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In August many of the competing hotels were closed for the month and the hotel was quiet, with leisure travellers the main customers. Troyes deserves to be more than place to pass through as not only does it have its intrinsic charm but the added attraction of one of the best new public galleries I have seen in the conversion of the redundant Bishops Palace. Housing a collection of over 400 works of art from the late 19th and early 20th century given in lieu of taxes, this museum is worth the trip to Troyes on its own for art lovers.
France has been successful at modernising its towns without the destructive approach taken in the UK, successfully keeping the old and managing traffic without becoming rabidly anti-car as so many part of England are, or demolishing good vernacular architecture in favour of ‘architect designed’ ugliness. Old town areas are protected and preserved with extensive pedestrianisation and effective traffic management supplemented by large parking areas on the periphery of the centre, preserving street and social patterns within communities.
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The Mercure sits on the edge of the centre, between the old town and the remnants of its industrial areas. Accessible, a brief walk from the Hotel de Ville and the Museum, and well placed for the business traffic it is focussed on for 11 months of the year, the hotel is well designed to meet the demands of this clientele. Using its spaces and art to pull itself into the community it serves through reminders of the past, with its large room spaces, warm colouring and air conditioned quiet it is also an attractive leisure stop.
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