What to See in Grand Est, France

Grand Est is a region in northeastern France where French, Alsatian and Lorraine traditions meet influences from the Germanic world. From Gothic cathedrals and historic squares to borderland landscapes and cities shaped by centuries of European history, it is a rewarding region to explore. Neywo offers free audio guides for 6 cities in Grand Est, with 551 narrated places in total across 24 walking tours.

What to see and do in Grand Est

Grand Est was created in 2016 by joining Alsace, Champagne-Ardenne and Lorraine. Although the administrative name is recent, the region brings together much older identities and histories. Its cities are among the best places to experience that variety.

Strasbourg

Strasbourg is the prefecture and largest city of Grand Est, as well as the seat of the regional council. Its heritage reflects the region’s position between French and Germanic worlds. The Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg is one of the city’s major religious landmarks, while the Palais du Rhin and Palais Rohan show different aspects of its architectural history. The Barrage Vauban adds another important layer to the city’s built heritage.

With 152 narrated places, Strasbourg has the largest Neywo audio guide in Grand Est. It is a strong starting point for understanding the region’s cultural and political importance.

Reims

Reims connects Grand Est with some of the defining events of French history. The Frankish king Clovis the First was baptized there in 496, and the city later became the traditional place for the coronation of France’s kings. The city’s Gothic heritage includes Reims Cathedral, while the Basilica of Saint-Remi, the Ancien Collège des Jésuites de Reims and the Palace of Tau offer further ways to explore its past.

The Champagne fairs also played an important role in Europe’s medieval economy. Reims is therefore a useful stop for anyone interested in the political, religious and commercial history of the region. Its Neywo guide covers 108 narrated places. Discover more with the Reims city guide.

Nancy

Nancy represents the Lorraine side of Grand Est. Stanislas Square is one of its best-known landmarks, joined by Nancy Cathedral, Villa Majorelle and the Church of Saint-François-des-Cordeliers. Together, these places show the range of the city’s religious, civic and artistic heritage.

Nancy’s Neywo guide includes 128 narrated places, making it one of the most extensive city guides in the region. It is a good choice for seeing how several periods of architecture and local history meet in one city. Plan your visit with the Nancy guide.

Metz

Metz is another important Lorraine city, with a heritage that reaches across religious and architectural history. Metz Cathedral stands alongside the Church of the Great Carmelites, the Basilica of Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains and the Chapelle Saint-Genest de Metz.

The city is covered by 91 narrated places in the Neywo app. These landmarks provide a way to explore the region’s long Christian and medieval heritage while walking through an important Grand Est city. See the Metz guide for more places to visit.

Colmar

Colmar reflects the Alsatian character of Grand Est. Its places of interest include the musée Bartholdi, the Unterlinden monastery, the Protestant Church of Saint Matthew and the Statue of General Jean Rapp. These sites introduce the city’s art, religious history and local memory.

The Neywo guide to Colmar contains 32 narrated places. It is a compact way to discover a city shaped by the meeting of French and Germanic influences. Explore the Colmar city guide.

Troyes

Troyes offers another perspective on the heritage of Champagne. Its main narrated places include Troyes Cathedral, the former episcopal palace, the Abbey of Saint Loup and the Hôtel-Dieu-le-Comte. The city also connects with the wider history of the Champagne fairs, which helped make the region an important part of medieval European trade.

Neywo covers 40 places in Troyes, giving you a focused route through its historic centre and religious heritage. Find out more in the Troyes guide.

Landscapes and culture in Grand Est

Grand Est is landlocked but connected to four neighbouring countries: Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and Switzerland. The Rhine forms about half of the border with Germany, while the Meuse, Moselle, Marne and Saône flow through the region. The Vosges rise in the east and the Ardennes in the north, giving the landscape a clear mountain outline. Lakes such as Gérardmer and Madine add another element to the region’s geography.

This position has influenced Grand Est for centuries. Much of the area was considered eastern in the early Middle Ages, when it formed the southern part of Austrasia. Alsace and Lorraine later spent much of the Middle Ages and Renaissance within the sphere of the Holy Roman Empire, while France and Germany continued to make competing claims to them.

The cultural result is visible in regional languages such as Alsatian and Lorraine Franconian. Seasonal traditions also remain distinctive, including Saint Nicholas Day, Christmas markets and Easter customs involving the Easter hare in Alsace and Lorraine. Gothic architecture is particularly prominent, with the cathedrals of Reims, Strasbourg and Metz standing as major examples of the region’s religious heritage.

Grand Est also has a long industrial history, alongside agriculture and tourism connected with arts, gastronomy and sightseeing. Its cities are served by tram networks, and the region is connected by airports including Strasbourg Airport and EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg. Its location makes Grand Est a practical gateway to Europe as well as a destination with its own deep local identities.

Explore Grand Est with Neywo

Neywo has free audio guides for 6 cities in Grand Est: Colmar, Metz, Nancy, Reims, Strasbourg and Troyes. Together, the guides cover 551 narrated places across 24 walking tours. Narration is available in 11 languages.

The app tells the story of each place as you reach it, at your own pace. There is no group and no schedule: choose a city, start walking and listen as the sights appear along your route. Download Neywo to explore Grand Est with an audio guide in your pocket, then continue discovering more of France.