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Voykit pocket guide · France
Nancy
Give Nancy 1–2 nights: the UNESCO squares and Art Nouveau houses fit one full day on foot, with a second for the museums.
Nancy is the old capital of Lorraine, 1 h 30 min from Paris by TGV, and its centre is a UNESCO-listed set of 18th-century squares. Place Stanislas, the Art Nouveau quarter and the École de Nancy museums sit within a 20-minute walk of each other, so the city works as a one- or two-night stop between Paris, Strasbourg and Metz rather than a week-long base.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Nov–Feb (short, grey days); mid-August when some independent shops close
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
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 €60–90 excl. bed · Mid €90–150 excl. bed · High €150+ 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
- European emergency number 112 · Ambulance (SAMU) 15 · Police 17 · Fire 18
- 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 |
| Sandwich or quiche at a bakery | €4–7 |
| Lunch menu (plat du jour) | €13–20 |
| Dinner, mid-range, per person | €20–35 |
| Beer: bar / supermarket | €5–8 / €1–2 |
| Museum entry | €3–10 |
| STAN single bus ticket | €1.30 |
| Taxi minimum fare | €6.20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ETZ · Metz-Nancy-Lorraine
- About 30 km (19 mi) north; regional flights only (Lyon, Toulouse, Mediterranean coast); shuttle to the city, fare €8About 19 mi (30 km) north; regional flights only (Lyon, Toulouse, Mediterranean coast); shuttle to the city, fare €8
- CDG · Paris Charles de Gaulle
- TGV Est direct to Gare de Nancy-Ville, about 1 h 30 min
Typical fares
- Paris → Nancy, TGV
- about 1 h 30 min
- Nancy → Metz, TER
- about 40 min
- STAN single ticket
- €1.30, valid 1 hour
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 centre is compact and pedestrianised: Gare de Nancy-Ville to Place Stanislas is about 20 minutes on foot. STAN buses and trolleybuses cover Greater Nancy from about 06:00 to 21:00, with poor Sunday service. VélOstan'lib bike share has 25+ stations in the centre; a 1-day ticket is €1.50 with the first 30 minutes free. Driving in the old town is one-way and parking is scarce: use a park-and-ride.The centre is compact and pedestrianised: Gare de Nancy-Ville to Place Stanislas is about 20 minutes on foot. STAN buses and trolleybuses cover Greater Nancy from about 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM, with poor Sunday service. VélOstan'lib bike share has 25+ stations in the centre; a 1-day ticket is €1.50 with the first 30 minutes free. Driving in the old town is one-way and parking is scarce: use a park-and-ride.
See and do
Known for
- Place Stanislas and the UNESCO squares
- Art Nouveau architecture and the École de Nancy
- Musée des Beaux-Arts
- Parc de la Pépinière
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Metz | TER or TGV from Gare de Nancy-Ville, about 40 min | About 1 h |
| Liverdun | TER from Gare de Nancy-Ville, about 15 min | About 40 min |
| Verdun | TER via Metz, about 2 h | 2–2.5 h |
| Épinal | TER from Gare de Nancy-Ville, about 1 h 15 min | About 1.5 h |
| Saint-Dié-des-Vosges | TER from Gare de Nancy-Ville, about 1 h 30 min | About 2 h |
| Forbach | TER via Metz, about 1 h 45 min | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Ville Vieille (old town)
- Around Place Stanislas and Place Saint-Epvre; walk to everything, quietest at night.
- Gare de Nancy-Ville
- Best for a one-night rail stop; 15–20 min walk to Place Stanislas.
- Rue Saint-Jean / Rue des Ponts
- Restaurant and bar strip; central but noisier on weekends.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbon-zhoor |
| Thank you | Mercimair-see |
| Please | S'il vous plaîtseel voo pleh |
| How much is it? | C'est combien ?say kom-byen |
| Can I pay by card? | Je peux payer par carte ?zhuh puh pay-yay par kart |
| Where is the station? | Où est la gare ?oo ay la gar |
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
- Buy bus tickets from the driver (€1.30) or at stop machines; only chip cards are accepted at machines.
- Taxis cannot be hailed on the street: use a rank or phone one.
- Some museums close on Mondays and reduce hours in winter: check before you go.
- The Musée Lorrain main building has been closed for renovation: the Ducal Chapel stays open and free (check).
Nancy is a calm, walkable city; the usual big-city cautions apply around the station and the bar streets at night. Pickpockets are rare but watch bags in crowds.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Nancy yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Place Stanislas and the UNESCO squares
- Art Nouveau architecture and the École de Nancy
- Musée des Beaux-Arts
- Parc de la Pépinière
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Nancy official city site: www.nancy.fr/
- Nancy Tourism Office: www.nancy-tourisme.fr/
- STAN — Nancy public transport: www.reseau-stan.com/
- Metz-Nancy-Lorraine Airport: lorraineaeroport.com/
- Wikivoyage: Nancy, revision 5249573 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5249573
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Nancy
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No US or UK embassy in Nancy; embassies are in Paris. Consulates-general in Strasbourg (check).
Service is included by law in French cafés and restaurants: round up or leave 5–10% for good service.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/nancy). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.