March 9, 2023

Dreamy Lorraine

A fascinating visit to a region in French Grand Est.

After a swell time in warm and colorful Lyon, I sat in a TGV heading north. Being hypnotized by the fast-passing landscapes behind the window, I nearly missed out that the sunshine from the previous days took time off.

I fully realized that when I left the station to stroll through Nancy. It was rather grey, and I lacked the motivation to take pictures at first. But the further I walked, the more I enjoyed where I was. "Hey, it is okay," I thought, embracing the different, pale world.

The muted colors elevated the character of some scenes into their own. When I walked around the basilica of Nancy's Saint Epvre, it felt like I entered a faded, yet engrossing story from the past. There was plenty to like!

Little did I know that it would become a pattern; the region has a wealth of sacred places that, in this weather, formed an enchanting genius loci.

Castle Chappel in Vaucouleurs. Reportedly, it was here where Jeanne d'Arc liked to pray before she left for her mission.

It wasn't just religious buildings having the charm...

Gombervaux Castle

But the structures themselves did not make my visit special. Nor did the atmospheric forests around – although they do deserve mention.

What made my visit to Lorraine was a reunion with a friend that I met in Wroclaw ages ago. And it didn't stop there: I got introduced to more cool humans and the art of glass blowing.

Atelier du Cerfav

I even got to try it myself. So good!

A few enriching days later, I waved goodbye. A yet different world waited for me.


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Published by: Jakub Stepanovic in Stories

 

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