Bonjour, merci, au revoir…or France, I love you! || Day 1 – Metz (one day guide)

It was early Sunday morning, when my sister and I packed our travel suitcases, arranged things in the car, tuned in to some local radio station, placed Snusmumrik conveniently in the window and began our five days road trip to France. It was rather chilly at 8 am and everything was covered in morning dew. Germersheim, the city where my sister lives and the starting point of the trip, was still silent, sleepy and foggy, but to me it looked mystical and enchanting, as if promising the great adventures ahead of us.

The first destination was Metz, the city located near the German border and only two hours drive from Germersheim. I chose Metz over many other cities we could visit, because of the two things: first, its impressing 3,000-year history and ancient buildings, some of which are considered the oldest in France or even Europe, and second, gorgeous photos which portrayed it as the most beautiful, blooming and cozy little town. I can tell you one thing – after visiting the city, I will contribute my share of the pictures to the Metz online gallery!

The drive from Germersheim to Metz was very beautiful too – picturesque landscapes, fields and small villages, vineyards, farms, mountains and hills and, my favorite, long mysterious tunnels. We enjoyed the change of radio channels from German to French and the choice of music from Pop and energetic to romantic and slow. There were many interesting things along the road which any curious mind (especially if for the first time in Europe) would appreciate, like weird signs or structures we had no clue what their purpose was. A note to myself – always have a notepad in the car to remember and research things which puzzled me on the road.

We spent in Metz only one day, but if you asked for my recommendations now, I would say, plan for a two days stay – there are enough places to see and visit to occupy you for two full days and even more, so that you could relax, enjoy the views and take long walks along the river, explore the city streets and architecture, meet the locals, who, by the way, are extremely nice, joyful and responsive. The center of Metz is car free zone, so we walked all day and, of course, asked for directions frequently. We received only warm responses and even though almost nobody could speak English, that wasn't an issue at all. One guy couldn't find the words to explain the directions, so he walked us himself to the location we were looking for! That was crème de la crème of being nice! At that moment I thought – whoever called French arrogant and mean just had a really bad luck of meeting those few mean people.

Once you get to Metz, leave your car at the parking garage here and walk from there. Metz historic center is one of the largest commercial pedestrian areas in France. We started our tour at the Place Saint-Louis, a large circle, surrounded by old buildings with lots of cafes and restaurants (later we returned to this square to have dinner before heading the road). 

From this point you can walk to many landmarks, which are located at almost similar distances. If you’d like to see the most beautiful part of the city first - go to the Metz Cathedral (5 minutes walk). Make sure to go inside to enjoy the stained-glass windows it is famous for (open until 6 pm and we were late, so, sadly, no pictures to show).

One block separates the Cathedral from the bank of the river where you will find yourself at the highlight of the city – Le Temple Neuf, the protestant church, beautifully located on a peninsula in the river Moselle. On the other side of the bridge there are Place de la Comedie and the Opera-Theater, the oldest opera house in France. Now you can cross four most popular landmarks of Metz from your list. Spend some time here, walk around, take pictures, feed swans, feed yourselves - gorgeous spot to be at, peaceful atmosphere. 

Walk inside the tunnels by the banks of the river to experience hundreds of years time shift. I could almost see the shadows of Victor Hugo characters on the ancient wet walls. By the way, I bet the smell out there is authentic 17^th century aroma, so try not to breathe.

From Le Temple Neuf I suggest to take a long walk along the bank of Moselle towards Jardin botanique de Metz. You will be moving away from the city center and get a chance to see more contemporary streets and architecture. The botanical garden is nice and romantic place with lots of flowers.

Next stop is Centre Pompidou-Metz, a museum of modern and contemporary arts. The museum opened its doors in 2010 and has a unique structure inspired by a Chinese hat. If you appreciate art, definitely pay a visit.

It is a five minute walk from the museum to the next place of interest - Gare de Metz-Ville, a railway station with unusual architecture outside and inside. For me this place created a very special memory - I had my first French baguette sandwich at a small café inside the station! By the way, the myth about the French carrying baguettes at all times is not a myth – they certainly do carry them everywhere. I even tried counting how many guys with baguettes we met during the day; unfortunately, this knowledge (like most other knowledge) did not stay long in my head.