Nancy: Squares, Museums and History
Accommodation in Nancy
When looking for a hotel in Nancy, you can first decide which side of the city you want to shape your stay: the ensemble of Enlightenment squares, Art Nouveau, art, medieval history, or a walking tour of the city. Nancy offers individual museums and historic sites as well as a self-guided route. This lets you plan your stay around a clear city or cultural theme before choosing a hotel for your trip.
Enlightenment Squares and Art
Place Stanislas, Place de la Carrière and Place d’Alliance form an urban landscape of the Enlightenment recognized by UNESCO and considered one of the most harmonious of its kind. If you are interested in urban design, this ensemble provides a shared focal point. The Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nancy is located on Place Stanislas. This adds a specific connection to art on the same square; the urban landscape and the museum offer two distinct starting points for a cultural stay.
Art Nouveau and Collections
The Musée de l’École de Nancy is one of the few French museums dedicated to Nancy Art Nouveau. It is located on the former estate of collector Eugène Corbin. Nearly 100 pieces of furniture, paintings and objets d’art from this museum’s collections are displayed at Villa Majorelle. The distinction can help you choose a theme: the Musée de l’École de Nancy is defined by its dedication to Nancy Art Nouveau, while Villa Majorelle presents a range of objects from the museum’s collections.
Living Collections at the Muséum-Aquarium
The Muséum-Aquarium de Nancy offers a different focus from the art museums. It has two aquarium galleries. Its living collections comprise around 249 species living in 45 aquariums in recreated natural habitats. The number of galleries describes the layout of the aquarium section, while the number of species and aquariums indicates the scope of the living collections. For a culturally focused stay, this offers a different perspective from works of art and the historic urban landscape.
Church History and Medieval Fortifications
The Église des Cordeliers is Nancy’s oldest church and became the dynastic necropolis of the House of Lorraine. These two facts highlight different aspects of its history: the church’s age within the city and its later role for a ruling house. The Porte de la Craffe offers a different perspective on Nancy’s history: it is the only surviving remnant of Nancy’s medieval fortifications. Here, the focus is on the city’s defenses, while the Église des Cordeliers is associated with dynastic history.
Walking Tour and Getting Around
The Parcours centre historique is a 3.5 km self-guided walking tour through Nancy. This provides an option alongside individual museums and historic sites: a self-guided route with a clearly stated length. The Pépinière can be accessed via Place Stanislas, Boulevard du 26e RI and Rue Sigisbert Adam. These three access points offer named landmarks to help you find your way if you include the Pépinière in your travel plans.
Discover more destinations: Saint-Maurice-Aux-Forges, Briey, Cerville, Toul, Rehainviller, Badonviller, Pierrepont, Pont-À-Mousson
For the overview of the wider region: Meurthe-Et-Moselle.
