NANCY AND METZ The Flowers of Lorraine

 5 days | Coming soon! | 29 June - 3 July 2027

The Flowers of Lorraine

The historic capital of the ancient Duchy of Lorraine, Nancy has been a centre of trade, commerce and craftsmanship since the 11th century. But it was an artist and glassworker, Emile Gallé, who, around the turn of the 20^th century, made his native city internationally famous as the vanguard of the Art Nouveau style. As the founder and first president of the École de Nancy, Gallé unified a group of artists from Lorraine who would electrify the world with their spectacular creations – energetic, elegant and deeply rooted in a close and passionate observation of local flowers, fruits and creatures. This was apparent no more so than at the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris, which presented to the world the climactic achievement of the style commonly known as Art Nouveau. Here, the work of the Ecole de Nancy in particular, drew such admiration that by the time the Exposition closed, ‘Style Nancy’ had become an accepted way of referring to the movement as a whole.

Day to day Itinerary

Day 1
Travel from London St Pancras via Paris to Nancy. Transfer to our hotel on foot or by taxi. Introductory stroll around the magnificent Place Stanislas before our first meal together.

Day 2

The morning is spent in Place Stanislas, Europe’s most beautiful royal square, viewing and visiting two of Nancy’s finest buildings: the majestic Hôtel de Ville occupies the square’s entire south side (viewing from the outside), while the Musée des Beaux-Arts, as sleekly modern inside as it is classically elegant outside, displays works by Caravaggio and Delacroix, as well as the Daum Collection of Art Nouveau glassware. After a stroll along Rue Félix Faure to see the house façades, visit the museum devoted to the Nancy School of artists and craftsmen associated with Emile Gallé, featuring work by all its major representatives, including Gallé himself, Antonin Daum and Eugène Vallin.  Evening at leisure.

Day 3

Today we take the train out of Nancy on a short ride through the lovely Lorraine countryside which so inspired Gallé and his fellow École de Nancy artists, to Metz on the banks of the Moselle river. Now the official capital of Lorraine, Metz has a spectacular architectural heritage of its own, very different from sister-city and long-standing rival Nancy. Ceded to Germany in the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War, Metz’s Art Nouveau was shaped by Kaiser Wilhelm II’s determination to ‘Germanise’ his new possession. His new Imperial Quarter or Neue Stadt (promptly renamed Nouvelle Ville when France took back the city in 1918) took shape between 1902 and the Great War, with a style more closely allied to the Jugendstil of Munich and Vienna than the sinuous curves of Nancy or Paris. Arriving into the spectacular Metz-Ville station (nick-named the Station Palace) with its magnificent clocktower and elaborate façade, we take time to explore the immediate surroundings, including the stunning 40m tall Water Tower built in 1908 to supply the steam engines. We then proceed through the Imperial Quarter along Avenue Foch (formerly Kaiser-Wilhelm-Ring), lined with grand villas in diverse styles united by their unmistakeable Art Nouveau-influenced details; highlights include the stone and ceramic Villa Bleyler, Villa Wildenberger with its expansive friezes and fine ironwork and the enchanting half-timbered Villa Salomon. After lunch in the historic Place St-Jacques, the heart of the ancient city, we proceed to the nearby Cathedral, built between the 14th and 16th centuries and nick-named ‘God’s Lantern’ for the splendour of its stained glass: the largest expanse in the world, spanning 700 years and including three windows designed by Chagall. We then return to the station past the magnificent Governor’s Palace, with a detour (time and weather permitting) to view the latest addition to Metz’s architectural tapestry - Shigeru Ban’s new Pompidou Centre, which revives Art Nouveau’s whiplash curves and enthusiasm for all things Japanese with a distinctively modern flair - before returning to Nancy. Evening at leisure.

Hôtel Littéraire Stendhal

Freshly renovated and inspired by the world of Stendhal, Hôtel Littéraire Stendhal offers a refined stay in the center of Nancy, moments from Place Stanislas. Enjoy thoughtfully designed rooms, a luminous bar under its glass canopy, and a peaceful wellness area.

With Eurostar: TBC

Join Direct: TBC

Single Supp: TBC

Deposit: TBC

Departure Dates:

29 June - 3 July 2027

Duration:

4 nights / 5 days

Your Holiday Includes:

• Return travel with Eurostar from London to Paris and TGV to Nancy and local train travel
• Four nights' accommodation at the Hôtel Littéraire Stendhal, Nancy
• Private coach transfers and excursions
• Two evening meals and one lunch
• Guided visits to the sites and monuments listed in the programme
• Services of the Tour Lecturer and a Tour Manager
• Detailed programme and study notes
• All entrance fees, taxes, and gratuities for coach drivers and serving staff
  

Tour Lecturers

Dr Justine Hopkins

Dr Justine Hopkins is a freelance writer and lecturer, specialising in art of the 19th and 20th centuries. Justine has taught for various universities, including Bristol, Cambridge, Oxford and London and lectures at Tate, the V&A, the National Gallery and for numerous independent art groups. She has published articles in various journals, most recently on the 2024 National Gallery bicentenary celebrations. 

Travel Information

The price does not include extras at the hotels or travel insurance.

Please note that Art Pursuits use hotels of character featuring a variety of rooms & styles.

Stamina

Please note that most of our tours involve a large amount of walking, across uneven ground and often without the opportunity to sit down for at least half an hour. We ask that clients inform us if they have difficulties before booking to avoid any issues whilst on tour.