A playful scavenger-hunt trail invites students and visitors alike to rediscover Nancy’s architectural heritage during back-to-school season and the 2026 European Heritage Days.
Every September, Nancy welcomes thousands of new students from across France and around the world to its schools and university. This year, the start of the academic year coincides with a major cultural event: the European Heritage Days, taking place on September 19 and 20, 2026, across France. It’s the perfect opportunity to (re)discover some hidden architectural gems in Nancy.
That’s exactly the challenge taken up by Chaynez Khelil, Mathilde Crabbé, and Jérémie Laurent, three first-year students at Mines Nancy, who created Archi Nancy, a fun, investigation-style walking trail through the city’s architectural heritage.
A Scavenger Hunt Through the Heart of Nancy
The concept: step into the shoes of the main character in a story set right in downtown Nancy. Within the first few minutes, your headphones are stolen by Jojo, a mischievous chimpanzee who was once one of the beloved icons of the Pépinière park until his death in 2012. The chase that follows takes you, over roughly 1.5 hours, through 16 stops across downtown Nancy — from Avenue Foch to the Chamber of Commerce, passing by Place Stanislas, the Arc Héré, Saint-Epvre Basilica, the Ducal Palace, and the Porte de la Craffe.
At each stop, a page of the roadbook describes the building, its architectural details, and its history, while a color code lets you instantly identify its style: Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Gothic, or Classical. QR codes are scattered along the route with riddles to solve — though they never block progress for anyone who gets stuck on an answer.
Born from a First-Year School Project
The trail grew out of a first-year educational project at the school, supervised by Mariana Chatelain, a Spanish-language teacher, originally designed to help new students get to know the city. Building on conversations with their supervisor and on work from previous student cohorts, Chaynez, Jérémie, and Mathilde decided to take the idea further by creating a genuine trail through the heart of the city — and then opening it up well beyond the student community.
“We wanted to create something simple, accessible, and above all appealing to people who aren’t naturally drawn to heritage,” the team explains. It’s an outdoor, hands-on experience that encourages people to get outside and observe the city “for real,” away from history books that can sometimes feel too academic.
Breaking Stereotypes About Nancy
While researching the trail, the three engineering students — who themselves come from all over France — discovered just how rich Nancy’s heritage is, far beyond Place Stanislas.
One goal is especially close to the team’s heart: breaking the image of a “boring eastern French city” that some out-of-town students may have when they first arrive. Between the narrow streets of the Old Town, the Pépinière park, the Rives de Meurthe riverside, and the UNESCO-listed Place Stanislas, the trail’s creators hope above all to encourage everyone to “look up” and enjoy the city.
A Perfect Fit for Back-to-School and Heritage Days
For the many students just settling into Nancy, Archi Nancy offers an original way to find their bearings in a city they don’t yet know, combining discovery of the downtown area with a fun, social moment among new arrivals. But the trail isn’t just for students: designed to be accessible to everyone, it’s equally aimed at long-time residents, the general public, and anyone curious to discover — or rediscover — a piece of the city’s architectural heritage.
The European Heritage Days, on September 19 and 20, provide the ideal setting to give it a try: what better occasion, dedicated to celebrating heritage, than exploring Nancy’s architectural treasures through a real-life investigation?
Experience the Trail for Yourself
The trail starts at 2 Avenue Foch, right in front of the train station. No prior interest in architecture required — it’s designed for anyone curious to discover the city in a new way, whether student, resident, or visitor.
At the end of the adventure, share your experience and your favorite buildings on Instagram by tagging @ArchiNancy.
Good to Know
- Format: Self-guided trail, solo or in groups, approx. 1.5 hours
- Starting point: 2 Avenue Foch, Nancy (near the train station)
- Accessibility: Open to everyone, no prior architecture knowledge needed
- Roadbook: Available for free via this link
Learn more: @ArchiNancy
