Lorraine
Lorraine is a historical area of Eastern France that today falls within the administrative region of Grand Est.
It has its origins in the medieval kingdom of Lotharingia (855–959 AD), named after Emperor Lothair I or King Lothair II, which came to be ruled by the Holy Roman Empire. This kingdom, which extended further north than the modern region, was divided into upper and lower duchies; the lower duchy lasted until the 12th century but the upper duchy persisted and developed into the Duchy of Lorraine. The Kingdom of France annexed the duchy, along with the Duchy of Bar, in 1766, which became the Lorraine and Barrois province.
Worth seeing
Archaeological sites of Bliesbruck-Reinheim or Grand, Fortifications of the Maginot Line The Saint-Étienne cathedral in Metz and its 6,500 m² of stained glass windows, nicknamed the "Lantern of the Good Lord" The extraordinary basilica of Saint-Nicolas-de-Port The cathedrals of the Three Bishoprics The birthplace of Joan of Arc in Domrémy The Place Stanislas in Nancy, listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO The…
Things to do
In Lorraine, celebrations are everywhere, urban or rural, with all artistic emotions, in all seasons. Saint Nicholas, a tradition linked to the land, Christmas markets, a historic event "From Flames...to Light" in Verdun, the mirabelle plum in Metz or the daffodil in Gérardmer.
Where to eat
Lorraine's queen is the mirabelle plum. Lorraine offers a tasteful range of other sweets: bergamot plums from Nancy, madeleines from Commercy or Liverdun, and sugared almonds from Verdun. Taste specialties like potée or Quiche Lorraine. The potato is used in various traditional dishes of the region, such as the potée lorraine.
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Flocci Nivis (see Commons), Wikimedia Commons.