weekend in Metz, France

Three day weekend in Metz, France, a cool town Northeast of Paris near Luxembourg with many layers of history including Roman, Medieval, French and German.  Kaiser Wilhelm II ruled it in the late 1800's as part of Germany and built many large structures in varying styles of architecture - train station, post office, etc.  Metz also has a massive cathedral, lots of squares and art and plazas on 2 rivers.  Quiche Lorraine is from the region, and small yellow plums called "mirabelles".  We had a great time and would certainly go back.  A "hidden gem".  It was cool and rainy when we arrived, but warm and sunny by the time we left.  And the train was so fun, we even chose first class.

After reading the history of the region, my name for the weekend was "Brunehilde".  Just look it up, Brunehilde and Sigebert.  We had no idea of the history.  Fascinating.

Saturday
Paris to Metz (pronounced Mess) on the TGV, 2 hours via the Champagne region.  Walk into town, snack at McDo, check in at apartment where we were staying, lunch at Italian restaurant across the street, naps, then back into town past the cathedral.  Dinner outside at a cool meat restaurant.  Alex had the steak tartare, and Vincent cooked his meal on a hot stone and loved it.  First time I had Wagyu beef.  Delicious.

Sunday
A walk through the "Imperial District" with architecture from the reign of Kaiser Wilhelm II, through the train station to see the Pompidou Museum (extension of the Pompidou in Paris), back through a tunnel, coffee and Quiche Lorraine and mirabelle sorbet and waffles at a brasserie, a walk through gardens, past the Governor's Mansion, more ruins and gardens and fountains, a statue commemorating Lafeyette who was 19 and in Metz when he decided to leave and fight in the Revolutionary War, along the river, sushi for lunch, dinner near the cathedral, and back to the apartment.

Monday
Pastries, a walk into town, coffee and postcards in Place Saint-Louis, inside a very old church, a walk to see what is left of the "German gate", lunch at a nice brasserie in the Sofitel hotel which is inside the old arsenal building, cool drinks and playing cards outside at a cafe, back into town, to train station for TGV back to Paris.  Snacks and drawing on the train.

all the phone pictures

fun drawings on the train -

by Vincent and Alex

by Vincent - this was the apartment building we stayed in.