One Day in Nancy: The Perfect Itinerary

Nancy may not always be the first city that comes to mind when planning a trip to France.

But, after nine years of living and traveling in this beautiful country, Nancy has become one of those places that feels like a delightful discovery every time I visit.

Whether it’s a new Art Nouveau building, a cozy café tucked away in the Old Town, or just visiting Place Stanislas at a different time of year, there’s always something new and exciting.

In this itinerary, I’ll guide you through my favorite ways to spend one day in Nancy.

These are the spots that have made this city memorable for me, and I hope they’ll do the same for you.

This is the Porte de la Craffe in Nancy. It's the oldest monument in the old town. It has two towers and three entrances. It's a must visit if you're spending one day in Nancy. — Porte de la Craffe

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Morning

Explore Place Stanislas, Place d’Alliance, and Place de la Carrière

This is Arc Héré in Nancy. It's a triumphal arch with one large entry and two smaller ones on either side. It's decorated with statues painted in gold. — Arc Héré

This is the Hôtel de Ville in Place Stanislas in Nancy. It's a large stone building with windows and a clock at the top. — Hôtel de Ville in Place Stanislas

The main reason I first visited Nancy was to see the famous Place Stanislas.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is considered one of the most beautiful squares in France, and I would have to agree.

It is surrounded by gilded wrought-iron gates, white stone buildings, fountains, and a triumphal arch, Arc Héré.

I recommend making this your first stop because it gets busy during the day.

Then, head over to Place d’Alliance and Place de la Carrière. These two squares are next to Place Stanislas and won’t take more than a few minutes to visit.

Helpful Tip: Combined, Place Stanislas, Place d’Alliance, and Place de la Carrière make up the UNESCO World Heritage listing.

Visit the Musée des Beaux-Arts

This is an example of a Daum Crystal Vase from 1900. It's a green vase with flowery lines in white. — Daum Crystal Vase from 1900

Next, head back to Place Stanislas to visit the Musée des Beaux-Arts.

This is one of the country’s oldest museums, and you’ll find a lot of impressive artwork here.

Some notable works include the Daum glassware collection, designs by Jean Prouvé, and The Battle of Nancy painting by Eugène Delacroix.

Of these, my favorite was the Daum glassware collection, particularly those that highlight the Art Nouveau style.

Stroll Through Parc de la Pépinière

This is the rose garden in Parc de la Pépinière in Nancy. There is a walking path surrounded by rose bushes and a few benches. — Rose Garden in Parc de la Pépinière

Parc de la Pépinière is a picturesque park next to Place Stanislas.

Here you’ll have walking trails, big lawns, and lots of gardens. There’s even a small zoo.

I’ve been a few times, and I like all the green spaces right in the middle of the city. It’s a nice breath of fresh air.

My favorite area was in the rose garden. It was quieter than the rest of the park, and the colors were magnificent.

Afternoon

Lunch at Le Bouillon Rousselet

This is the Beef Bourguignon I ate at Le Bouillon Rousselet in Nancy. It's a round plate with beef and sauce on top of pasta. — Beef Bourguignon at Le Bouillon Rousselet

This is the Baba Lorraine that I ate at Le Bouillon Rousselet in Nancy. It's a madeleine soaked in rum in a round dish. — Baba Lorraine at Le Bouillon Rousselet

There is a large selection of restaurants in Nancy, but my go-to is Le Bouillon Rousselet.

Helpful Tip: This restaurant was recommended to me by the Tourist Office.

They have a menu with a lot of regional specialties like Quiche Lorraine as well as traditional French dishes.

For the main dish, I really enjoyed the beef bourguignon, and for the dessert, the baba Lorraine was my favorite (the profiteroles were also very good).

Visit the École de Nancy Museum

This is the École de Nancy Museum App. I am holding my phone and the screen shows the different tours you can do at the museum. — École de Nancy Museum App

This is an furniture exhibit at the École de Nancy Museum. There is a table surrounded by chairs and behind it is a cabinet with two statues and a lamp. — Furniture at the École de Nancy Museum

This is my favorite museum in Nancy.

It features rooms decorated with furniture, glassware, lamps, stained-glass windows, etc., in the Art Nouveau style.

There’s also a large exhibit on the works of Émile Gallé, who was one of the founders of the Art Nouveau movement.

But what made this museum particularly interesting was the self-guided tour.

There’s an app that you can download, and each exhibit has an audio guide that covers the artwork on display.

Helpful Tip: The École de Nancy Museum is a 35-minute walk from downtown Nancy.

Wander Down Rue Félix Faure

This is an Art Nouveau Building on Rue Felix Faure in Nancy. It's a while building with seven windows and one door. There are decorations around the windows with different color bricks. — Art Nouveau Building on Rue Félix Faure

Not far from the École de Nancy Museum is the prettiest street in town, at least in my opinion.

Here you’ll find rows of houses designed in the Art Nouveau style.

I loved the intricate details and colors of each building.

It is a residential street, so you can’t visit inside any of the houses, but they are still worth admiring.

Stop by Maison des Soeurs Macarons

This is a box of Macarons de Nancy from Maison des Soeurs Macarons in Nancy. It's a square box and there are six cookies. — Macarons de Nancy from Maison des Soeurs Macarons

After visiting the area around the École de Nancy Museum, you’ll head back to see the rest of Nancy’s Old Town.

Along the way, I recommend stopping by Maison des Soeurs Macarons to try one of my favorite local specialties – the Macarons de Nancy.

It’s a meringue-type cookie with an almond base. They are light and not as sweet as some of the others you’ll find in France.

Helpful Tip: Maison des Soeurs Macarons is the oldest producer of macarons in Nancy, and those are the ones I tried.

Discover the Old Town

This is a set of colorful buildings along Rue du Duc Raoul in Nancy's Old Town. There are five buildings in a row and each is a different color. — Rue du Duc Raoul

Nancy’s Old Town is full of cobbled streets lined with beautiful medieval and Renaissance architecture.

There are lots of must-see sites, including the Nancy Cathedral, Porte de la Craffe, the Palais des Ducs de Lorraine, and the Musée Lorrain.

But my favorite area was between Rue de la Source and Rue des Dames.

There are tons of colorful buildings, like the ones on Rue du Duc Raoul (pictured above).

Evening

Dinner at Restaurant des Frères Marchand

This is Choucroute garnie. It's a traditional dish from eastern France. It consists of sauerkraut topped with different types of pork and two potatoes. — Choucroute Garnie

Restaurant des Frères Marchand specializes in dishes from eastern France, including Alsace.

So, you’ll have options like choucroute garnie and jambonneau braisé.

It’s a hearty menu, but it’s authentic. Plus, the service is warm and welcoming, so you can’t go wrong with this choice.

Be sure to make a reservation in advance, as this place gets busy quickly.

Light Show in Place Stanislas

From mid-June to mid-September and during the Christmas market, the city puts on a spectacular light show every evening.

The show changes every year, but you can expect something that combines history, heritage, and artistic innovation.

The event is open-air and free, so add it to your itinerary if you can.

Conclusion

Nancy is a charming city that doesn’t get the attention it deserves.

The architecture, history, and museums are my personal favorites.

If I had only one day in this beautiful city, this itinerary is how I would spend my day (and how I have on some of my trips).

Now, I recommend checking out my complete eastern France itinerary to see how you can add Nancy as part of your trip.