Beginning of the Period of the Dukes of Lorraine When we exited Musee Historique Lorrain at 64 rue Grand’ Rue, the Old Town’s Main Street, we walked one block to the end of the street to get a closer look at the fifteenth-century city gate we had seen…Read More

Beginning of the Period of the Dukes of Lorraine
When we exited Musee Historique Lorrain at 64 rue Grand’ Rue, the Old Town’s Main Street, we walked one block to the end of the street to get a closer look at the fifteenth-century city gate we had seen on our way in to the museum.

Porte de la Craffe was the gate the dukes entered on their way to their coronations. The middle portion was originally part of the city walls, and the twin towers were added later in the Fifteenth Century and housed prisoners. Above the arch, the Lorraine Cross, symbol of Nancy, was installed after the Battle of Nancy (1477), in which Rene II defeated the Duke of Burgundy, Charles the Bold, who was killed just outside this gate. Charles had barricaded the citizens of Nancy inside the walls as punishment for expelling the governor he had placed there. Driven by ambition to create a gigantic dukedom from the North Sea to the Mediterranean, he had finagled his way into control of the duchy under the pretense of helping Rene, the rightful heir, to defend it against King Louis XII. In exile, Rene enlisted the help of the Swiss to drive the Burgundians out of Lorraine and regain its independence, which lasted until 1766, when the region was assumed by the French crown.

Shop a while!
Don’t forget that pastry! Take a look in the case!

It’s just a few doors away, but this block of the Old Town’s Main Street is a time capsule. You can stand in one spot and see part of Rene’s Ducal Palace, the City Gate with a prison, the regional museum in the Ducal Palace, the church where the Dukes of Lorraine are buried, the monastery, and . . . bakeries. You may also want to shop at tiny gift boutiques, book exchanges, or fabric stores, all with small town atmosphere. Grand’ Rue is only a few blocks, but you can forget that the busy city of Nancy is all around. Look one way, and the City Gate is always in view. In the other direction, the distance is closed by a large building. So, if you walk to Grand Rue to visit Musee Lorrain, plan to spend a while on that block, the oldest part of town, still insulated a bit from the rest of the city. There is some auto traffic, but all the history related in this entry--and more--is in evidence on this short street.

Where did our good duke go?
The citizens of Nancy suffered from cold and famine while Charles had them barricaded inside the walls, but they were rewarded with a period of peace and prosperity after Rene regained his duchy. A few years later, he regained Bar (so that the duchy was whole again as Lorraine/Bar) when he relinquished to Charles VII his claim to Naples, where he and his father (Rene, the Good; Duke of Lorraine and King of Naples) had focused all their time and attention, ignoring the lonely, scared people of Lorraine. This was the point in history, from 1477, time of Charles’ defeat, when the Dukes of Lorraine began to stay at home--and build the monuments of the town.

Our duke is home! Our duke is home!
From this time, the individual identity of the region evolved from artistic, artisan, and social endeavor. Thus began a prosperous growth for Nancy as the regional capital and home of its defenders during the historic period of the Dukes of Lorraine. So long ago, yet one can see evidence all over town that the people had missed their dukes and were so happy they were home! On this block and on Place Stanislas, two corresponding periods of prosperity are reviewed again and again by guides and exhibits, and visitors can envision the historic town where folks lived happily with their dukes, their parties, their pageantry. I haven’t visited all the ancient provinces of France, but I suspect that Lorraine was unique in its childlike love for its aristocracy. But after all, the people needed somebody to protect them from ambitious Burgundians!

The good tourists get pastries!
We had been so good to learn all this in half an afternoon at Musee Lorrain, we deserved the best pastry in France! Walking back from the City Gate, we passed a few bakeries, but the selection here was most outrageous:

I just had to get that door open in a hurry! You can see that I’m on the right side of the street walking away from the City Gate, just a few doors away.

Oops! The one on the left was bigger than it appears here!

This green pistachio mousse bobble is the absolute best! David thought so, too. Take it from two out-of-control pastry deviants, it’s worth looking in every bakery window on Grand’ Rue to find this one! The one on the right wasn’t bad either, but every pastry we had anywhere in Europe pales in comparison to this one. (Just remember, it’s green--pistachio!) We were amazed that we didn’t walk back -- just a block -- by the time we finished it to get another, but if we hurried, we could spend some time at Musee des Beaux Arts. Complaining about "the pastry famine we must endure inside these city gates!" we started back to Place Stanislas. Now, we can enjoy the pastries of Lorraine at home, thanks to recipes compliments of the Office of Tourism. Sorry, no pistachio here!

First, take a look at Rene.
When we came to the first busy intersection, we made one right turn (the opposite direction from Place Stanislas) and walked just a half-block off our course to see Place St. Epvre, the Old Town market site from medieval times until the end of the Nineteenth Century. The Basilica of St. Epvre was built late in the Nineteenth Century in gothic revival style, and in the middle of the square in front of it is a fountain and a statue of Rene the second.

Duke Rene was a much-celebrated hero, but his neglect (and his father’s) was what had left the city vulnerable in the first place! Something akin to paternal guilt, then, must have motivated him to strengthen the city walls and begin rebuilding his city, now Old Town, in the style of the Italian Renaissance. He is credited with bringing the Renaissance to Nancy. (Remember, his father was King of Naples.) His building spree began with the styling of his Ducal Palace, now Musee Lorrain. He founded the Franciscan Monastery and Convent in 1482. His elaborate baroque tomb, as well as those of the other dukes of Lorraine, can be visited in another of his foundations, the Church of the Cordeliers (1487), 66 Grand’ Rue, all accessible with admission to Musee Lorrain. This was an important dynasty in French history, and it continued to rule an independent Lorraine until the death of Stanislas, builder and now focal subject of the most recent, most elaborate square in town, one of three squares that comprise "The Royal City."

Goodbye to Old Town
We loved this section of Nancy, perhaps even more because it isn’t pedestrian. I don’t recall cobblestone or Grand Place in Old Town, just Grand’ Rue or "Main Street," reminiscent of a more recent era that also had its charms. We didn’t see any tourists! We passed a few small groups of local teen girls shopping. So, we felt we were visiting a "real" old town, similar to those familiar to us in childhood--more ancient, but not just another tourist site. Like the dukes, we had come home. At the grand archway, we retraced our steps through Place de la Carriere and then at the other end of that square, Arc de Triomphe welcomed us back to Place Stanislas.

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…Read More

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.