After the SAARathon: Metz and Nancy

The Route: Saarbrücken → Metz → Nancy → Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport Logistics: Direct train to Metz-Ville in about an hour, then a short TER connection to Nancy. Both old towns sit within flat, walkable cores close to their stations. Marathon Month: October Duration: 2 nights

Saarbrücken Hbf ──(1 hr direct/TER)──> Metz-Ville ──(40 mins TER)──> Nancy
                                                                          │
                                Paris Gare de l'Est ◄──(1 hr 25 mins TGV)─┘──> CDG Airport (RER B)

The SAARathon's final kilometres turn back toward Saarbrücken just short of the French border near Güdingen, close enough that continuing into France properly, rather than only skirting it, is a straightforward extension for anyone with a couple of spare days. October in Lorraine is mild and largely past the summer tourist peak, a comfortable month to walk two flat, compact old towns without either the July heat or the winter market crowds.

Direct or lightly-connecting trains run from Saarbrücken Hauptbahnhof to Metz-Ville in about an hour; check current SNCF and DB timetables at bahn.de or sncf-connect.com before travelling, since cross-border services are sometimes routed via Forbach with a short connection rather than running through directly.

Night One: Metz

Metz sits at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille, and its old town makes good use of both rivers: a flat riverside path runs along the Moselle through the Plan d'Eau park, a level, paved stretch well suited to a slow walk on legs still recovering from the marathon, with plenty of benches and no meaningful incline anywhere along it.

The Cathédrale Saint-Étienne, a short walk from the station through the pedestrianised centre, is worth entering for its stained glass alone: the nave holds windows by Marc Chagall alongside medieval glass, and the cathedral is free to visit. The Centre Pompidou-Metz, a satellite of the Paris museum with its own distinctive undulating roof, sits a few minutes further on and charges a modest entry fee that varies by exhibition; check current pricing at centrepompidou-metz.fr before visiting.

Where to stay: Hôtel de la Cathédrale, directly opposite the cathedral, puts the old town's main sight on the doorstep. Escale Oceania Metz Centre offers a more straightforward, moderately priced base a short walk from the station.

Where to eat: a brasserie on Place Saint-Louis, under the medieval arcades, is an easy choice for a first dinner without much walking beyond the old town core.

Night Two: Nancy

A TER regional train covers the roughly 40-minute hop from Metz to Nancy, with services running through the day at reasonably frequent intervals. Nancy's centrepiece, the Place Stanislas, is a UNESCO World Heritage square of gilded ironwork gates and symmetrical eighteenth-century facades, entirely flat and pedestrianised, and simply standing in the middle of it for ten minutes is as good an introduction to the city as any guidebook chapter.

The Parc de la Pépinière, adjoining the square, is a flat formal park with wide gravel paths, a gentler option than more walking through the old town if the legs are asking for a rest that still counts as sightseeing. The Musée des Beaux-Arts, on the square itself, gives an indoor option and includes a section of the old city ramparts incorporated into its lower galleries.

Where to stay: Grand Hôtel de la Reine, on Place Stanislas itself, is Nancy's best-known address and puts every sight in this section within a few minutes' walk. Mercure Nancy Centre Stanislas offers a more moderately priced alternative just off the square.

Where to eat: a brasserie facing the square itself is the obvious choice for a final dinner with the illuminated ironwork gates for a view, a fitting way to close out a trip that started on the banks of the Saar.

Getting to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)

Direct TGV services run from Nancy to Paris Gare de l'Est in around 1 hour 25 minutes, with several departures through the day. From Gare de l'Est, the RER B line connects through to Charles de Gaulle Airport in a further 45 minutes to an hour depending on the station and time of day. Book the TGV leg in advance where possible, since walk-up fares on the high-speed line are considerably more expensive than tickets bought ahead at sncf-connect.com. Anyone preferring to fly from closer to the border can check current schedules from Metz-Nancy-Lorraine Airport or Luxembourg Findel instead, both smaller but nearer alternatives depending on route availability.