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Voykit pocket guide · France
Épinal
Half a day: walk the old town, visit the Musée de l'Image and the covered market. One night if you want a relaxed dinner on Place des Vosges.
Épinal is the capital of the Vosges département in Lorraine, known for its printmaking heritage and the Musée de l'Image. The town is compact: the old centre, the market and the museum can be seen in a few hours. It works as a stop between Nancy and the Vosges mountains.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Feb (cold, many sights on reduced hours)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €50–70 excl. bed · Mid €70–120 excl. bed · High €120+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- Police 17 · Fire 18 · Ambulance (SAMU) 15 · European emergency 112
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €1.50–3.00 |
| Baguette sandwich | €5–8 |
| Beer (demi) | €3–5 |
| Taxi from station to centre | €8–12 |
| Musée de l'Image entry | €5–8 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- EPL · Épinal-Mirecourt Airport
- check
Typical fares
- Train Nancy → Épinal
- about €10, 1 h (check)
- Taxi station → centre
- €8–12
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The old town is walkable. The railway station is 10 min on foot from Place des Vosges. A car is useful for outlying hotels and the Vosges countryside.
See and do
Known for
- Musée de l'Image / Imagerie d'Épinal
- Place des Vosges
- Covered market (Marché Couvert)
- Printmaking tradition
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Nancy | Regional train, about 1 h | 1 h 15 min |
| Metz | Train via Nancy, about 1.5 h | 2 h |
| Saint-Dié-des-Vosges | Car or bus, about 40 min | 50 min |
| Vittel | Car, about 30 min | 40 min |
| Verdun | Car, about 1.5 h | 1 h 45 min |
| Liverdun | Car, about 1 h | 1 h 15 min |
Sleep
- Centre-ville (old town)
- Walkable to all sights; Ibis Epinal Centre-Ville is here.
- ZAC de la Cobrelle (north)
- Roadside budget hotels like hotelF1; need a car or taxi.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbohn-zhoor |
| Thank you | Mercimair-see |
| How much? | Combien ?kom-byen |
| Where is the museum? | Où est le musée ?oo ay luh myoo-zay |
| The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaîtla-dee-syon, seel voo pleh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- Musée de l'Image is closed Monday morning; check the website for exact hours.
- The covered market is open Tuesday–Saturday; hours vary.
- The tourist office is at 6 Place Saint-Goery.
Épinal is a safe small city. Normal precautions apply at night; keep an eye on bags in the market.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Épinal yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Musée de l'Image / Imagerie d'Épinal
- Place des Vosges
- Covered market (Marché Couvert)
- Printmaking tradition
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Épinal, revision 5239663 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5239663
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Épinal
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
The US has an embassy in Paris; consular services in Strasbourg. Most other countries: embassies in Paris, consulates in Strasbourg.
check
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/epinal). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.