Baccarat: Crystal Art, History and Walking Routes
Accommodation in Baccarat
Baccarat Between Crystal Art and History
A trip to Baccarat can bring together several themes: the architecture of Saint-Remy Church, the history and craftsmanship of the crystal house, and medieval architectural history and garden landscapes. The church and the Baccarat Collection offer different perspectives on crystal: at Saint-Remy, it is part of a light installation; at the Collection, the focus is on the history and craftsmanship of the crystal house. The Tour des Voués, Parc Michaut and two routes of different lengths add further cultural and landscape dimensions. This lets you tailor your time to your interests in architecture, exhibitions, history or walks.
The Church and Crystal Craftsmanship
Saint-Remy Church was built between 1953 and 1957 to plans by architect Nicolas Kazis. Its light installation consists of 20,000 Baccarat crystal pieces set into concrete. The building thus combines architecture and crystal craftsmanship in a tangible way: the material is part of the lighting design, not merely a separate exhibit. The combination of construction date, architecture and material offers a tangible way to explore Baccarat’s crystal heritage.
The Baccarat Collection is a museum space that presents the history and craftsmanship of the crystal house. The exhibition “The Joy of Living of the World's Great Since 1764” features 600 exhibits, including chandeliers, perfume bottles by Chanel or Guerlain, and colored glassware. Different types of objects are thus brought together in one exhibition. The distinction from Saint-Remy is useful for orientation: the Collection displays objects, while at the church crystal is set into concrete as part of the light installation.
The Hôtel de Ville is also suitable for a wide range of exhibitions. The specific exhibition program may change; if you want to see a particular exhibition, check before your trip whether it will be on at your chosen time. The town hall’s suitability as an exhibition venue complements the museum space, which is explicitly dedicated to the history and craftsmanship of the crystal house.
Medieval History and Garden Landscapes
The Tour des Voués was built on a rock in 1305 to protect the dwellings of the serfs. The medieval structure offers a different perspective from the more recent Saint-Remy Church: here, architectural history and the building’s protective function take you back to 1305. The tower can be visited outdoors free of charge. As visiting arrangements may change, check the current visiting options in advance.
Parc Michaut includes a rose garden and an arboretum. An arboretum is a collection of trees, giving it a different horticultural focus from the rose garden. The banks of the Meurthe are nearby. This makes it possible to distinguish the garden features of Parc Michaut from the nearby riverside landscape.
Compare Walks and Hiking Routes
The Circuit du Moulin Ă Vent is an easy 3.5 km walking route with an estimated walking time of about one hour. The route passes through the rose garden. The distance and approximate walking time give you an indication of how much time to allow; the route itself adds a specific garden setting to this information.
The Circuit du Terrain de Manœuvre is a 12 km hiking route with an average walking time of three hours. For planning purposes, this means about one hour for 3.5 km compared with an average of three hours for 12 km. The comparison shows the different timeframes for the two routes without equating their time estimates: the walking time for the shorter route is approximate, while the time for the longer route is an average. As route details may change, check current trail conditions before setting out.
Discover more destinations: Igney, Crézilles, Saint-Nicolas-De-Port, Crévéchamps, Mars-La-Tour, Vandoeuvre-Lès-Nancy, Bainville-aux-Miroirs, Giriviller.
For the regional travel overview: Meurthe-Et-Moselle.
