20230327_151646Temple Neuf in the distance (March 2023)

To be honest, Metz had not originally been on my list of places to visit during my trip last spring. However, due to the train strikes happening that year, I ended up having a two-and-a-half hour transfer when I was coming back from Luxembourg and back to Paris. Given the long correspondance, I decided to make the most of it and visit Metz when I could.

Metz is in a unique location in that it’s only kilometers from the borders with Germany and Luxembourg. The city is also rich in its 3000-year-old history and has been submitted to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site with its Gothic cathedral and Old Town that evokes the charm of the Grand-Est region of France. Metz often gets overlooked as a tourist destination, but with its handful of ancient and medieval sites to see, it’s definitely worth a look.

I exited the gare de Metz-Ville, which in itself is a historic, architectural landmark from the early 20th century. Built in Romanesque style, it was created by a German architect back when Metz was part of the German Empire. Today, it exemplifies the strong German influence over the region and overall is a sight to behold.

20230327_143539Gare de Metz-Ville

Heading into Metz centre-ville, I wandered the Old Town with its narrow, pedestrian streets lined with cobblestones. I strolled through the rue Taison, with le Graoully, a dragon statue as the city’s icon, hanging above the shops. Myth has it that St. Clement of Metz fought and won against le Graoully, thereby bringing the city of Metz peace after its turbulent past– it has inspired plenty of other “dragonslayer” tales to this day!

20230327_152833Rue Taison with le Graoully

Next was a visit to the cathédrale de Metz, which dates back to 14th century. It has the third-highest nave in France and the most-expansive stained glass in the world. Although I have visited multiple cathedrals throughout France, Europe, and beyond, I was still impressed with the cathédrale de Metz as I took a look around the inside and outside of it.

20230327_150914Cathédrale de Metz


20230327_150151Inside the cathédrale

I then crossed over la Moselle, where I got views of le Temple Neuf. Dating back to the 20th century, it’s a Protestant church situated on the tip of a small island that cuts through the river. Best views of this distinctive church is on the Moyen Pont, and I found it truly a highlight of my short time in Metz!

20230327_151646Lovely views ❤

My last stop was at the porte des Allemands, a bridge-castle dating back to the medieval period (13th-15th centuries). On my walk over, it started to rain, then snow! I’d just come from Luxembourg, which had light snow, so to experience a heavier one in Metz was a surprise and a *slight* struggle while walking to the next site. Due to the rain and snow, I didn’t stay too long at the porte des Allemands, taking a few photos before heading back to the gare. I caught the 17h00 train back to Paris, thereby ending my time in Metz.

20230327_154249Porte des Allemands

As said before, I didn’t expect to be in Metz during my time in France. However, I can say that the city was a lovely surprise and has a gentle charm to it. From the rich history of the cathédrale to the iconic Temple Neuf, Metz is an underrated gem that I’m glad to have stopped in during my train transfer.

More of my time in France last spring to come. Until then!

— Rebecca

Published by Rebecca

Blogger, world traveler, poet, foodie, part-time penguin. Welcome!

50 thoughts on “Destination: Metz, France”

  4. During your short stay in Metz, you managed to see some of the city’s main sights. When I lived in Luxembourg, I used to come regularly on Thursday evenings to take advantage of the shops that were open late that day, to buy French products, especially cultural ones, which were not always available in Luxembourg. I ended up having a nice dinner in one of the nice restaurants in the city centre.

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  14. I knew pretty much zero about Metz coming into this one, so it has all been pleasantly enlightening. The views from the cathedral are clearly a must, while the cobblestone streets look delightful. Porte des Allemands also looks thoroughly handsome, not a bad return for two and a half hours Rebecca.

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    1. Absolutely, Leighton! I knew little about Metz before I had the opportunity to visit, but I’m glad to have explored it, two and a half hours and all. Thanks for reading!

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  16. I’ve never been to or heard about Metz, but it looks like a wonderful place to spend a few hours, if not more. I especially love the breathtaking vaults and the beautifully stained glass windows of Metz’s cathedral. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx

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  17. It looks like a nice little stop-off. Unexpected gems are the best! One of the downfalls of the way I learned French (hardly any traditional direct schoolroom instruction), pronunciation can be hard for me to guess at. I’m just dying to know how Metz is pronounced. Can you enlighten me?

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  18. Sometimes we are forced to make an unexpected detour and end up finding a place that wasn’t originally in our plan charming and fascinating. This sounds like your experience with Metz. What an interesting city it looks! Disruptions to our travel plans suck, but this is a reminder that in the end not all is bad.

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    1. I wholeheartedly agree! Metz wasn’t in my plans, but luckily, it worked out in the end with getting back to Paris while also exploring a city I hadn’t visited! Thanks for reading, Bama 🙂

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    1. Metz is a smaller city in the Grand-Est region of France. Not as well-known as the mega cities like Paris or even its nearby Strasbourg. But it’s still worth a visit if one happens to be in that part of the country!

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    1. I highly agree! Even though I didn’t end up having much time in Luxembourg, my quick visit to Metz made up for otherwise lost time. Thanks for reading, Han 🙂

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