Troyes - In the heart of the cork

If there is a city that deserves to carry the City of Art and History label, it is Troyes, the historic capital of Champagne. But to discover its exceptional architectural heritage, you have to push further than the, certainly unavoidable, factory outlets and go to the heart of the city of Aube.

A nod to the nearby vineyards, the shape of the historic center looks like a… champagne cork! We will not deprive ourselves, at aperitif time, of tasting these divine bubbles from many cellars of champagne houses on the Côte des Bars.
Over the centuries, the Trojans have been hot. Very hot even. Several fires have destroyed homes and historic buildings.

Rebuilt several times, these buildings almost disappeared definitively, giving way to more functional constructions. Fortunately, there was a wake-up call and the first half-timbered house was renovated in 1963.

Over the decades, the historic heart of Troyes has become a little gem, made up of half-timbered houses dating from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. No less than ten churches (hence the saying) invite you on a journey through styles, from Gothic to the
20th century.
The few new constructions were built respecting the style of the old half-timbered houses.

The alley of the cats

We never tire of walking through the cobbled streets, of peeking into hidden courtyards, of visiting one or other of the churches.

The walk passes in front of the Maison du boulanger, the turret of the goldsmith, the lane of the cats where the houses lean so much that their roofs almost touch...
It is a dive into the Middle Ages even if, chronologically, there remains more than one house from that time. All the others date from the 16th century. Bright colors enhance the dark woodwork with carved beams. A few rare facades display the “champenois checkerboard”. They are made of stones and bricks, outward signs of wealth.

Small medieval gardens brighten up the town with carefully chosen plants: next to the Sainte Madeleine church, it is made up of white flowers to recall the old cemetery with its children's graves. The Church of Saint Madeleine is also a must.

Dating from 1180, it is certainly the oldest in the city, but above all it houses a marvelous rood screen (stone or wood building built between the choir and the nave of the church). This masterpiece of flamboyant art is the centerpiece of a parish master mason, Jean Gailde. It took him 9 years to carve and chisel the rood screen out of a single, huge block of stone.
If the historic heart of Troyes looks like an old picture book, it is not a museum! Quite the contrary. Life pulses and sparkles in the many restaurants and cafes, trendy bistros, small shops.

Even the franchised stores develop a crazy charm by occupying magnificent old residences in the rue Émile Zola, the main commercial artery.
A word of advice: before getting lost in the maze of alleys according to your desires, take a quick trip to the Tourist Office. With a little luck, you will be able to see a video retracing in a playful way the 20 centuries of history of Troyes which begins with the Gallic tribe of the Tricasses.

Troyes is a showcase open to manual trades in general, stained glass in particular.

If the Aube has more than 10,000 m² of stained glass windows from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, Troyes has a good share of it.

This incredible collection can be discovered in its many churches. By what miracle did they survive the troubles and wars? Mystery.
To understand these "comic strips" of religion, a short visit to the small city of Stained Glass is essential. Installed for three years in the Hôtel-Dieu, we learn everything there about the production of these colored berries, the meaning of the reading of the images, the different tints.
If the space is small, it regularly hosts rare stained glass windows, such as, currently, the "Triumphs of Petrarch" dating from 1502. Above all, it is an excellent opportunity to admire the finesse of the workmanship, the elegance of the line brush of the master glassmaker who is as much a painter as a glassmaker. To discover some of the most stained glass windows in the heart of the city, a small leaflet is available.

To the glory of men and professions

Among the Trojan museums, the House of Tools and Workers' Thought is a must.

In a magnificent private mansion from 1524, the Compagnons du Devoir have created a veritable showcase open to the professions of yesterday and tomorrow thanks to the fabulous collection of the Jesuit priest Paul Feller. More than 10,000 hand shaping tools are presented in around sixty display cases. Behind the staging, we feel the life and all the passion of the men for their job. Looking closely, we discover one or the other handle marked by the hand of the man who used it.

The House of Tools and Workers' Thought also serves as a companionship center and a resource center (the library can be visited on request).
Because this “house” does not want to be a museum, nor a simple conservatory. For Paul Feller, this place must act as a revealer. He used to say: “The tradesman is a free man. Free because he is detached from appearances and from the work he produces, which he makes real.
For this priest with an exceptional background, manual work, thanks to the tool, enhances the material but above all the skilled person . He went so far as to offer young people the opportunity to learn a trade as an “initiation” allowing true access to universal values. An apprenticeship that should enable everyone to achieve self-knowledge.

A bit esoteric? May be. But by going from one room to another, by taking the time to discover the many tools whose names you don't even know, you can help but feel a certain solemn serenity.