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- Description
The modern city of Troyes is a direct descendant of its medieval predecessor, with its characteristic city centre in the shape of a champagne cork – a happy omen that predicted the meteoric rise of the local sparkling wine, grown in the immediate vicinity of Troyes, to world-renowned status. Yet old towns and cities also have their drawbacks, and it is a status that is at once beneficial and restrictive. Troyes has been left to stew in its own juices for a long time, leading to dilapidation, discolouration and discomfort. At the end of the Second World War, a vast effort was required to rid the city of its so-called «unfit hovels» and slums. Yet the sheer architectural quality of this ancient city brings it own set of duties and responsibilities.
Such a beautiful city is duty-bound to conserve and protect its timeserved heritage for future generations. Just as Sisyphus was condemned to roll his rock endlessly up the mountain, so Troyes has a responsibility to make constant improvements to its city. There is always something that needs repairing or renovating. The simple solution would have been to wipe the slate clean of the past and start afresh. However, in the 1960s, Troyes began to realise the undeniable value of its treasured heritage – a fact that had been largely ignored until then.
The need to preserve and restore the city is now accepted without question, and the renovation work conducted in recent decades has met with universal support. In fact, the pace of work has quickened in the last 20 years. A tell-tale sign of this support can be seen in the new-found pride that Troyens feel for their city, and their keenness to “show off” its heritage to visitors, to exhibit its treasures and to reveal its secrets.
This venerable city is now living through its fourth golden age. In the 12th century, Troyes experienced rapid commercial and financial expansion, as well as an incredible intellectual and cultural explosion. In the 16th century, the city was an artistic hotbed, while the 19th century saw Troyes undergo an economic and industrial transformation, driven by the hosiery industry.
A hundred or perhaps a thousand years from now, historians may look back on the 21st century as a time when the city reconnected with its heritage and truly understood the value of its stunning architecture. It is a resurrection that is happening right under our noses. Troyes has not yet completed its transformation, but it is already a place of such stunning beauty that we cannot resist the temptation to share just a few of its treasures with our readers.
Troyes is a place where the past retains strong echoes in the present, and where both past and present combine to create a radiant appearance that will last well into the future.
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- Address16 Rue Aristide Briand
Troyes
Grand Est
10000
France - Website
- Open TimesFrom May to September from Monday to Saturday from 9:30am to 6:30pm Open Sundays and bank holidays from Easter to the end of october :10:00am to 1:00pm and 2:00pm to 6:00pm. From October to April from Monday to Saturday from 9:30am to12:30pm and from
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