Everything you need to explore Nancy in a weekend!
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Nancy is a small historic city in France’s Lorraine region. It probably hasn’t made the top of your France list, but it needs to!
A Weekend Nancy: Know Before You Go
Nancy became a city nearly a thousand years ago by the dukes of Lorraine. Initially it wasn’t part of France – it was ruled by the former king of Poland! I’ll skip the historic geopolitics, but that particular duke turned the old town into the gorgeous work of art it is.
Nancy is known for a whole other art style: Art Nouveau! The city was a major player in the Art Nouveau movement in art, design and architecture. It shapes much of the city’s buildings, and once you know what to look for, you’ll see it everywhere!
Nancy is close to Metz. Metz also has a great French Christmas market that’s not overrun by international tourists, so consider going at Christmas. Nancy busts out its own little market, so consider coordinating your visit around that if you’re here in winter.
If you’re planning a trip, it’s just over 1.5 hours train from Paris or Strasbourg. So it can be a day trip if you want. But I recommend doing a weekend in Nancy, maybe spending a day in Metz to see both, or as a stopover between Paris and Strasbourg or Germany?
Nancy Hotels
Nancy Hotels
When planning where to stay, keep in mind that many streets in the Old Town aren’t accessible by car. Some are! But if you rent a car or are taking a taxi, they may not be able to drop you right at your door. That being said, I loved staying in the old town if you find something that works for you!
By nature, Old Town doesn’t have many formal hotels, but Hotel de Guise has absolutely stunning rooms and in a great location. If apartments are more your speed, La Cour does the details beautifully!
New Town is just a few minutes’ walk away and opens up a lot more options. Litteraire Stendhal has to be the most beautiful one I’ve come across – the whole space is just gorgeous, and it’s a literary hotel? yes please! As a bonus, it’s surprisingly affordable for the quality level. Le Stanley Hotel is a great option if you’re looking for family friendly rooms but still bright and cheerful rooms.
Nancy Tours
I’m a huge believer in walking tours to get to know a city, big or small!!
If youre looking for the personal touch, an organization called Nancy Greeters offers walking tours of the city. These are led by locals, so you’ll get the real inside perspective. Best of all, these tours are free! Their website mentions no tipping specifically.
Because these are led by volunteers, you need to book these at least a week in advance. Their tours let you request special interests and offer several languages!
If you’re more interested in something self-guided, the Nancy tourism website has a few suggested walking routes in Nancy and the surrounding area.
Free things to see in Nancy
If you’re only spending a weekend in Nancy, start with Old Town. Most of these spots are in or surrounding Nancy’s old town so take yourself on a walk and wander!
Place Stanislas is Nancy’s major architectural moment. The square is surrounded by architectural heavy hitters: Opera House, Hotel de Ville (City Hall), Musee des Beaux Arts (Fine Arts Museum), and a beautiful line of shops leading to Arc Héré. The tourism office is also here, though most of their content is French only.
Spend a little time here for sure. Each corner has beautiful wrought iron and gold gates, some with ornate fountains. They put a massive tree here for the holidays, and there’s a light show on summer evenings!
Place de la Carriere is the short part connecting Arc Héré and the Government Palace. It’s very French in my mind: perfectly manicured trees in a line with wide graveled walkways. Reminds me of Paris’ Tuileries Garden.
From there, walk through Palais du Gouvernement. It’s not a public building these days, but has been part of government buildings for over 250 years.
Palais des Ducs de Lorraine is the former ducal palace. dating back to the 15th century. As of winter 2026 it’s currently closed for renovation. In true French fashion, there isn’t a clear reopening date. Either way, it’s beautiful from the outside so walk by!
Parc de la Pépinière is the main city park, and it’s pretty big for a small city. On the weekends you’ll find it full of locals but not crowded. It’s good for walking or picnicking if you want a break from architecture. They have a small animal exhibit, and musicians often set up here. The weekend we went there was a massive carnival! You never know what you’ll find.
Marché Central is Nancy’s covered market! France often hosts its weekly (or daily) farmer’s markets in permanent buildings, and Nancy’s is worth a visit! It’s a typical covered market open Tuesday through Saturday. It also houses a few lunch spots, so I highly recommend as a delicious and affordable meal!
It’s a small thing, but there’s a plaque built into the sidewalk in memoriam of the 1477 battle of Nancy. Historically this is where Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, was laid when he died in battle attacking Nancy. This matters because he was trying to carve out his own country that would’ve fallen between modern France and German. It didn’t happen, of course, putting Nancy squarely into French King Louis XI’s territory.
City Gates
Like any formerly fortified (read: walled) city, Nancy has a LOT of city gates still standing even if the walls are gone. They’re all from different eras, so not necessarily a cohesive style and therefore worth seeing a few. You have time to see them all in a weekend in Nancy if you like to walk, or stick to a few of my favorites:
Porte de la Caffe sits just down the street from the palais, and it’s the ancient city gate! It was originally connected to a defense wall around this area in the 14th century.
Porte Désilles is a more triumphal arch style. It’s much more recent, from the 18th century, and is an unnofficial gateway to the city center.
My other favorites are Porte Saint Nicholas and Porte Saint-Georges. There are seven in total – if you want to see them all, check my full Nancy guide!
Nancy Churches
Basilica Saint-Epvre is this gorgeous gothic church. Its placement with a small square and restaurants on two sides make the whole area feel like the quintessential French town! We stayed overlooking this square and I highly recommend the location. The basilica is open somewhat unpredictably due to heating and staffing issues. However, they usually post the hours it’ll be open in the next few days on a board by the doors. So check there at the start of your trip to see if you can get a peek!
Nancy Cathedral, formally called Cathedral of Our Lady of Annunciation, is the major church in town. Unfortunately it’s currently under restoration, so there’s not a lot to see inside. But the exterior is beautiful. And free entry, so go check if it’s finished and let me know!
Elise des Cordeliers sits next door to the Palais des Ducs de Lorraine. Understandably, because this houses the tombs of the dukes. It’s free to enter and worth a quick look. It also houses a few rooms of the currently-closed Musee Lorrain, so here’s to a free taste!
Art Nouveau in Nancy
No weekend in Nancy is complete without exploring some Art Nouveau.
Musee de l‘Ecole de Nancy
If you’re interested in the Art Nouveau movement, start at the Musee de l’Ecole! It’s housed in Art Nouveau pioneer Emile Galle’s former home and is full of Art Nouveau furniture, glassworks, and furnishings. It’s open Wednesday through Sunday.
Villa Majorelle
Villa Majorelle is one of the best examples of an Art Nouveau interiors still standing. Most of the furnishings are custom made – no surprise when the homeowner was furniture designer Louis Majorelle. Tickets are timed entry, so it’s best to plan ahead. But in the off season, it’s pretty open!
Saurupt Quarter
If you’re more interested in architecture, head to the Saurupt Quarter. It’s full of Art Nouveau design and considered a designed “garden city” of the era. Especially check out rue Felix Faure! This is a great free activity to soak up the Nancy’s beauty!
Niche Museums in Nancy
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nancy
Not exactly niche – it’s the city’s fine art museum. It features works by Caravaggio, Rubens, Monet, and more. They also have a lot of Daum glassware, which is an Art Nouveau style.
Musée de l’Histoire du Fer
Nancy host an Iron History Museum! Random? For sure, but it’s worth considering. Exhibits cover history, how to work with iron, and displays of Art Nouveau and Art Deco designs.
Nancy in a weekend is the perfect little getaway! I’ll share restaurants and nearby day trips soon, so check back for more!
Want more France guides? Try Strasbourg, Chinon, or Paris!
