The fame of so many French destinations is down to the historic architecture and culture of the place.  We love to visit beautiful historic places that speak of the history of the town or city.  These can range from ancient sites dating back millennia to fine chateaux and glorious cathedrals erected centuries ago.  So it’s a rare destination when the “new” town draws most of the attention.  Nancy is just such a place.  It is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and particularly renowned as the French capital of Art Nouveau and has a wealth of buildings in this style.  But there are also grand squares, palaces, rococo fountains, the spectacular gilded wrought iron gates of Place Stanislas and a Vieille Ville (Old Town) that dates back to the 11^th century.

Nancy, like much of this region, can trace its origins back to around 800 BE.  Early settlers are thought to have been attracted to the iron ore easily found around here, as well as a viable crossing in the Meurthe river.  The first name Nancy was known by was Nanciaco, which is thought to be the name for ancient Gaul.  A small town named Nanciacum was built by the Duke of Lorraine around 1050.  It was badly burned in 1218 at the end of the War of Succession of Champagne, and conquered by the Emperor Frederick II.  Over the next few centuries it was rebuilt in stone, growing in importance as the capital of the Duchy of Lorraine.  In 1736, the Emperor Charles arranged for Maria Theresa of Austria to marry Duke Francois of Lorraine, who was reluctantly persuaded to exchange these lands for the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.

The exiled Polish king Stanislaus I, father-in-law of the French king Louis XV, was then given the vacant Duchy of Lorraine by the king and thus became the Duke of Lorraine.  This turned out to be of great benefit to Nancy.  Once merely a trader’s outpost on somewhat boggy land, the town experienced considerable growth and a flowering of baroque culture and architecture.  Stanislaus oversaw the construction of Place Stanislas, the main square of the town, while further development connected the old medieval town with the newer part of the city.  On the south side of Place Stanislas is the Hôtel de Ville, completed in 1755.  Upon Stanislaus’ death in February 1766, Lorraine and neighbouring Barrois became a part of the Kingdom of France.  A parlement for Lorraine and Barrois was established in Nancy in 1776.

In 1871, Nancy remained French when Germany annexed Alsace-Lorraine.  The city was occupied by German forces at the beginning of 1940 and renamed Nanzig.  During the Lorraine Campaign of WWII, Nancy was liberated from Nazi Germany by the US Third Army in September 1944 at the Battle of Nancy.

The oldest part of the city is the Vieille Ville quarter, which has the Porte de la Craffe, the Palace of the Dukes of Lorraine (now the Palais du Gouvernement), the Porte Désilles and the 19^th century Basilique St-Epvre.  Next to this quarter is the Charles III quarter – Centre Ville, which is the 16^th – 18^th century “new town.”  This quarter contains the famous Place Stanislas, Nancy Cathedral, the Opera National de Lorraine, the Musée des Beaux-Arts and the main railway station.

The very impressive Place Stanislas is the obvious place to start exploring Nancy.  It’s surrounded by fine buildings, and is essentially the same now as it was 200 years ago.  The story goes that the fountains flowed with wine in 1755 when Stanislaus inaugurated this fine square, which he declared was built to honour his son-in-law, Louis XV—it’s a challenge to try and identify all the symbols of royalty on the rococo-style gilded gates designed by Jean Lamour .

The gilded railings at the ends of the streets and around the Fountains of Neptune and Amphitrite, are also the work of Lamour.  The fountains, on each of the corners of the Place, were created by Barthélemy Guibal.

Its UNESCO listing describes the Place as one of the most harmonious urban landscapes of the Enlightenment, and illustrates in a masterful and exemplary way the idea of the royal square as an urban, monumental and central space.  Restored and renovated in 2005 when it was pedestrianised, Place Stanislas is probably the city’s most popular meeting place for locals, who enjoy its ambience and lively atmosphere.  Try and visit the Place in the evening when the buildings are all beautifully lit, and even better if you can be there in the summer when you can see the Son et Lumiere show.

The largest of the palaces on Place Stanislas is the Hôtel de Ville, which occupies the whole of the south side of the Place.  Its 100m long Neo-classical façade is adorned with the coat of arms of Stanislas and those of the City of Nancy.  The front doors open onto a peristyle that leads to the grand staircase, adorned with a one-piece magnificent wrought-iron banister.  The walls and ceiling of the staircase are decorated with murals and lead to the Salon Carée (Square Room), an Italian-style salon, then the Grand Salon.  You have a chance to admire this beautiful interior, as the building has temporary exhibitions, lectures, concerts and the Son et Lumiere show called ‘Rendez-Vous Place Stanislas’, which takes place on the façade.

The design of the Opera National de Lorraine was inspired by the Opera Garnier in Paris.  The current building replaces one that was destroyed by fire in October 1906, and is designed in the classical style, but with some characteristics of art nouveau.  The opera company received the status of national opera in 2006, and is highly regarded for the quality and variety of its programming.

The Musée des Beaux-Arts is the region’s most visited museum after the Pompidou Centre in Metz.  The artworks are beautifully displayed in a splendid 18^th century pavilion which was originally designed to house the College of Medicine.  The superb collections represent every European school of art, spanning a period from 14^th to 21^st centuries and include works by Perugino, Tintoretto, Caravaggio, Rubens, Delacroix, Bonnard, Manet, Monet, Modigliani, Dufy, Matisse, Picasso…just to name a few.  Don’t miss the lower ground level, which is dedicated to the Daum collection of Art Nouveau and Art Deco glass, made in the city’s glass-making factory and displayed among the newly excavated remains of an older building.

From here, walk through the old town and along the Grand Rue and its maze of narrow streets lined with shops, markets and thin houses with mullioned windows.  Before you reach the end of the Grand Rue, check out the Basilique Saint-Epvre in Place Saint-Epvre.  This Gothic Revival church is filled with riches endowed by Napoleon lll, Emperor Franz-Joseph of Austria and King Ludwig of Bavaria.  The church has exquisite stained-glass windows, and the paving in the Choir comprise of stones taken from the Appian Way on the outskirts of Rome.

Finish your exploration of this quarter at Porte de la Craffe, past the magnificent Palace of the Dukes of Lorraine,  to a 14^th century gateway that once formed part of the city’s medieval fortifications.  In the centre of the Porte between the two large towers is the emblem of the region, the Cross of Lorraine, carved into the stone.

Nancy is famous for its Art Nouveau architecture.  This movement began in Belgium and France in the late 19^th century, and Nancy was one of the hotspots.  After the humiliating defeat of Napoleon III in the Franco-Prussian War and the annexation of Alsace and Lorraine, many young artists, designers, architects and other creative people fled the annexed territories and found their new home in the city of Nancy.  The city focussed on enhancing the prestige of Lorraine by producing high-quality decorative arts and architecture, and developing new forms of artistic expression.

A cultural explosion followed in Nancy when the École was founded, and transformed the city into a key centre of the Art Nouveau movement.  Some of the best-known of these buildings can be found in the business district, which stretches from Place Stanislas to Place André Maginot near the railway station.

Contrary to the precise geometry of Neoclassical forms, Art Nouveau is highly fluid and decorative.  It was characterised by elaborate carvings and stained-glass windows, often with a botanical theme.  A good place to learn all about it is Le Musée de l’école de Nancy, which showcases the works of artists who established the local Art Nouveau movement.  It has a terrific interior and is somewhat reminiscent of a Gaudi building.

The dining room especially expresses the flowing design motifs of the Art Nouveau movement—from floor to ceiling and everything in between!  It’s the only museum in the world exclusively devoted to the display and presentation of such a vast number of the most exquisite Art Nouveau artefacts.  You’ll see beautifully presented reception rooms, bedrooms and any number of cabinets displaying glassware and ceramics and carved timber objects.

There is a dedicated gallery for the more than 400 glass objects by Émile Gallé.  This museum is heaven for anyone interested in Art Nouveau.

Just nearby is the Villa Majorelle built in 1901-02.  Designed by Henri Sauvage for the artist Louis Majorelle, it was the very first Art Nouveau building in Nancy.

Everything in the villa, from furniture such as curved bed frames to décor such as light fittings, carved stone fireplaces, carved timber vines around doorways, and other decorative finishes immediately identifiable with the Movement.  There is a gorgeous collection of lamps, creatively designed in the shape of flowers, mushrooms, dragonflies and even an onion.  There are also collections of textiles, jewellery, ceramics, glass, furniture and objects d’art.

Villa Majorelle has a lovely garden full of colourful flowerbeds and lush vegetation.  The garden also has 3 Art Nouveau pieces that are listed as Monuments Historiques:  a funerary monument, a pavilion that contains an aquarium and the decorative oak door to the Ateliers Gallé.  It’s located at 36-38 rue du Sergent Blandan.  Villa Majorelle has been a listed Monument Historique since 1996.

Not far from Villa Majorelle at 41 rue Pasteur is the Biet House dating from 1907.  A couple of blocks from here, enjoy a wander down rue Felix Faure, which took shape between 1900-1910, and you will find lovely family homes, each showcasing unique architectural elements, such as stained glass windows and ornate façades, that embody the spirit of Art Nouveau, forming a living gallery of artistic creativity.

About a block or two away from Villa Majorelle is another landmark Art Nouveau building, once called the Jacques Pharmacy, at 33 rue de la Commanderie, which has a beautiful, typical Art Nouveau façade, and nearby no. 22 in the same street has a striking Art Nouveau façade.  Also check out the France-Lanord Building at 69 Ave. Foch.  Do a walk by to at least see these lovely façades.

A little over 2 kms from Villa Majorelle, an area called Parc de Saurupt was imagined as a garden city from around 1902.  Only about 5 houses in the Art Nouveau style were built, and during the inter-war Art Deco period, other beautiful, rather opulent houses joined them.  The whole neighbourhood, which occupies about 88 hectares, will give you the opportunity to admire some real architectural treasures of both artistic movements.  Among these, Villa Les Glycines, Villa Les Cigognes and Villa Lang truly shine.

Back in the city centre, between Place Stanislas and the railway station, you’ll find a striking display of Art Nouveau architecture.  The designs here are a vibrant mix of artistry and innovation, and each building has a magnificent and  intricate façade.  One such building is the former Charles Renauld Bank—now the BNP Bank—dating from 1910.  Its corner turret is an absolute standout feature, that draws the viewer’s attention upward.  A little further along, you will come across the Genin-Louis grain factory, built in 1901.  Its bold, blue metal structure is a beautiful blend of industrial strength and artistic creativity.

Another gem of this area is the former Seed Shop and Crédit Lyonnais bank building from 1901, which has a glass roof that fills the interior with natural daylight.  This building’s detailed ornamentation perfectly captures the essence of the city’s Art Nouveau style.

As well as these Art Nouveau gems to be found in Nancy, this beautiful city has so many other outstanding attractions.  I haven’t even made mention of numerous fine, historic buildings, such as the Cathedral Notre-Dame de l’Annonciation, the Church of the Cordeliers, Église Saint Sebastien and the imposing Ducal Palace.  To make the most of your visit, pop into the city’s Tourist Office in the Hotel de Ville for a map, and ask the assistant to mark the main landmarks and neighbourhoods mentioned here.

Nancy lies about 145 kms due west of Strasbourg, which can be done easily by car, which takes less than 2 hrs. or by direct train that takes around 1hr 30 mins.  It’s also a convenient direct train journey from Paris Gare de l’Est, taking about 1hr 45 mins.

Nancy is the perfect destination for those seeking something different, and unique.  The city is an extraordinary example of how artistic and architectural influences can blend perfectly with modern features and facilities to create a highly attractive, harmonious environment and lifestyle for locals and visitors alike.  We had planned a generous four day visit and left feeling as though we had only just begun to scratch the surface of this remarkable city.