It is part of the Grand Est region (formerly the historic region of Lorraine).
Capital (préfecture): Nancy — a beautiful city with abundant Art Nouveau architecture and the famous Place Stanislas (a UNESCO World Heritage Site).
Neighboring areas: It borders Belgium and Luxembourg to the north, and the departments of Moselle, Meuse, Vosges, and Bas-Rhin.
The department was created in 1871 after the Franco-Prussian War, when parts of the former departments of Meurthe and Moselle remained French (the remainder belonged to Germany until 1918).
Important cities besides Nancy include Lunéville (with its beautiful castle, the "Versailles of Lorraine"), Toul, Longwy, Pont-à-Mousson, and Val-de-Briey.
The landscape is varied: rivers (the Meurthe and Moselle give their names to the department), hills, forests, and some industry (formerly steel production in the north around Longwy).
The north is more industrial, the south more rural.
In short: a mix of culture (Nancy!), history, nature, and Lorraine heritage.
No comments:
Post a Comment