Lorraine: Metz, Nancy and Verdun
A cathedral of light, the gilded Place Stanislas and the battlefields of the Meuse, from 1916 to the American offensive of 1918.
- Distance
- 166 km (103 mi)
- Driving
- 2 h 18 min
- Suggested days
- 3
- Stops
- 7
- Countries
- France
- Updated
- September 11, 2026
At a glance: 3-day road trip of about 166 km (103 mi) with 7 stops, from Metz to Douaumont Ossuary. About 2 h 18 min of driving in total.
More road trips in France
Route description
Metz is a city of golden Jaumont stone, with the cathedral’s immense windows and the white roof of the Centre Pompidou-Metz near the station. Follow the Moselle south to Nancy, whose Place Stanislas and Art Nouveau houses make a fine evening stroll.
Head north-west across the Lorraine plateau to the Butte de Montsec, a lonely hill with an American memorial to the 1918 Saint-Mihiel offensive. Continue through Saint-Mihiel and follow the Meuse north on the D964 to Verdun.
The 1916 battlefield lies on the hills north of the town: the Verdun Memorial at Fleury, Fort Douaumont and the Douaumont Ossuary with its field of crosses. The forest still hides shell-holes and destroyed villages, marked by small chapels.
The battlefield sites are best visited on a weekday outside school holidays. Lorraine is a good off-season destination, with Christmas markets in Metz and Nancy in December.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Metz
France - 20 km
Metz Cathedral
HistoryMetz, FranceNicknamed the Lantern of God for its huge area of stained glass, from medieval work to windows by Chagall. Come on a sunny afternoon when the golden stone glows.
- 360 km
Nancy
France - 40 km
Place Stanislas
HistoryNancy, FranceAn 18th-century square framed by gilded wrought-iron gates and fountains, part of a UNESCO ensemble. On summer evenings a light show plays on the façades.
- 551 km
Montsec American Monument
HistoryMontsec, FranceA round colonnade on an isolated hill honouring the 1918 Saint-Mihiel offensive. The view reaches across the Woëvre plain to the Lac de Madine.
- 648 km
Verdun
France - 77 km
Douaumont Ossuary
HistoryDouaumont-Vaux, FranceA long vault and tower holding the bones of some 130,000 unidentified soldiers of the Battle of Verdun, above a field of crosses. Fort Douaumont and the Verdun Memorial are close by.
FAQs
How long is Lorraine: Metz, Nancy and Verdun?
3-day road trip of about 166 km (103 mi) with 7 stops, from Metz to Douaumont Ossuary. About 2 h 18 min of driving in total.
How many days do you need for Lorraine: Metz, Nancy and Verdun?
We suggest 3 days: about 2 h 18 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.
Where does Lorraine: Metz, Nancy and Verdun start and end?
It starts in Metz and ends in Douaumont Ossuary.
Which countries does Lorraine: Metz, Nancy and Verdun pass through?
France.
