Metz, Moselle, Lorraine

This tour features contemporary architecture and modern and contemporary art exhibition sites. Tour: Saint-Etienne Cathedral (stained glass by Villon, Bissière, Chagall), Musée de la Cour d'Or - Eurométropole de Metz (Beaux-Arts section : works by Bazaine, Soulages, Zao Wou-Ki, Alechinsky, Dubuffet and temporary exhibitions), FRAC Lorraine, fin XIIème s-ébut XIIIème siècles (exhibitions, screenings, guided tours and meetings...), Metz municipal archives, partly housed in former city reservoirs rehabilitated in 2002 by architects Christian Paradon, Claude Denu, Gérard Buffière, St Maximin church and its stained-glass windows by Jean Cocteau (1962-70), Centre Pompidou-Metz inaugurated in 2010, architects Shigeru Ban and Jean de Gastines, modern and contemporary art exhibitions and events. Possible extensions: Quartier du Pontiffroy, Bibliothèque-Médiathèque de Metz, Les Arènes, Parc de la Seille, Eglise Sainte-Thérèse.

Built around the railway station (a masterpiece by architect Kröger in 1908), it is a remarkable illustration of late 19th- and early 20th-century German town planning, offering an extraordinary encyclopedia of historic and new styles: Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque, Art Deco and Jugendstil. Monuments: SNCF railway station 1905-1908, main post office 1908-1911, Place Saint-Thiébault, Place Mondon, old railway station 1878.

Between the 14th and 16th centuries, a climate of insecurity reigned on the banks of the Moselle and the Seille due to the many conflicts between the Republic of Metz and the Duchies of Lorraine and Bar, each of which tried to claim this rich land for its own. At the centre of old winegrowing villages clinging to the hillsides, fortified churches that were used as defensive structures bear witness to the insecurity of bygone days. The church in Sillegny is an example of this: Erected in the 15th century, it contains some remarkable frescoes, perfectly preserved. This circuit at the gates of Metz, between the slopes of the Moselle and the valley of the Seille, is a skilful blend of history, the local area and modernity.

A circuit marked by small bronze triangles fixed to the floor embossed with an image of the Germans gateway. This picturesque Outre-Seille quarter still resembles a medieval town. Its narrow streets take you in the footsteps of merchants and artisans, tanners and cartwrights: place Saint-Louis 13th C – 15th C, Germans gateway 13th C – 15th C, St Eucaire’s church 12th C – 15th C, St Maximin’s church 12th C (stained glass windows by Jean Cocteau) – 15th C, the Burtaigne town house 16th C.

The GR5G, a hiking route from Speyer (Germany) to Metz, passes through the former coal mining basin and crosses the Lorraine plateau before reaching the Moselle capital after an epic 90 km journey.

The GR5G, a long-distance hiking trail from Speyer (Germany) to Metz, crosses the former coalfield and the Lorraine plateau before reaching the capital of Moselle after a 90km journey. This route offers a variant via Sarreguemines from the village of Folkling.

Nature is everywhere in the heart of the city. Gardens and promenades line the city's cultural buildings, some of which bear witness to its military past: Former Royal Abbey of Saint-Arnould 17th century, Palais de Justice 18th century, Former Abbey Church of Saint-Pierre-Aux-Nonnains 4th century, Chapelle des Templiers 12th-13th centuries, Arsenal built under Napoleon III and converted into concert and exhibition halls by Ricardo Bofill, Magasin aux Vivres 16th century, Palais du Gouverneur, Porte Serpenoise, Abbaye Sainte-Glossinde 18th century.

A tour of legends and dragons, strolling through the city's historic birthplace. Like an Ariadne's thread, the signposting of the Graoully triangles leads walkers from Saint-Etienne's Cathedral, to the Musées de la Cour d'Or - Eurométropole de Metz... to the Hôtel Saint-Livier, the Place Jeanne d'Arc, the Récollets, the Maison Rabelais and the Maison des Têtes.

Water is a natural element that adds to the charm of Metz, built on several islands separated by the Moselle and Seille rivers. The tour takes you on a stroll through the district, discovering squares and buildings dating back to the 18th century: Marché Couvert, Place de la Comédie, Préfecture de Région, former Abbaye Saint-Clément, Conseil Régional.

This itinerary takes you through communes with particularly interesting heritage, including the beauty of their fortified churches and the picturesque winegrowers' villages that dot the Messine countryside. Not to mention a generous natural environment offering a rich and varied range of products.

Museum Gaspar is housed in the residence of the middle-class family Gaspar from Arlon who had set up in this house (1893) that was built in 1842. It was renovated in 2004. The two most famous members of this family are animal sculptor Jean-Marie Gaspar (1861-1931) and Charles Gaspar (1971-1950) who was a photographer and a sponsor. He gave his house to the town of Arlon on the condition they make a museum of it, dedicated to his brother's work and that put into honour the history and the heritage of Arlon. At the first floor, theree are two restored salons identical to a middle-class salon from the early 20th century that show Jean-Marie Gaspar's sculptures. and the art and picture collection of Charles Gaspar. The rest of the first floor is dedicated to temporary exhibitions of the museum that alternates artv and history. A religion room shows collections about the abbey of Orval and to the people's devotion at the 18th century, and also relics from the ancient Saint-Martin church. But the Masterpiece is the famous altarpiece Retable de Fisenne - a 16th century masterpiece from the Antwerp school. Guided tours only on request by phone 063.600.654 or musee.gaspar@skynet.be (Original text by MT du Pays d?Arlon)This beautiful house was a bank at the origin. It was bought in 1893 by a middle-class family from Arlon, the family Gaspar. Jean Gaspar (1861-1931) was a sculptor. He was trained by the Antwerp sculptor Jef Lambeaux. His works are in bronze and in plaster and they are exhibited in the salons that have been restorated as they were in his house. His brother Charles (1871-1950) was a photographer, a collector and a sponsor. He gave this house to the town of Arlon. It hosts the library of the Archaeological Institute of the Belgian Province of Luxembourg and its secretary office since 1954. A wide part of the museum is also dedicated to temporary exhibitions about art and history of Arlon.

Rich in the Gallo-Roman past of Arlon, the museum houses an impressive collection that bears witness to the daily life of this period.One of the peculiarities of the museum is its imposing and rich lapidary collection, composed of several dozen fragments of ancient funerary monuments.These blocks and the objects from Roman craftsmanship will teach you more about daily life at that time.

Situated on a 20-hectare site in Metz-Magny, the Parc du Pas du loup offers over 2 km of walks, with a rich variety of spontaneous vegetation in bloom (blackthorns, wild roses, willows, maples, etc.) and an abundance of wild birds of all species.

A 2.5-hectare green space, the Devant-Blory garden retains a very natural, almost wild feel. It takes the form of a mosaic, with its many different areas, all of which call for different uses: reed beds, lawns, a pond, and an arboretum with over 700 trees and 270 different species.

Montigny-Lès Metz's first place of worship. Its construction dates back to the 9th century. Successively a burial ground, Protestant and then Catholic place of worship, it has undergone numerous modifications over the centuries. In 2009, the remains of the church were restored during work on the street.

Emaux et Verres d'Art" museum. The collections, comprising over 700 pieces of artistic glassware and enamelled earthenware, illustrate the immense creativity of French glass and enamel craftsmen between 1870 and 1940, from Art Nouveau to the Decorative Arts. On display are creations by some of the greatest names of this innovative period: Gallé, Daum, Schneider, Colotte, Lalique, Meisenthal, Baccarat and others. As well as an Emaux de Longwy collection.

Fort de Queuleu is part of the first fortified belt linked to the defense of the city of Metz. Construction work began by the French during the Second Empire in 1867, and was largely taken over by the Germans during the first annexation following the defeat of 1870-1871. However, with the construction of Metz's second fortified belt from 1899 onwards, the Queuleu fort lost some of its strategic importance, and was only lightly modified. During the Second World War, the fort was used as barracks for French soldiers. Following the defeat of 1940, the fort was briefly used as a prisoner-of-war camp (Stalag). Then, between March 1943 and September 1944, the Natzweiler-Struthof concentration camp (Bas-Rhin) set up an annex to the fort, mainly for SS use. Around a hundred prisoners, mainly common Germans and Poles, were attached to the camp. Some took part in work on the Metz-Frescaty airfield. Between October 1943 and August 1944, a special camp (Sonderlager) run by the Gestapo is set up in Barracks II. Between 1,500 and 1,800 prisoners (men and women) were interrogated and interned there, before being sent to concentration camps (Natzweiler-Struthof, Dachau, etc.), reform camps (Schirmeck) or prisons. The special camp at Fort Queuleu saw the internment of resistance fighters, saboteurs, smugglers, draft dodgers, hostages and Russian prisoners. Most were locked up in overcrowded collective cells, without the possibility of washing, speaking or moving, under the fierce surveillance of SS guards and commandant Georg Hempen. Resistance leaders were isolated in individual cells, dark, damp dungeons to which only the commandant had access. Police officers "industrialized" interrogation and used torture. Internment conditions were terrible, and most prisoners were kept blindfolded, with their hands and feet tied. Thirty-six people died in the fort, and four managed to escape in April 1944. During the liberation of Metz, the fort came under fire between November 17 and 21, 1944, during fighting between the American army and German troops entrenched in the fort. The fort was bombed and severely damaged before surrendering. Between December 1944 and March 1946, the French administration set up a "Centre de Séjour Surveillé" (guarded residence center) in the fort. Initially reserved for German civilians and their families, the site was also used to detain administrative internees arrested for collaboration, propaganda, anti-patriotism or denunciation (up to 4,400 people were interned there). It was one of the largest centers of its kind in France. Foreigners of various nationalities were interned here (Germans, Spaniards, French, Italians, Luxembourgers, Poles, Yugoslavs, etc.). Between 1946 and 1947, a camp for German prisoners of war was set up in the fort. Finally, between 1948 and 1950, Indochinese workers occupied the site. Located at the entrance to the fort, the monument to the Resistance and the Deportation, inaugurated in 1977, today marks the entrance to this place of remembrance.

Marked by the great architectural trends that have marked our city's history, contemporary Metz has also embraced architectural creation. Whether it's the Technopôle Metz 2000, whose projects from 1984 onwards have created a real style - such as the CESCOM, designed by Metz architect Longo - or the Quartier de l'Amphithéâtre, where the Palais Omnisports de Metz, designed by renowned architect Chemetov, is being built, or of course the Arsenal, designed by Bofill, Metz's heritage is undoubtedly also rooted in twentieth-century creativity. In the case of the Metz 2000 Technopôle, the emphasis is on the architectural unity of the site, which has been designed as a new part of the city. This concern for quality is also shared by the site's private real estate players, who have wholeheartedly embraced the city's architectural requirements. Today, Metz Technopôle is characterized by its many facets: the technological and economic dimension, the human and technical dimension... ambitions for excellence that were placed from the outset in the field of urban planning and architecture. A source of multiple activities linked to the economy, industry, education and research, the Technopôle has won over both the residents of Metz who frequent the shores of Lake Symphonie on Sundays, and the companies who choose the site for the quality of its environment and the harmony of a district that deserves both the qualifier and the noun of Technology Park.

The 20-hectare ecological park features a series of ponds and a reedbed to manage rainwater from the new district. Vines, hops and mirabel trees recall local cultures. In addition to its function as a leisure and walking area, the park is equipped for a wide range of activities: playground, table tennis, soccer and basketball pitches, roller-skating track, cycle path...

St. Joseph's was built in part by Abbé Philippe Châtelain, who wanted a place of worship to match the rapidly growing Catholic population in the second half of the 19th century. The foundation stone was laid on May 3, 1903. After three years of work, the church was inaugurated on July 29, 1906 by Monseigneur Benzler, Bishop of Metz. Architect Ludwig Becker, a native of Mainz, designed the basilica with three naves in the Rhenish neo-Romanesque style. The stone used is Jaumont stone, as is the case for many monuments in the Metz region.

Built in a verdant setting on the plateau that forms the right bank of the Moselle, between Tournebride in Moulins-lès-Metz and the hill of Sainte Croix in Metz, the "Château de Courcelles" and its grounds offer a wide-open view of the coastline, particularly the Saint Quentin. This beautiful manor house, built in the early 18th century, first appeared in 1716 on a plan by Nicolas Duchêne as belonging "to Monsieur de Courcelles". The château's slate roofs and dormer windows catch the light, and its nine bays of high windows are arranged on two levels. Alongside religious, military and educational buildings, the Château de Courcelles is the only large-scale civil construction in the Montignon fabric to offer a living history and architecture. Espace Europa-Courcelles opens its doors to you. At the Château de Courcelles, everyone can enjoy an elegant, friendly and respectful journey through mirrors and overmantels. Parquet floors, wood panelling, marble, panelling and gypsum will welcome conversations and chats punctuated by the rustle of silks and the whisper of tall trees repeating the rumours of the valley.

The urban development of this quarter has been designed around 21st century living, meeting cultural and physical needs through the Centre Pompidou-Metz and the shopping centre Muse. Multi-function structures, like Muse, offer housing, nurseries and businesses creating social diversity in buildings designed to strict environmental standards and by renowned architects like Shigeru Ban, Christian de Portzamparc, Jean-Paul Viguier et Jean-Michel Wilmotte.

Southern Italian cuisine: pasta, pizza and wine*. *Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health, consume in moderation.

A warm, exceptional setting in the heart of unspoilt nature. In terms of gastronomy, our chef Jérémie NARTZ will surprise you with a cuisine that combines tradition and modernity. Enjoy fine food and wine* with a panoramic view of the lake and golf driving range. At the Club House, you'll be able to dine in a British-style establishment that's highly representative of the golfing world. We can also cater for seminars, christenings, communions, weddings, vehicle presentations, medical evenings, funerals, company dinners, etc., all made to measure. Two private parking lots, each with 200 spaces, are at your disposal. *Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health, consume in moderation.

This restaurant serves salads, pasta, meat, fish and pizzas.

French cuisine in a friendly atmosphere.

A privileged venue for quality meals, private receptions, company meals, cocktails, buffets, birthdays... or simply for a moment of relaxation.

An independent cultural venue that's friendly, curious and daring in its curiosity. A program dedicated to the musical and literary scene. Fridays and Saturdays, the Aérogare transforms into a dancefloor.

Wood-fired pizzas and homemade dishes.

Fast food: burgers and menus.

Every year, our products are enriched with new shapes and flavors.

Fresh produce prepared by experienced chefs in keeping with time-honoured traditions. A varied menu with a wide selection of recipes to discover Japanese cuisine.

Marie-Rose and Jean François welcome you to their 18th-century guest house. Push open the door of this former winegrowers' house to enjoy an experience full of memories. Rediscover all the sensations of your happy childhood in the countryside. The smell of cakes just out of the oven, jams just baked with fruit from the garden. With its gentle lifestyle, well-being and family atmosphere, come and spend a dream holiday, leaving room for tender reminiscences of happy days.

Welcome to "Chez Mamie", a warm and spacious apartment, perfect for a stay with family or friends. With its 3 comfortable bedrooms, it can accommodate up to 6 people and offers all the charm of a friendly home just a stone's throw from the city. In summer, take advantage of the lush garden and barbecue for relaxing moments in the open air. Comfort, conviviality and good memories guaranteed!

"A la cour basse", an authentic farmhouse awaits you just outside Metz, near the Centre Pompidou-Metz, 500m from Metz's southern ring road and 5 minutes from the A31 freeway. Capacity: 14 people. Each room has a private bathroom and toilet. Breakfast consists of natural, homemade products. Microwave available. Children's games. With a surface area of 50 m², "Le Pré Lassau" is a quiet, restful room that can accommodate 1 to 4 people. Non-smoking room.

"A la cour basse", an authentic farmhouse awaits you just outside Metz, near the Centre Pompidou-Metz, 500m from Metz's southern ring road and 5 minutes from the A31 freeway. Capacity: 14 people. Each room has a private bathroom and toilet. Breakfast consists of natural, homemade products. Microwave available. Children's games. "L'oranger" is a cosy room for 1 to 2 people. Easily accessible and opening onto a terrace, this room is ideal for a quiet retreat. Non-smoking room.

"A la cour basse", an authentic farmhouse awaits you just outside Metz, near the Centre Pompidou-Metz.

"A la cour basse", an authentic farmhouse awaits you just outside Metz, near the Centre Pompidou-Metz, 500m from Metz's southern ring road and 5 minutes from the A31 freeway. Capacity: 14 people. Each room has a private bathroom and toilet. Breakfast consists of natural, homemade products. Microwave available. Children's games. "Le Feuillet" is a family suite for 3-4 people, ideal for a couple with children or a group of friends. The suite's two interconnecting rooms each have a private shower room and toilet. Non-smoking room.

"A la cour basse", an authentic farmhouse awaits you just outside Metz, near the Centre Pompidou-Metz, 500m from Metz's southern ring road and 5 minutes from the A31 freeway. Capacity: 14 people. Each room has a private bathroom and toilet. Breakfast consists of natural, homemade products. Microwave available. Children's games. La Charmille" is a 50 m² room with a contemporary, dynamic style. Accommodating one to four people, you'll appreciate the view of fields and nature. Non-smoking room.

Chambre d'hôtes in a pleasant, charming detached house with garden to the rear. The bedroom, located on the 1st floor and overlooking the garden, has an en-suite bathroom with 2 washbasins and a shower. It includes a bed, a wardrobe, a desk, two wicker armchairs, a chest of drawers with TV and a small coffee table. The guest toilet is on the 1st floor landing. Breakfast is served according to guests' wishes (coffee, tea, milk, butter, home-made jam, fresh bread). Simple, warm welcome.

Completely renovated 34 m² T1 apartment, 2 steps from the Pompidou-Metz center and SNCF train station, with private parking. Sleeps 3. Large-screen TV (101 cm).

Metz-Queuleu, halfway between the FIM (international trade fair), the SNCF train station, the Pompidou-Metz center and the shopping district, all with high-frequency bus access.