Verdun is not just the site of a World War I battle; it's a very pretty city. We drove up the steep cobblestone streets to the Basilica. As we walked from our own street parking spot, we passed through the 12th-century Chapel Gate, the last surviving gate in the city . The Basilica has a 12th-century crypt with frescos. We knew it was a basilica because it has the Episcopal Umbrella, the symbol of a basilica. There were a series of reliqeries holding the bones of some of the Virgins of Cologne. Verdun is one of the three Diocese of Lorraine, along with Metz and Toul. We had hoped to visit the museum adjacent to the Basilica, but it was closed on Tuesday.
In Varennes, there is the Tower of Louis XVI, which is a very attractive clock tower. Also, the Pennsylvania Monument on the Blvd. General Pershing is worth a stop. It is not a small insignificant monument, and you can walk around on it. It's very impressive.
Nancy has several museums worthy of a visit; The Museum of Lorraine History, located in the Ducal Palace, has a collection of George de la Tour paintings which are exceptional. The Museum of Lorraine Life showcases the everyday life of the people of Lorraine throughout the ages. There are displays of furniture and work impliments in an interactive setting. You can walk into the homes and rooms and see the actual furnishings. It was attractively done, and even though there were no English write-ups, you can pretty well understand most of the displays. One case was full of different types of footwarmers. Some of them we couldn't figure out though and that was half the fun. We invented uses for some of the items we couldn't identify.
The Cordelier Church has the tombs of some of the Dukes of Lorraine Rene II, Anthony, and Francois I. There are some very unique stone grave-covers on the wall as you enter the chapel; they have skeletons on them, and they are smirking. These three museums can be visited on a combination pass that you can purchase at the Ducal Palace.