Music and Markets - - Following the Music

From Medieval to Modern in Metz

Friday, March 23, 2012, part 2
Metz, France

Interested in a Music and Markets Tour? We'd love to hear from you!
Next on the itinerary: Our spring tours in Barcelona, Venice or Prague

After that delicious lunch at Flo Brasserie Excelsior in Nancy, we snooze in the bus on the way to Metz, and arrive ready for our next walking tour. We begin at the top of town, where Metz's towering cathedral, visible for miles around, stands proud guard over the old town.



With its magnificent stained glass windows, the cathedral has been known as the Lantern of God since medieval times.






From ancient windows of the 1200's









to the renowned windows of Chagall











such as his unique yellow creation scenes, the glowing centuries of art still awes today.












It's such a lovely day that our guide suggests a walk along the river, where a Protestant church stands on an island, and swans lazily glide by, hoping for a crust of bread.






We continue on to Metz' modern pride, the Pompidou Art Center.





Completed in 2010 and with an inviting outdoor cafe, it's great for a pause before viewing the current exhibitions.






Our favorite exhibition was the homegoods of the Bouroullec brothers, all available from various dealers today.
Make your own room divider, as large or as small as you want, from interlocking circles or web- like pieces,










walk, sit, or lie down on this large curvy piece (obviously for a museum rather than a home)






peek through another divider at the old town beyond.


Metz has long been known as a military town, and the old army buildings are being repurposed into many other adaptations, such as the classy La Citadelle hotel where we'll stay for the night.
Dinner in the hotels Michelin- starred restaurant, Magazine aux Vivres (the old military food magazine) is an eagerly anticipated treat, beginning with a tartare of salmon topped with a mild wasabi mousse, a truffle- creamed bayonet of toast alongside.







A foie gras terrine follows,




and we finish with an artistic and delicious hazelnut circle of crunch topped with an olive oil mousse and a chocolate thread thrusting above.
A dramatic finish to a day of discovery - walking tours galore mean we can eat it all with no regrets!

posted by Anne and Kirk @ 5:02 PM