Normandy, Brittany & the Best of the North_ With Paris (Fodor's) - Fodor's [86]
No. 2 rue Bénit.
This elaborately worked metal exoskeleton, the first in Nancy (1901), exudes functional beauty. The fluid decoration reminds you of the building’s past as a seed supply store. Windows were worked by Gruber; the building was designed by Henry-Barthélemy Gutton, while Victor Schertzer conceived the metal frame. | Quartier Art-Nouveau | 54000.
No. 9 rue Chanzy.
Designed by architect Émile André, this lovely structure—now a bank—can be visited during business hours. You can still see the cabinetry of Majorelle, the decor of Paul Charbonnier, and the stained-glass windows of Gruber. | Quartier Art-Nouveau | 54000.
No. 40 rue Henri-Poincaré.
The Lorraine thistle and brewing hops weave through this undulating exterior, designed by architects Émile Toussaint and Louis Marchal. Victor Schertzer conceived this metal structure in 1908, after the success of No. 2 rue Bénit. Gruber’s windows are enhanced by the curving metalwork of Majorelle. | Quartier Art-Nouveau | 54000.
Nos. 42–44 rue St-Dizier.
Eugène Vallin and Georges Biet left their mark on this graceful 1903 bank. | Quartier Art-Nouveau | 54000 | Weekdays 8:30–5:30.
Rue Raugraff.
Once there were two stores here, both built in 1901. The bay windows are the last vestiges of the work of Charles Vallin, Émile André, and Eugène Vallin. | Corner of Rue St-Jean, Quartier Art-Nouveau | 54000.
WHERE TO EAT IN NANCY
Brasserie l’Excelsior.
$$ | FRENCH | Above all, you’ll want to eat in this 1911 restaurant, part of the dependable Flo group, for its sensational Art Nouveau stained glass, mosaics, Daum lamps, and sinuous Majorelle furniture. But the food is stylish, too, with succulent choices ranging from local goat cheese wrapped in bacon to a cod-and–roasted pepper crumble—and don’t miss out on the regional desserts like bergamot crème brûlée and French-toast style kougelhopf with caramel sauce. The white-aproned waiters are attentive and exude Parisian chic. | 50 rue Henri-Poincaré, Quartier Art-Nouveau | 54000 | 03–83–35–24–57 | www.brasserie-excelsior.com | MC, V.
Le Capucin Gourmand.
$$$ | FRENCH | Barely a stone’s throw from Place Stanislas and making the most of Nancy’s Art Nouveau pâte de verre, including a giant chandelier and glowing mushroom lamps on the tables, this chic landmark puts its best foot forward under chef Hervé Fourrière. The three-course lunch menu at €29 includes crayfish tails in a lavender-cream minestrone or a veal roulade with morels and polenta. Desserts are also noteworthy, with signature sweets including cherry-licorice soup, iced soufflé, and apricot tartlet. The choice of Toul wines is extensive. | 31 rue Gambetta, Ville Royale | 54000 | 03–83–35–26–98 | www.lecapu.com | Reservations essential | AE, DC, MC, V | No lunch Sat. No dinner Sun.
Le P’tit Cuny.
$ | FRENCH | If you were inspired by the rustic exhibits of the Musée des Arts et Traditions Populaires, cross the street and sink your teeth into authentic Lorraine cuisine in the form of mouthwatering choucroutes, tête de veau (calf’s head), or foie gras–stuffed pig’s trotter. Tables inside are tight, creating a bustling, canteenlike atmosphere, and the quality of the service seems to vary with the weather, but the hearty food is irreproachable. | 95 Grande-Rue, Vieille Ville | 54000 | 03–83–32–85–94 | www.petitcuny.fr | AE, MC, V.
WHERE TO STAY IN NANCY
Grand Hôtel de la Reine.
$$$–$$$$ | This hotel is every bit as grand as Place Stanislas, on which it stands; the magnificent 18th-century building is officially classified as a historic monument. Guest rooms are in a suitably regal Louis XV style; the most luxurious overlook the square. The hotel’s spectacular restaurant, Le Stanislas (closed Sunday November–end of March; no lunch Saturday), aglitter with chandeliers and carved-wood boiseries is closed for renovations but expected to reopen in 2011. Pros: sumptuous location; old-world atmosphere. Cons: rooms get street noise; indifferent staff. | 2 pl. Stanislas, Ville Royale | 54000 | 03–83–35