Metz part 2: Musée de la Cour d'Or, fortifications, Jeanne d'Arc and even more churches
7 June 2026
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After having admired the cathedral, I continue to the nearby Musée de la Cour d'Or, a museum about the history of the city and the region located partly in a former church. Entry is free and the museum is huge, spanning a timeframe of almost two milennia from Roman times until the 19th century.
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This Roman tombstone from the 2nd or 3rd century depicts a jewellers shop. The museum has a huge collection of Roman artifacts and is located at the site of Roman baths, whose walls are part of the exhibition.
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Saint George slays the dragon and rescues the princess, with the parents watching from the safety of the castle. The fish may indicate the scene takes place near a body of water. The relief is from the 15th century.
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Fragment of a painted ceiling from the Medieval times depicting a hybrid creature.
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Fragment of a painted ceiling from the Medieval times depicting hybrid creatures.
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Hermann Hendrich, Lumière magique, 1892. This Romantic painting references the legend of the Flying dutchman, a ghost ship damned to sail the seven seas until the love of a young woman redeems the captain.
After the museum closes, I walk some more through the city, drink craft-beer and eat Flammkuchen at a park near the German gate and finally return to my hotel room.
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I walk back to the hotel via Place Saint Louis, which is crowded in the evening. The architecture of the buildings and the fact that much of life seems to happen outdoors give the city a kind of Mediterranean flair.
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This tower near my hotel belonged to the old fortifications, which are the focus of the next day. The walls clad in ivy give it a fairytale-like appearance.
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By the way, I have a nice look at Place Mondon from my window.
Next day I visit the German Gate, the last gate of the Medieval fortifications that is still standing. It was so formidable that the fortress architect Vauban who modernized the cities defenses in the 17th century integrated it into the new fortifications instead of demolishing it. I then walk alongside the remains of the city walls and the river Seille through nice parks. I didn't know that so much of the city walls is still standing.
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The formidable German gate contains a fortified bridge over the river Seille.
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This tower reveals its vault. The Medieval city walls consisted of 67 towers and and 17 gates. Many of the towers were maintained by the guilds of the city, which is reflected in the names of the towers.
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Today the tour along the city walls offers fresh air and cool shade.
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It would have been hard for an attacker to storm this gate.
I'm north of the historical center now and decide to visit the nearby church Saint Ségolène and Place Jeanne d'Arc. In the years following the execution of Jeanne d'Arc in 1431 several women claimed to be her, among them Jeanne des Armoises, who lived at this square at Metz, which is where the name of the square comes from.
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Place Jeanne d'Arc, in view of Saint Ségolène. It's a nice, quiet square.
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The portal of Saint Ségolène is beautifully decorated. The church dates back to the 12th century.
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Armed men, detail of the church portal.
During my tour through the city I also manage to visit some more churches: Saint Martin and Saint Eucaire which both contain wall paintings from the 15th century, as well as Saint Maximin which combines its Romanesque flair with modern glass windows.
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Wall paintings from the 15th century at Saint Martin.
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The altar of Saint Eucaire is flanked by statues of Jeanne d'Arc and archangel Michael.
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Statue of Jeanne d'Arc, Saint Eucaire. The pedestal displays her coat of arms.
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This 15th century wall painting at Saint Eucaire displays the Dormition of Mary.
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The rather plain Romanesque architecture fits well together with the modern elements at Saint Maximin.
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Modern glass window by Jean Cocteau, Saint Maximin.
Finally I walk back to my hotel via the Jardin de l'Esplanade, pick up my luggage and head to the train station where I depart to the last station of my travel: Strasbourg.
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The Jardin de l'Esplanade is a huge park, but without much shade.
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Metz train station was built during the German rule in the late 19th century. Back then it had the military purpose of providing the possibility of fast troop relocations.
On my first day at Metz I walk along the river Mosel, explore the western part of the historical city center and encounter three very different churches.
During our two-day visit in Colmar we walk through the historical center, make a boat tour, and visit several museums, including the Musée Unterlinden which contains the famous Isenheim Altar.
