Metz Old Town

Metz is a typical European medium-sized provincial city where finding a good place to eat is not difficult! There are plenty of cafés with outdoor terraces, restaurants, and salons de thé, without forgetting the lively well-known covered market near the Cathedral which offers local produce, Lorraine cuisine and inventive gourmet dishes. You might want to taste the “pâtés Lorrain”, tourte and quiche Lorraines, or local Mirabelle plum brandy sweets.

Place Saint-Jacques is well known by locals for its many cafés and restaurants whose terraces are popular in summer. The square takes its name from a church (église Saint-Jacques) which used to stand here until it was dismantled in 1574.

In Metz, you will find shopping an attractive experience, with a multitude of boutiques and stores inside the pedestrianised and bustling Old Town: stroll along Rue des Clercs, En-Fournirue and Rue Serpenoise to get an idea of what Metz has to offer!

Two museums are worth a visit. Firstly, the Musée de la Cour d’Or, the city’s main museum complex, which houses rich Gallo-Roman and medieval exhibitions, and Fine Arts’ masterpieces.

The second museum, located behind the railway station, is by far the most striking one, which will open its doors in 2010: Centre Pompidou-Metz. The famous Parisian museum of modern arts chose Metz to house its first permanent outpost. The futuristic building by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban is the topic of the conservation in the local bistros... the multi-level building, with its elaborate wooden structure covered in a white cloth roof intrigues people... the debate is still on: is its architecture weird or wonderful? In any case, the new branch will exhibit the Pompidou collections which have been in storage for some time. No doubt Metz will become a very popular destination for Parisians and other art lovers.

For decades now, Metz has been known in France as the “Green City” (la Ville Verte). Today, it is still one of France’s greenest cities with more than 25 square metres of green space per inhabitant. If you stay more than 3 days in Metz, you will discover kilometres of riverside paths in the greenery or along lakes and river banks of the Moselle and Seille Rivers.

Metz and Lorraine have never been the main destination for English speaking tourists, so you will certainly find yourself off the beaten tourist track when visiting the region. You will probably find people in Metz (the Messins and Messines) particularly friendly and chatty, once you initiate the conversation (preferably in French!)

METZ, the Old Town

Metz (pronounced “Mess”) is the administrative capital of the Lorraine region. The charming provincial city is located on the east side of the Moselle River, between Nancy and Luxembourg.

Close to three international borders (with Germany, Luxemburg and Belgium), Greater Metz has a population of 230,000, and is easily accessible from Paris by TGV within 1.30 hours.

Metz is famous for its lofty gothic cathedral Saint-Etienne and its German imperial district around the railway station. It takes pride in being a true Garden City, with its trees, flowerbeds and green esplanades. Today, no visitors in the peaceful city would believe how turbulent Metz’ history has been over the centuries, being continually annexed by France and Germany.

After the first visit to this seductive French town most people go back again.

How to get to Metz...

From 2007 it has become very easy to get to Metz from Paris thanks to the new TGV Est-Européen, which takes 1.30 hours from Paris-Gare de l’Est. From London Saint Pancras it is a good 5 hour journey by train with a change in Paris. Metz is also directly linked to Brussels, Frankfurt and Lyon by train.

Metz is also easily reached from Paris by the Autoroute de l’Est (motorway A4), and from Luxembourg and Lyon by the A31.

If you are travelling from Australia, the best way to reach Metz is to take a flight either to Paris Charles de Gaulle or Frankfurt am Rhein airports, and take a train from there.

driving in Metz

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Metz is a striking city due to its natural and architectural heritage, mostly due to a rich history. The site was inhabited during the Roman era, as it was perfectly located at the crossroads of the Roman military roads Reims-Strasbourg and Trier-Lyon. Called “Divodurum”, meaning the town at the holy mountain, it was the head quarters of a local tribe, the Celtic Mediomatrici, shortened by Mettis, from which derived the present name of Metz.

In the 2nd century AD, Metz was a thriving and wealthy city of 40,000 inhabitants, – hence larger than Lutetia (Paris) – and even had one of the Roman Worlds’ largest amphitheatres, seating 25,000.

Roman Metz: Divodurum

Much of Metz’ roman past can be seen today in the city’s museum “La Cour d’Or”. Another outstanding building is Saint Pierre-aux-Nonnains, which is believed to be France’s oldest church, dating back to the 4th century. Built between 380 and 395 AD as a Roman gymnasium, it was consecrated to the Christian faith in the 7th century. Around 1000, Emperor Otto commissioned the building of a Romanesque nave. Gothic vaults were added in the 15th and 16th centuries and eventually were destroyed during the great siege of Charles V in 1552. From 1556, the new masters of Metz, the French, allocated the building for the army. The former church became part of an arsenal and stayed as such until the 20th century. In the 1970s it was decided to renovate and transform the building into a concert and exhibition hall.

Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains, the oldest church in France

The hideous monster made a feast by eating imprudent people at night time, and not surprisingly he was particularly fond of young maidens! Nothing could overcome him; he seemed to fear nothing except water. No wonder the people of Metz called him “le Graoully”, from the german “gräulich” (terrifying).

Arriving in the region to preach the Gospel to the pagans, Saint Clement was venerated as a Saviour who could help them get rid of the hideous dragon.

The legend of Saint Clément and the Graoully

As a crossroads of major Roman routes, Metz was open to new religious ideas, such as Christianity. With the churches of Reims and Trier, Metz housed one of the oldest Christian congregations in Northern Gaul. It is believed that the Christian faith spread into Metz around 280 AD, with the city’s first bishop: Saint Clement. According to tradition, the holy man was sent to evangelise the city and deliver it from a dragon which brought terror and death to the local population: the Graoully. The beast lived in the ruins of the Roman amphitheatre, which was infested by a multitude of snakes. The gigantic reptile, unable to walk on earth because of his short legs, was particularly impressive with its body covered in green-brown scales that no arrow could penetrate. Once, the dragon was seen flying over the region, right above the roofs, his jagged wings unfolding and his eyes red and flaming, ready to catch his prey in mid-air. However, the most terrifying thing about the monster was its mouth which breathed fire and sulphur.

Medieval Metz

The Roman aqueduct

According to tradition, the Knights Templar who came to Metz in 1133 built the chapel between 1180 and 1220. The church was part of a larger Commandry destroyed at the same time the Order was abolished. It represents an architectural masterpiece in Lorraine as it is the only rotunda of that kind in the region. Its circular layout is typical of the Templar tradition, (as in the cathedral of Aachen) and it is believed that the chapel was modelled after that of Laon, Picardy, and built 40 years earlier.

It was classified as a historic monument as early as 1840 at a time when the chapel was seriously in danger of being demolished by the building of the nearby citadel.

The outside of the chapel is still Romanesque architecture with its thick walls and its small arched windows. However, inside, the architecture is moves towards early Gothic architecture with its vaults. The sculpted keystone depicts the dove of the Holy Spirit and the walls are covered with mural paintings, which were heavily restored in 1905. Note the distinctive ‘cross pattée’ of the Knights Templar which still decorates the lintel of the entrance door.

Today, the chapel is used as an exhibition hall.

The Esplanade and the Knights Templar chapel

At the end of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71, Metz’ destiny changed dramatically as the city and its département (Moselle) was annexed by Bismarck to Germany.

Kaiser Wilhelm II personally oversaw the new town planning project around the railway station, to the South of the Old Town, in order to make Metz a model of German prestige and elegance. This new but remarkable architectural example was commissioned to an architect from Berlin, Kröger, who erected many imposing buildings in the Rhenish tradition along Metz’ Grand Boulevards.

The “Pierre de Jaumont” which was traditionally – and extensively – used so far everywhere was replaced with stones used in the Rhineland: pink and grey sandstone, granite and basalt.

Some large neo-Romanesque buildings typical of the German Empire successively appeared in the city: the water tower (1908), the railway station (1908), the post-office (1911), the protestant temple of the German garrison (1881), the Temple Neuf (1904) or the Palais du Gouverneur (1905).

If you stroll around the district, you will discover an inconsistent – even contradictory – blend of architecture, from art deco (Jugendstil) and neo-Romanesque mansions to mock-Bavarian farmhouses.

The whole district was nominated by the municipality of Metz in 2007 to be classified on UNESCO’s World Heritage list for its architectural uniqueness.

Read our detailed page on Metz’ German Imperial District.

The Place de la Comédie

Another interesting square worth mentioning is Place de la Comédie which borders the Moselle River, just a stone’s throw from the Cathedral, on the Ile du Petit Saulcy.

The square is bordered by the oldest working opera-theatre in France, which was inaugurated in 1752 with a ball. Until the French revolution, it staged plays of contemporary playwrights such as Racine, Corneille, Molière, Voltaire, Marivaux, Diderot, and Beaumarchais. But at the Revolution, the square was not really dedicated to fun and leisure as it became the setting for the guillotine, which cut some 63 heads. But once this dark era was gone, some renowned artists performed in Metz, such as Sarah Bernhardt in La Tosco in 1905.

To the right of the Opera-Theatre stands the Temple Neuf, built during the German annexing of 1871-1918 (see below “The German Imperial District” for more details)

Another interesting discovery of Metz’ Roman past lies a few kilometres away from the city’s outskirts: the remains of the Gorze to Metz aqueduct. Such a large city with its baths, fountains and trade activities needed an efficient water-supply system.

It is worth staying in Metz overnight that way you get to enjoy the illuminations of its major monuments. The beautiful cathedral, carefully lit at night is visible from far, like a golden crown above the city. In summer, a night stroll along the Moselle River bank is a must. Make sure you don’t forget to walk through Place de la Comédie, located on an island where you can see one of the best sights of Metz’ illuminations: the Cathedral, the opera-theatre and the Temple Neuf.

The Temple Neuf and its surrounding garden become a spectacular sight at night as it is lit with great care, giving this site a mysterious atmosphere from olden times.

Metz recently won the National Grand Prix for Lighting awarded by the National Academy of Street Arts.

Don’t miss the Place d’Armes, encircled by the Cathedral and the Town-Hall. Since 2007 a new lighting system has been implemented, enhancing the city’s self-proclaimed title of “capital of lights”.

More of our pictures of Metz by night can be seen in our flickr.com sets.

Useful websites (in English):

Tourist board of Metz:

http://tourisme.mairie-metz.fr/en/index.php

Tourist information site of Lorraine:

www.tourisme-lorraine.fr

Tourist Board of the Département of Moselle:

http://www.moselle-tourism.com/

Centre Pompidou-Metz:

http://www.centrepompidou-metz.fr/site/?lang=en

Saint Clement was so touched by their curse that he decided to stand up to the monster in his hide-out, in the amphitheatre. He faced the dragon, fixing his eyes and suddenly threw his shawl towards his neck. The shawl became entwined around the neck of the Graoully. Clement then squeezed the shawl strongly and pulled the huge reptile to the Seille River and threw the monster into it.

The water was said to have boiled for a long time while the Graoully was attempting to get out of the water. But it just couldn’t unfold him own wings and was drawn into the depths of the water forever.

Today the souvenir of the Graoully remains strong in Metz. You can see one of the oldest statues of the monster in the Cathedral’s crypt. The “Rue Taisons” recalls an awkward tradition where people living in this street, so afraid of the monster, would say at night:

“Quiet, quiet, the Graoully is coming!”

Children have been frightened for many generations when passing by the Taisons Street. Today, a large effigy is of the Graoully hangs above the street.

Between the 12th century and 1785, the legend of Saint Clement was celebrated by a popular procession when an image of the dragon was carried throughout the town before being whipped by children.

The Graouilly is also part of the flag of the famous Football Club in Metz... as for Saint Clement; you can still see his Episcopal seat in the Cathedral’s chancel, entirely carved out of a cipolin-marble column, dating back to Merovingian times.

The itinerary of the water system was 22km long, and linked the spring of Gorze (208m) to Metz (184m). It included a 12,7km long tunnel, an arcaded bridge 1km long between Ars-sur-Moselle and Jouy-aux-Arches, followed by another 8km underground tunnel. You can still see part of the tunnel along the road between Gorze and Novéant-sur-Moselle. The most impressive ruins are situated each side of the Moselle River (5 arches in Ars and 16 in Jouy).

After being defeated by Attila in 451 AD, Metz became the possession of the Franks from the end of the 5th century. During the 8th century, Charlemagne considered making Metz his chief residence before he finally decided in favour of Aachen.

In 843, Metz became the capital of the Kingdom of Lotharingia, a former country comprising Benelux, Lorraine, Saarland, parts of the Rhineland and western Switzerland. The city became an influential artistic and cultural centre in Europe.

From the 12th century, Metz and its vicinities became a free city within the Holy Roman Germanic Empire. The Republic of Metz became a wealthy little territory encircled by the Duchy of Lorraine whose capital was Nancy, 55km to the South. On several occasions, rich Metz lent money to the Dukes of Lorraine, the Kings of France and the Roman Germanic Emperors.

The Metz Cathedral stands out like the crown of the city. With its well balanced proportions and its fine stained-glass windows, the lofty Cathedral is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture in France. The nave of Saint-Etienne (41.41m) is the third highest of any church in France after that of Amiens and Beauvais and the 10th in Europe, and it displays the largest surface of stained-glass windows (6,500 square metres).

To find out more about Metz Cathedral, read our dedicated article on Lorraine’s most beautiful gothic Cathedral here...

The cathedral Saint-Etienne

In the heart of the Old Town, the 14th to 16th century Place Saint-Louis is a remarkable place to stroll. The medieval square, recently renovated, is lined on one side with buttressed arcaded houses which are built on the original Roman ramparts (some of the ramparts’ stones were used for the building’s foundations). During the Middle-Ages, the square housed more than 60 changers under its arcades, and was the place for trade fairs and religious plays. Today, outdoor cafés and restaurants inside the arcades give you an opportunity to watch Metz go by. At Christmas time, the square hosts the beautiful Christmas market with many wooden stalls erected amongst the medieval arcades.

Place Saint-Louis

Some 250m eastwards stands the impressive “Porte des Allemands” (German Gate), one of Metz’ most outstanding monuments. Even if it looks like a medieval fortress from afar, it is technically a fortified double gate that once was part of the extensive ramparts around Metz. The gate used to guard the eastern entrances of the city that came from the direction of Germany. But it was from the Teutonic Knights who ran a hospital in the nearby Rue des Allemands that its name would come. The view of the whole structure standing on both sides of the Seille River is seen best from the bridge of the N3 road. The first gate on the town side was erected in the 13th century and features two towers surmounted with slate pepper-pot roofs. The second gate was added in 1445 and is flanked by two large crenellated towers. It is possible to walk through the gate and to admire the military architecture of the medieval era, keeping in mind that the double gate underwent heavy restoration in the 19th century when the city was... German!

The Porte des Allemands

From there, you can continue to stroll along the Seille River northwards. Follow the path on the town-side of the city where you can see the well preserved fortified medieval wall, alternating with towers at a regular distance: Tour des Sorcières (Witches’ Tower), Tour du Diable (Devil’s Tower), and Tour des Corporations (Guilds’ Tower). At the end of the Allée de la Tour du Diable, the Seille flows into one branch of the Moselle River, and the path continues westwards on the Chemin des Corporations towards the Cathedral.

Many other witnesses of Metz’ medieval past can be seen whilst strolling in the Old Town. A last example is the “Tour Camoufle” (Camouflaged Tower), beautifully positioned at the centre of a public park on Avenue Foch, which was merged into the German Imperial District in the early 20th century. A vestige of the medieval walls surrounding Metz, it was built around 1437 and carried the nickname of “Jacob de Castel”, a reputed artilleryman of the 15th century. Until recently the tower was hidden behind a thick green setting, which suited the name of the tower best.

The Tour Camoufle

1552 was an important historical year for Metz, as the city – also a major bishopric in Lorraine – was annexed by the Kingdom of France, along with Toul and Verdun. When it was ‘officially’ confirmed that Metz belonged to France at the Treaty of Westphalia (1648), the French started to build monuments and majestic squares that can still be seen today: the Place d’Armes and its classical buildings, the Opera-Theatre (it is said to be the oldest in France) and the Palais de Justice.

The Place d’Armes

French Metz

The cobbled Place d’Armes is one of Metz’ beautiful squares. It is elegant and majestic as it is bordered by the Gothic cathedral on one side and the Town Hall on the other. When planned in the 18th century, it was the centre piece of the town planning commissioned by the Marshall Belle-Isle and his successor the Marshall d’Estrées, following the orders given by King Louis XV to create a square in Metz where all the powers (executive, legislative and judiciary) would be concentrated.

It was created between the 1750 and 1770 with the dismantlement of a church and a cloister adjacent to the Cathedral.

The long building of the Town-Hall facing the Cathedral, and a Parliament House and a Bishop’s Palace were expected to be built but were jeopardized partly because of the events of the French revolution. The Pavilion closing the North side of the square now houses the Metz’ Tourist Office. It was used as a guard-house from where the soldiers could keep an eye on the busy activity occurring in the strategic square. It was useful to the architect as it completed the symmetry of the classical ensemble.

Some maintain that the square was created in order to echo to King Stanislas’ Place Stanislas in Nancy, which was then metamorphosing the capital of the Duke of Lorraine. Metz’ Place d’Armes is much more sober than the famous square in Nancy, and reasserts the powerful influence of the 18th century military over the city.

In 2007, the facades of the building on the square were cleaned and a new lighting system was installed. It would be a pity to leave Metz without admiring the square at night.

The Porte Serpenoise

The Porte Serpenoise is a sort of triumphal arch which used to mark the South limit of the city of Metz from the 3rd until the early 20th centuries. During the Roman era, the gate was guarding the road to Scarpone (now Dieulouard, near Nancy). In the 19th century, the gate was incorporated into the rampart, as a tunnel dug into the counterscarp. When the German authorities decided to get rid of the walls, they kept the gate, which they redrafted into a triumphal arch, crowned with four bartizans taken from the destroyed ramparts. On the gate has been placed inscriptions commemorating four major historical events linked to the city’s history:

The German Imperial District of Metz

Metz by night

Life in Metz

Strolling down towards the Esplanade from the Cathedral, make sure you stop by the Moyen-Pont where the view of the Moselle River, the Temple-Neuf, and the Cathedral is delightful.

The Esplanade was built on the site of a citadel and has now become a favourite urban park, with its flowered terrace, its peaceful fountains and the fine view over Mont Saint Quentin. It is linked to the Place de la République (formerly known as “Place Royale”), designed in 1802. The whole space is being transformed into a vast pedestrianised area, thanks to a giant car park built underneath it.

From there you reach the church of Saint-Pierre aux Nonnains (which was described above) and a few metres further, the singular Knights Templar chapel, which dates back to the 12th century.

1473: Metz was almost seized by the soldiers of the Duke of Lorraine, disguised as merchants. They managed to get through the Porte Serpenoise to Harelle the Baker who worked next to the gate and on that night sounded the alarm when he recognised them. The awakened city defeated the attack.
1552: German Emperor Charles V who was besieging Metz, could not take hold of the gate which was well defended by the Duke of Guise.
1870: on the 3rd October, the Prussians entered into Metz through the Porte Serpenoise, after the defeat of Napoleon III in Sedan.
1918: it was when the allied troops marched into Metz through it.