Strasbourg, Nancy & Metz, France

I sent you pictures from Strasbourg last year. But, was cycling through the city around 7AM on my way to Nancy and snapped a few photos. Strasbourg is one of my favorite cities--thanks to ownership being wrestled between France and Germany four times in the last 120 years.

This is still Strasbourg.

I don't particularly care for Nancy (population 105,000) but, Stanislas Square ranks as one of the most beautiful squares in the world. In 1983 UNESCO made it a World Heritage site. Think of UNESCO, part of the United Nations, as a world historical site agency.

This is one of several surviving magnificent medieval gates to the city center of Nancy.

Nice walkway.

I love this tower gate guarding the entrance to the city center.

Another gated entrance to Nancy's old town.

Backside to gated entrance in photo above.

Close-up of golden gates in Stanislas Square.

Tree-lined walkway to government building in Nancy.

I've been to Metz (population125,000) before but I'm back for two reasons. Medieval French military engineer Vauban (I'm on a mission to visit his works) oversaw the reinforcements of the city's fortifications in 1674 and during World War ll the city was heavily fortified. Well imagine my disappointment to learn there's nothing left to see. Zilch, nada, zippo. Everything has been either torn down or as in the case of some World War ll structures in the outskirts of town--lost to the undergrowth. Other than the yellow limestone cathedral pictured here, Metz scores low on my list of "favorite cities in France".