Things to do in Troyes
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16th-Century Troyes
Half-timbered houses – some with lurching walls and floors that aren't quite on-the-level – line many streets in the old city, rebuilt after a devastating fire in 1524. The best place for aimless ambling is the area bounded by (clockwise from the north) rue Général de Gaulle, the Hôtel de Ville, rue Général Saussier and rue de la Pierre; of special interest are (from southwest to northeast) rue de Vauluisant, rue de la Trinité, rue Champeaux and rue Paillot de Montabert.
Off rue Champeaux (between No 30 and 32), a stroll along tiny ruelle des Chats (Alley of the Cats), as dark and narrow as it was four centuries ago – the upper floors almost touch – is like stepp…
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Cathédrale St-Pierre et St-Paul
Troyes' most important house of worship, 114m long, incorporates elements from every period of champenois Gothic architecture. The Flamboyant west facade, for instance, dates from the mid-1500s, while the choir and transepts are more than 250 years older. The interior is illuminated by a spectacular series of some 180 stained-glass windows (13th to 17th centuries) that shine like jewels when it's sunny. Also of interest: a fantastical baroque organ (1730s) sporting musical putti (cherubs), and a tiny treasury with enamels from the Meuse Valley. Back in 1429, Joan of Arc and Charles VII stopped off here on their way to his coronation in Reims.
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Hôtel de Vauluisant
This haunted-looking, Renaissance-style mansion houses two unique museums. Plants used to make dyes and oil paints in the Middle Ages grow in the courtyard.
Musée de l'Art Troyen Redesigned in 2009, the Museum of Troyes Art features the evocative paintings, stained glass and statuary (stone and wood) of the Troyes School, which flourished here during the economic prosperity and artistic ferment of the early 16th century.
Musée de la Bonneterie The Hosiery Museum showcases the sock-strewn story of Troyes' 19th-century knitting industry.
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Église Ste-Madeleine
Troyes' oldest and most interesting neighbourhood church has an early-Gothic nave and transept (early 13th century) and a Renaissance-style choir and tower. The highlights here are the splendid Flamboyant Gothic rood screen (early 1500s), dividing the transept from the choir, and the 16th-century stained glass in the presbytery portraying scenes from Genesis. In the nave, the statue of a deadly serious Ste-Marthe (St Martha), around the pillar from the wooden pulpit, is considered a masterpiece of the 15th-century Troyes School.
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Musée d'Art Moderne
The highlights here are French painting (including lots of fauvist works) created between 1850 and 1950, glass (especially the work of local glassmaker and painter Maurice Marinot) and ceramics. Featured artists include Derain, Dufy, Matisse, Modigliani, Picasso and Soutine. Housed in a 16th- to 18th-century bishop's palace, this place owes its existence to all those crocodile-logo shirts, whose global success allowed Lacoste entrepreneurs Pierre and Denise Lévy to amass this outstanding collection.
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Maison de l'Outil et de la Pensée Ouvrière
Worn to a sensuous lustre by generations of skilled hands, the 10,000 hand tools on display here – each designed to perform a single, specialised task with exquisite efficiency – bring to life a world of manual skills made obsolete by the Industrial Revolution. The collection is housed in the magnificent Renaissance-style Hôtel de Mauroy, built in 1556. Videos show how the tools were used and what they were used for. A catalogue in English is available at the reception.
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McArthur Glen
Most factory-outlet stores are situated in two main zones. One is Pont Sainte Marie, about 3km northeast of Troyes' city centre along rue Marc Verdier, which links av Jean Jaurès (the N77 to Châlons-en-Champagne) with av Jules Guesde (the D960 to Nancy). McArthur Glen is a huge strip mall with 84 shops. Adjacent Marques City (%03 25 46 37 48; www.marquescity.com) brings together 30 more stores.
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Le Bougnat de Pouilles
A funky bar/wine bar that doubles as an art gallery. The ventilation system looks like it was inspired either by the Centre Pompidou or by an extremely limited budget - in any case the anti-décor seems to put people at ease. Attacks of the munchies can be overcome with plates of cold cuts or cheese. There's live music two or three times a month, often on Thursday from 21:00.
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Église St-Pantaléon
Looking pretty much like it did three centuries years ago, this Renaissance-style church, with its vaulted wood ceiling, is a great place to see the work of the 16th-century Troyes School – check out the sculptures attached to the columns of the nave. The west facade was added in the 18th century. As in many churches, history sheets are available in French, English and German.
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Basilique St-Urbain
Begun in 1262 by the Troyes-born Pope Urban IV, whose father's shoemaker shop once stood on this spot, this church is exuberantly Gothic both inside and out, and has some fine 13th-century stained glass. In the chapel off the south transept arm is La Vierge au Raisin (Virgin with Grapes), a graceful, early-15th-century stone statue of Mary and the Christ Child.
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Cellier St-Pierre
A fine place to purchase bubbly and Aube wines such as rosé des Riceys. The cellar has been used since 1840 to distil Prunelle de Troyes (€20 per bottle), a 40 per cent liqueur made with sloe (blackthorn fruit) that's great on ice cream. The modest production facilities, which you can visit, are often fired up on Friday and Saturday mornings.
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Au Jardin Gourmand
Elegant without being overly formal, this intimate restaurant – with a summer terrace – uses only the freshest ingredients for its classic French and champenois dishes; among the latter are no fewer than 11 varieties of andouillette. About 20 vintages from the estimable wine list are available by the glass.
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Le Gainz' Bar
Named in honour of the legendary baladeer Serge Gainsbourg (that's him in shades on the wall), this friendly, rambling place is Troyes' most popular student hang-out. There's a student night on Thursday, a DJ on Friday (22:00-01:00) and a theme night on Saturday. Sports options include darts, billiards and foosball.
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Dixi Café
A convivial neighbourhood bar that draws an arty crowd, including students. Among the sipping options: Guinness (€4.50), Champagne (€5.50) and the house speciality, rhum arrangé (fruit-infused rum). Has live music – rock, reggae, jazz, French chansons – every Friday and Saturday from about 10pm.
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McArthur Glen Troyes
Most stores are in two main zones. One is Pont Ste-Marie which is about 3km northeast of the centre between av Jean Jaurès (D677 towards Châlons-en-Champagne) and av Jules Guesde (D960 towards Nancy). Here, McArthur Glen Troyes is a wedge-shaped strip mall with over 100 shops.
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Pont Sainte Marie
Most factory-outlet stores are situated in two main zones. One is Pont Sainte Marie, about 3km northeast of Troyes' city centre along rue Marc Verdier, which links av Jean Jaurès (the N77 to Châlons-en-Champagne) with av Jules Guesde (the D960 to Nancy).
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Marques City
Most stores are in two main zones. One is Pont Ste-Marie which is about 3km northeast of the centre between av Jean Jaurès (D677 towards Châlons-en-Champagne) and av Jules Guesde (D960 towards Nancy). Here, Marques City carries scores of brands in nine buildings.
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L'Ô à la Bouche
Centuries-old wood panelling and sleek table settings harmoniously create the perfect ambience for enjoying dishes described by the chef as style bistrot amelioré ('improved' bistro-style French) at midday and semi-gastronomique in the evening.
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Magasins d'Usine
Troyes is famous across France for its factory outlets, a legacy of the now largely delocalisé (outsourced-overseas) local knitwear industry. Brand-name sportswear, underwear, baby clothes, shoes and so on – discontinued styles, unsold stock, returns, prototypes – attract bargain-hunters by the coachload.
Most stores are in two main zones. St-Julien-les-Villas is about 3km south of the centre along bd de Dijon (D671 towards Dijon). Here, Marques Avenue boasts 240 name brands. Pont Ste-Marie is about 3km northeast of the centre between av Jean Jaurès (D677 towards Châlons-en-Champagne) and av Jules Guesde (D960 towards Nancy). Here, McArthur Glen Troyes is a wedge-sh…
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Musée St-Loup
Musée St-Loup, across the street from the cathedral, has a wide-ranging and sometimes surprising collection of medieval sculpture, enamel, archaeology and natural history. The stuffed mammals and birds at the entrance give the completely wrong impression!
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Musée Di Marco
The dramatic, action-packed drawings of Angelo Di Marco are featured at the new Musée Di Marco . Highlights include spellbindingly sensationalist renderings of the attempted assassination of Charles de Gaulle and the assassination of John F Kennedy.
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Montana
From Sunday to Wednesday it's a bar with a DJ, from Thursday to Saturday a disco featuring Latino, salsa and House - but no 1980s! Attracts lots of students on Thursday and has a drag queen cabaret starting at 01:00 on Sunday.
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La Mignardise
Traditional French cuisine, fresh and seasonal, is elegantly served beneath ancient wooden beams, 19th-century mouldings and ultramodern halogen lamps. The chef is a particular fan of fish, with plenty of mains from the briny deep.
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Marques Avenue
Most factory-outlet stores are situated in two main zones. One is St-Julien-les-Villas, about 3km south of the city centre on blvd de Dijon (the N71 to Dijon). Marques Avenue boasts 240 name brands.
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Valentino
A modern restaurant whose chef takes the fusionista approach, combining classic French ingredients and savoir-faire with East Asian spices and forms. On a quiet medieval courtyard.
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