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Metz

Metz is in Lorraine, in France.

Travel to Metz, visa requirements

Metz lies along the A31, north of Nancy and south of Luxembourg. From Paris or Strasbourg, take the A4 to the A31; Metz is just to the south.

There is a small regional airport for Metz and Nancy (code: ETZ), located southeast of Metz. This mainly handles commercial traffic, but there are passenger flights to/from Paris, Lyon, Algiers, and several Italian destinations.

Metz is also reachable by train, with connections to/from Paris, Luxembourg, and Strasbourg. The train station is at the southern edge of the city center.

Get around

Driving in the center of town is not recommended. Park in one of the parking areas (well-marked from the main roads in) and walk or use public transport.

Everything in city center is easily accessible on foot, and much of the main downtown/shopping area is pedestrianised. Be warned, though, that there are a few hills!

Bikes are also a great way to get around, though the same comment about hills applies here too.

Metz attractions and sightseeing

Cathedrale St-Etienne, place des Armes. The Cathedral is a truly impressive structure, overlooking the river and the city. Inside, both its height (the third-tallest nave in France) and its stained glass windows (reportedly the largest surface area in France, with several by Chagall) will impress visitors.

Place des Armes, the square next to the cathedral, is notable for the four buildings that surround it. They were specifically designed to show the balance between the various local powers: religion (the cathedral), the military (now converted to the tourist office), civil government (the town hall) and justice (the court building). Place d'Armes also hosts a regular market for produce and other local goods.

The tourist office is along one side of Place des Armes.

The Covered Market, opposite the cathedral, was historically the bishops' palace. Today it hosts stalls selling meats, cheeses, and other regional specialities.

City tours

If the weather is nice, rent a bike and head south along the river in the direction of Nancy. Paths are well-marked, well-maintained, and mostly flat. Bikes are available next to the train station or across the street from the cathedral. Cost is 10 EUR per day (but requires a credit card number or cash deposit of 100 EUR per bike).

Shopping, Metz souvenirs

Good restaurants and cheap meals

Le Bouche a Oreille, 46 place St. Louis, Tel. 03 87 15 14 66. Open middays and evenings except Su and Sa/Mo midday. Specialises in dishes containing cheese in some form or other: omelettes, meats with cheese sauces, crepes/galesins, etc. The food is very good quality and very reasonably priced, served in a clean comfortable setting.

Metz nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs.

Hotels, youth hostels, lodging

Get out

World War II Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial[1]: Take Highway N-3 about 45 kilometers (28 miles) east to Saint-Avold then go north on Highway N-33 for 1.2 kilometers (3/4 mile). Open daily except for December 25 and January 1; 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The cemetery is the largest American cemetery in Europe and is the final resting place for 10,489 American military dead lost during the drive to push the Germans from France. A monument is inscribed with the names of 444 Americans whose remains were never found or identified. The memorial contains mosaic maps of World War II campaigns. Free.

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