Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) can be made by bottom-up nanotechnology with atomic precision on stepped Au (788) surfaces. In order to render them useful for applications, we have devised a transfer procedure which preserves the GNR alignment. The photophysics of such samples is characterized by polarized Raman and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopies. The Raman scattered light and the PL are polarized along the GNR axis. The Raman cross section as a function of excitation energy has distinct excitonic peaks associated with transitions between the one-dimensional parabolic sub-bands. Our findings set the stage for further exploration of the optical properties of GNRs on insulating substrates and in device geometries.