Bar-le-Duc

A generous town

Bar-le-Duc was the historic capital of the Duchy of Bar and Lorraine and is justly famous for the wonderfully preserved Renaissance architectural splendour of its Upper Town.

Old town-houses, elegant facades in ochre-coloured stone, finely sculpted reliefs… it’s certainly not difficult to imagine the splendour of the town in the 16th and 17th centuries. Bar-le-Duc also houses work by the renowned artist Ligier-Richier and the annual ‘RenaissanceS’ festival. Commercy Château is nearby, a favourite royal residence of King Stanislas. The Joan of Arc Museum is at Vaucouleurs, where her journey towards her destiny at Chinon began.