20261004. Day one of our visit to Nancy, France, wherein we arrive. We art. We eat hamburgers.

I’m writing this blog a few days late, from Golbey and Corre, two separate locations, because the internet is so poor here I have to keep restarting. First world problems…

Sidebar: As of yesterday and today, the biggest student protests across France in decades are still happening with a vengeance, and there are investigations now into developing police brutality.

(We alluded to these protests in yesterday’s post.)

To add an element of surrealism to today’s blogging activity, although we’re out in the countryside in the middle of nowhere, apparently there is a military airfield nearby and today is training day for high speed jets. Wheeeeee!!!

At any rate, back to Sunday October 4th: our ride from beautiful Metz (a favorite city for me) to the Mercure Hotel Stanislav in Nancy was a long one – 70 km – but had only a minimal ascent. Although the forecast was for sunshine, we were rained on, and judging from the apparel that other cyclists and walkers were wearing, we weren’t the only ones surprised by the precipitation.

Luckily, the rain only lasted about an hour of our four hour ride which followed the (fairly stagnant, algae-laced, always level) Moselle River.

Along the way, we passed this monument to what has been called “an unknown battle”, the tragic Battle of Dornot-Corny (September 1944), which claimed 945 American lives in 60 hours, earning it the nickname “the Lorraine Omaha Beach.”(Ten minute video. It’s worth watching.)

Riding alongside these rivers and canals here in France, as well as in Luxembourg, Belgium and Holland, inspires tremendous respect for the engineers who manage water levels in all kinds of ever-changing conditions, drought and flooding. It’s brilliant.

As we pulled into Nancy we noticed crowds of people wearing pink shirts.

Sunday was Breast Cancer Awareness day in France and there had been massive runs across France in support of breast cancer research. We rode through the Parc de la Pepiniere – a park that reminded me a lot of NYC’s Central Park. When it was built in 1772, it boasted 87,000 trees. Even now, with only 22,000 trees, it is impressive.

We exited the park through a spectacular gate trimmed with gold into Stanislav Square. a huge, open square lined on all four sides with stately, formal buildings. Very French.

Cutting across the square (to exit through another massive gold gate) we made our way to the hotel, immediately stowed the bikes in a conference room, – how convenient! how secure! how easy to charge batteries! – changed into dry clothes in a loo, and then set out walking.

First stop: the Information Office. They suggested that, because it was Sunday, and because it would be free, we visit the Musee des Beaux Arts. It happened to be in one of the stately buildings that line Stanislav Square.

To be honest, we kind of blew through most of the gallery (blame it on the fatigue of a wet, 70 km ride?) until we happened on the gigantic Rubens painting in one of the rooms.

#artface

The building also features a beautiful Art Nouveau staircase.

Indeed, Nancy was a global centre for Art Nouveau architecture before World War I and there are a few homes in the city that people make a point of visiting. (But not on a Sunday when almost everything is closed, e.g. Victor Prouve’s home.)

There was a great collection of Victor’s son’s Jean Prouve’s furniture design, also a designer of great acclaim. “Jean Prouvé was a French metal worker, self-taught architect and designer. Le Corbusier designated Prouvé a constructeur, blending architecture and engineering. Prouvé’s main achievement was transferring manufacturing technology from industry to architecture, without losing aesthetic qualities. His design skills were not limited to one discipline. During his career Jean Prouvé was involved in architectural design, industrial design, structural design and furniture design.” (Wikipedia)

We both especially liked the paintings of Emile Friant.

The musee shared the experience of having owned what they had thought to be a genuine Modigliani.

Upon exiting the musee we admired yet another gilt-y gate.

(#holidayhairdontcare)

.. and chose a restaurant for dinner. on our walk back to the hotel. Sometimes you’re just in the mood for a hamburger.

Loved the names of those burgers…

Since it was now after 3 our room was ready so we unpacked, headed out to dinner (for the record, those fries were mine) and then tucked ourselves in for the night.

Tomorrow – Monday – we would have the whole day to explore more of Nancy.

Excitement was to come.