# 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.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b2-lorraine-verdun/

**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. 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 |
| Route | Metz → Douaumont Ossuary |
| Countries | France |
| Updated | September 11, 2026 |

## 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

1. **Metz** (France)
2. **Metz Cathedral** (Metz, France): Nicknamed 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.
3. **Nancy** (France)
4. **Place Stanislas** (Nancy, France): An 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.
5. **Montsec American Monument** (Montsec, France): A round colonnade on an isolated hill honouring the 1918 Saint-Mihiel offensive. The view reaches across the Woëvre plain to the Lac de Madine.
6. **Verdun** (France)
7. **Douaumont Ossuary** (Douaumont-Vaux, France): A 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.