Here it is, it's decided, for your next weekend you will visit Nancy in 1 day. So of course, you want to discover in 1 day all the essentials of Nancy and all its most beautiful places. So you might be interested in my walking tour which allows to make a one day walking loop to see the most beautiful sites in Nancy (see route map below).

Nancy in 1 day - My selection of the must-see places to visit

In the heart of Lorraine, Nancy is not a tourist town as it can be Paris, Bordeaux ou Annecy. And few tourists know that yet it is a city that has many architectural, cultural and artistic riches.

And even if Nancy is a small town, it is still very difficult to select among all the beautiful places, the sites that are the most interesting to visit in 1 day ! And difficult to organize them to make a pretty walking tour to take advantage of the visits without being speedy… To achieve this result, I had to eliminate, among other things, all visits to museums and certain churches.

Thus, the majority of the sites of this city ​​tour are to be discovered only from the outside because if not to visit them completely, it would have been necessary to foresee a minimum of 2 days ...

Here is the list of my sites unmissable places in Nancy that I have chosen as steps in my 1 day city tour :

• Place Stanislas
• Héré Arc
• Place de la Carrière
• Governor's Palace
• Ducal Palace
• Cordeliers Church
• Restaurant Brend'Oliv
• Craffe gate
• Citadel
• Notre Dame Gate
• Desilles Gate
• Upper Bourgeois Street
• Place Saint-Evre
• St Epvre Church
• Mint

Nancy in 1 day - Map of my walking route

Click on "More options" in the map to follow the GPS

Nancy in 1 day - The detailed stages of my city tour

Nancy walking tour - Departure from Place Stanislas  

It is Stanislas Square that my city tour starts.

Very poor in history, I still wanted to understand why this magnificent place is called the Place Stanislas. And yes, sometimes I have to admit that my lack of culture penalizes me when I visit strong historical sites. So I inquire beforehand to fully understand and appreciate. Here is a summary of what I learned about the history of this place:

In fact, it owes its name to Stanislas Leszczynski. Stanislas Leszczynski was King of Poland and Duke of Lorraine between 1737 and 1766. He was appointed head of the Duchies of Bar and Lorraine in 1737 by his son-in-law, King Louis XV. The latter thus wanted to control these strategic territories, close to the eastern borders.

By wanting to do Nancy the most beautiful city in Europe, Stanislas Leszczynski has transformed the city into a dazzling city, today UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was therefore he who decided on the construction of this majestic square but also of the majority of the most beautiful monuments in Nancy.

With the disappearance of Stanislas Leszczynski, Lorraine was definitively reunited with the kingdom of France.

Nancy walking tour - Arc Héré and Place de la Carrière

From Place Stanislas, c'is by taking rue Héré that you will arrive straight onHéré Arc. It was the old passageway through the ramparts of the Old Town of Ville-Neuve. It was Stanislas Leszczynski in 1752 who decided to destroy the old royal gate to make it a Triumphal Arch to the glory of Louis XV.

You must now continue straight in the direction of the Place de la Carrière with its small fountains, sculptures and beautiful mansions. You will be able to admire 2 magnificent palaces (the old Hôtel de Craon used today as a court and the Bourse des Marchands).

Nancy walking tour - Governor's Palace

By taking the street of the stables, you will then arrive at the Governor's Palace. It is a large mansion built in the 18th century and in classical style. Since 1824, this palace has become the address of the prefecture. Opposite the Palace, is the Nursery park with its bandstand and its beautiful statues.

Nancy walking tour - Ducal Palace - Church of the Cordeliers of Nancy

By taking the Grande Rue, you can visit (if you have time) the Lorraine museum installed in the Palace of the Dukes of Lorraine (or Ducal Palace) which relates the whole history of Lorraine.

Then you can admire the gatehouse of the Ducal Palace and thus move from a flamboyant Gothic architecture to the Renaissance style.

Close by are the chapel and theCordeliers church which, in the past, was linked to the Ducal Palace.

Lunch break at Restaurant Brend'Oliv Restaurant

On the Grande Rue, two steps before arriving at the Porte de la Craffe, the Restaurant Brend'Oliv is my little gourmet address. I recommend it for its small, simple dishes prepared with fresh and delicious products.

Nancy walking tour - Porte de la Craffe

At the end of the Grande Rue, is the oldest door in Nancy : The Craffe gate. Before crossing the door, you can enter through a gate then climb the stairs on the left to discover the back of the 2 towers of the door.

Nancy walking tour - The Citadel - The Notre Dame gate

You will cross the Craffe gate and will be on rue de la Citadelle then you will arrive at the Citadel Gate. Here are beautiful remains of the old ramparts.

To follow my route, you have to turn left to take rue Henri Deglin. Continue on Boulevard Charles V to Place du Luxembourg and the Desilles Gate.

Nancy walking tour - Private mansions Rue du Haut Bourgeois

You will have to turn left and then left again to go up the rue du Haut Bourgeois. Thus, around this street, you will be able to discover magnificent private mansions (Hotel Fontenoy, Hotel Ferraris, Hotel des Loups, Hotel d'Haussonville, Hotel De Chastenoy…).

To continue, you will go back by taking the Grande Rue to join the Place Saint-Evre.

Nancy walking tour - Place St Epvre

Reigning over Place Saint Epvre, you will discover theSt Epvre Church with its huge stained-glass windows and its high spire.

Nancy walking tour - Hotel de la Monnaie

Follow the Grande rue to turn right on rue Callot and thus in front of the Hôtel de la Monnaie. This building currently houses the Departmental Archives. Originally, this was where the currency of the Duchy of Lorraine was minted.

My little gourmet address

To end my tour on a gourmet note, I suggest you end your afternoon tasting good Nancy macaroons. To do this, you will have to go to number 21 rue Gambetta (2 steps from the Hotel de laonnaie) at the Macaroon Sisters House. It's a bit expensive but they are pastries, chocolates and of course Lorraine macaroons of incomparable quality and made with respect for the traditional recipe.

Weekend in Nancy - Which hotel?

If you are looking for a hotel well located in the heart of the old town of Nancy, I recommend theHotel de Guise. It is a 17th century establishment which has a lot of charm and above all very well located less than 15 minutes walk from the train station and 280 meters from the Palace of the Dukes of Lorraine. For those who come by car, there is a public car park nearby.

See this hotel on Booking

Weekend in Nancy - Which Airbnb?

For a weekend in Nancy or a short stay, why not accommodation in Airbnb?

The one I had spotted is a 10-minute walk from Place Stanislas via the nursery park, so perfect for visit Nancy in 1 day or in 1 weekend !!!

See this accommodation on Airbnb

And why not visit Strasbourg less than 2 hours drive from Nancy?