So
this just might happen to be a post about doors...and windows. Sorry, I
can’t help it. Nancy, France has surprised me. It has shop windows overflowing with pastries, pain de chocolat, and éclairs. Along with pastel-coloured shutters adorning every house window, wandering the old town streets here is trés wonderful.
Oh, and there's this amazing fountain.
Oh, and there's this amazing fountain.
The French city of Nancy lies just 2.5 hours from Frankfurt, and is a fairly pleasant train ride from Paris. Its town centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and rumour has it that Place Stanislas, which is home to buildings much more palace than city hall, is the most beautiful square in Europe.
Place Stanislas |
I'm not sure if that's true, or if the French have just claimed that, because well, they're French and it's probably true. Once I've visited all European town squares I'll let y'all know :).
What is interesting is that Stanislas was the King of Poland, but Duke of Upper Lorraine, and he did much to better the lives of the citizens of Nancy at the time. He forged cultural and economic growth, fed the poor, and gave houses to those who had through misfortune lost everything.
This summer, the city put on an incredible light show every evening, creating magnificently vivid scenes detailing episodes from the past centuries. The scenes played out on the 4 major town square buildings, with the prominent focus on city hall. Both nights that we stayed in the city we experienced the Spectacle son et Lumière in Place Stanislas...it was just that incredible.
The Spectacle highlighted the industrial revolution, the renaissance, Nancy's surrounding wine and agricultural landscape, its schools, music and cultural heritage...all set to an inspiring and uplifting soundtrack.
Nancy is not a huge city, about a half million people, but it is an old one, dating back to 800 BC. Like most other well-placed European cities, this one has also gone through many soul-altering evolutions, sometimes due to war, often due to natural occurrences. Oh, who are we kidding? Pretty much all destruction and change was due to war, including when Nancy was set on fire in 1218, at the end of the War of Succession of Champagne.
I came to Nancy to experience more French towns, culture and cuisine, and Nancy was the perfect choice. Patisseries on every corner, much top-rated, but not top-priced local cuisine, and fascinating history made the two-day visit well worth the trip.
Since the late 19th century, Nancy has been a centre of art and architecture, giving Paris a run for her money at times. Around that time a group of artists and architects created the 'École de Nancy' and their Art Nouveau influences can still be felt while wandering many sidewalks.
What I just couldn't get enough of were the shuttered windows, neatly painted in soft hues, complimenting the buildings in all their variations of taupe. I'm not really sure if they are only decorative or if they have an actual purpose, but I don't really care. They are super cute.
Nancy also has an wonderful array of gardens, some centuries old. One of the cities oldest botanical gardens, now named Jardin Godron, used to house numerous collections vital to the Royal College of Medicine. Now, it displays vibrant horticultural specimens in long distinguished rows, making it easy and interesting to walk amongst and just enjoy.
Jardin Godron |
Parque de la Pépinière |
C' Fred...plain excellent! |
I would be remiss not to include C' Fred's excellent wine offerings. We indulged in a bottle of the Pezenas Madame du Parc from the south of France. I had never heard of it before, but oh was it delish. Apparently it's something special.
And since I don't have the warm chocolate cake anymore to warm my heart, I will leave you with a nighttime photo of my favourite fountain, which almost does the same for me...and I hope for you.