Monday around it, as French museums often close one day a week.

Where to Stay and Eat

Where to stay: The Grand Hôtel de la Reine is on Place Stanislas itself, which puts the square, the park and the museum within a few minutes' walk. The Mercure Nancy Centre Stanislas is a cheaper choice just off the square.

Where to eat: The brasseries facing Place Stanislas are the obvious choice for dinner, with the gates lit up after dark. For something local, look for quiche lorraine and desserts made with mirabelle plums, as in Metz.

Getting Home

Direct TGVs run from Nancy to Paris Gare de l'Est in around 1 hour 25 minutes, several times a day, so Nancy works as the last stop before a flight from Paris. Book the TGV in advance at sncf-connect.com, as walk-up fares cost far more.