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The heart of Troyes, which resembles a champagne cork, still resonates of a time when the city was the Champagne county capital... The sixth stage’s starting point of the 2005 Tour de France, Troyes has the largest and most beautiful ensemble of 16th century wooden side houses in France. It remains one of the only French cities to boast an entire "medieval" wooden city. Its narrow and picturesque streets, most of them pedestrian or semi-pedestrian, recreate a typical medieval environment.
Troyes and the Aube region hold a place of choice in medieval art history thanks to its monuments; this art is primarily religious. After the Hundred Years’ War and the return of economic prosperity, Troyes became an artistic cradle of primary importance with local engineering flourishing through sculpture and stained glass.
Two exceptional artistic trends developed in Aube during the 16th century: the Trojan school of sculpture and the Trojan school of glass painting. The city holds Europe’s most beautiful treasure of stained glass and an unforgettable ensemble of 16th century sculptures in its nine churches. Today, with more than 1000 picture windows from the 16th century, the Aube holds a unique heritage.
Close to Troyes, amateurs of outdoor activities and wild spaces will find happiness in the East forest’s regional Natural reserve and its lakes. Created in 1970, the Park forms a 175 000 acres territory with varied landscapes. It also constitutes one of France’s richest ornithological sites with more than 265 bird species. Amateurs of both rustic and refined kitchen will enjoy the quality of the auboise gastronomy and its various specialties. The “aubois” vineyard is famous for its noble and generous wines... It gives birth to a rare golden and semi-sparkling wine whose name is synonymous with party: champagne. Covering 22% of the Champagne vineyard, “Aube” produces about a quarter of the 300 million bottles sold each year in the world.
The “andouillette”(small sausage made with pork, chitterlings, pepper ,onions and seasonings) is without contest Aube’s culinary speciality... The “choucroute”(sauerkraut with pork and sausage) is not to be forgotten. Indeed, of the 90 000 tons of “choucroute “ produced each year in France, 20 000 tons come from Aube. In 2005, the Stanislas square celebrates its 250th birthday with pomp. “Nancy 2005, the time of Enlightenment” is a great cultural and popular event that celebrates the 18th century heritage in Lorraine as well as the ideas inherited from this era: tolerance, ethics, secularism, human rights, right to happiness...
Thus, 250 years ago, in the center of Nancy, was inaugurated the square which Stanislas Leszczynski, dethroned king of Poland, had just built in honor of his royal son-in-law, Louis XV. Registered by UNESCO as Humanity’s World Heritage, it enjoys today an undeniable notoriety in Europe. The Stanislas square is an 18th century architectural masterpiece.
Intellectual, artistic and political melting pot, the dukedom found an enlightened sovereign in Poland’s former king as he could perfectly translate the era’s spirit into stone. It is on this square, located between the old city of the 11th century and the new city of the 16th century, that the Town hall, the Opera-Theatre and the “Beaux-Arts” Museum are found. This exceptional museum shelters collections of all the European trends from the 14th century to the 20th century (Rubens, Delacroix, Picasso, Rodin...) as well as those related to Lorraine (Clot, Friant, Prouvé...).
In the old city, the narrow streets with many private mansions that sheltered the great Lorraine families cry out to be explored.
Close to Nancy, the city’s botanical gardens are a true live plant museum. A 60 acres park, gathers more than 12000 plants from every continent.
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Comité Départemental du Tourisme de l'Aube
L'office de tourisme de Nancy |
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