20261003 Metz, France

We’re writing this blog about Metz from the safety and relative quiet of our hotel room in Nancy. Today in Nancy – and in fact all across France – students are staging massive protests about the state of education in the country. “High schools across France have closed, thousands of teenagers have been arrested, and hundreds of people have suffered injuries as unrest over conditions in the lycée system has spread and erupted into violence in recent days.”

Our plans today weren’t impacted terribly badly but the guide we had booked for a two-hour midday tour did meet us in a different spot and took us on a completely different tour than we had originally booked. In order to meet him we walked halfway down one street en route to the Place Stanislas and were stopped by a concerned young woman who told us to turn around, and gave us masks and eyewash tubes in order to deal with tear gas. (WHAT?????)

She said that adults and teachers also show up to these protests to protect the students because the police have been known to be overly brutal. In fact the square where we were headed – Stanislas Square – was at that moment filled with clouds of tear gas, we could hear tear gas guns going off, our throats and eyes were itching and stinging, and the streets were filled with students walking or racing toward us, to the next meet-up point.

At any rate, it was like that all day: we’ve just come in from a walk and police vans are racing around the corner where our hotel is, with their repetitive Perfect Fourth sirens. We can hear crowds of people – kids – shouting in the distance.

(It may be a long night? But tomorrow we are headed to a series of very small towns. Things’ll settle down, for sure. I just want students and all citizens to be safe. And conditions to improve in French schools. Students are striking for, among other things, enough chairs and desks for students to sit at, in classrooms. Basic things.)

So. back to our visit to Metz on Saturday October 3rd. It was a flat, easy – calm, 32 km, ride from Thionville mostly along the Moselle River, a very industrial waterway.

Occasionally we rode alongside locks. At this one particular lock there were somewhat disconcerting signs to remind you that the lock-keeper’s children, or any children, may be crossing. When I first saw this sign I thought I was looking at a real child! It was very effective.

Upon our arrival in Metz at Hotel Du Theatre – a shabby chic, somewhat elegant yet down at the heels establishment with super disdainful French receptionists – we were allowed to drag the bikes right into the lobby where we locked them up, stowed our panniers in a luggage room, changed in the loos into walking clothes, and strolled into Metz, making note of the sign for a restaurant in the back of the hotel, right on the water. More about that later. It boasted of recipes of the grandmother. Sign me up.

First order of business, one of my favorite activities: visiting a Saturday morning market in France before it closes sometime after noon.

This market one was right beside the “Covered Market” in Metz which was right beside the cathedral. It doesn’t get French-ier than that.

John found a Turkish vendor, immediately, who was happy to make him a very stout espresso.

Next up, after a stroll through the also-packed Covered Market, a visit to the cathedral, Metz Cathedral, known as the “Lantern of God,” containing the world’s largest expanse of stained glass, covering approximately 6,500 square meters.

This collection of stained glass windows spans five centuries, from the 13th to the 20th century, and is categorized into three distinct artistic eras, but the windows that especially interested me were Marc Chagall’s. (Known, ironically, as the quintessentially Jewish artist of the 20th century.)

Immediately upon entering the cathedral I consulted the map, and then started walking.

You cannot believe how much stained glass there is in this cathedral. Ground floor. Second floor. And third floor. It boggles the mind. And we were there on a spectacularly sunny day, thus… the windows were absolutely glowing. What a gift.

The Chagalls did not disappoint.

There were also four organs in the cathedral but, sadly, we were denied a chance to hear them and although there would be organ music at Mass on Sunday morning, we had many miles to travel that day and couldn’t stay.

Regardless of your denomination or lack of denomination or faith, a visit to a cathedral like this is enough to make you believe in the power of ….

John actually reminded a visitor to the cathedral that he should remove his cap while inside. LOL. Here he is modelling unacceptable and acceptable cathedral-visiting fashion.

We strolled around the outside the cathedral to admire gargoyles and buttresses.

Across the square, there was a wedding happening at the City Hall offices.

By now we were feeling a little peckish and since John is always in the mood for ice cream, we …

(Clever name for an ice-cream store. He chose a chocolate milkshake. It cost a million dollars.)

I chose a salted butter caramel waffle cone. Also a million dollars.

Then, since it was so close and entrance was free, we decided to visit the Musée de La Cour d’Or, an incredible multi-level building containing medieval art, beaux-arts, and actual subterranean Roman baths and residences. We walked and walked, up stairs, down stairs, around corners, up spiral staircases, up, down, around, on and on, not knowing where we were, amazed by the size and complexity of the structure. All of the artwork and Roman ruins and artifacts are very well displayed. After a while we became a bit giddy, almost desperate to find the exit.

To end the day we actually ate in the restaurant attached to the hotel, La Grand-Mère, named for the local food that grandma – “Mamie” – used to make. Organic. Exquisitely prepared, and well-directed by our server who was happy to suggest to Patti – at her request – the pork over the chicken.

We were filling up for tomorrow’s 70 km ride to Nancy. (70 km is kind of a lot, but it’s alright when the ride is going to involve hardly any ascents at all!)