View of City from Petite France
DH and I spent the weekend (Friday – Sunday) in the (World Heritage Site by UNESCO 1988) city of Strasbourg. We wanted to get away for a weekend and wanted to go some place close and definately in France. We considered renting a car and like most European cities, a car really isn’t needed because of the extensive train networks, so we chose a train route instead.
Strasbourg is about 100 miles west of Stuttgart and there are direct trains between the two cities. We took the new TGV train which took a mere 75 minutes with one stop in between. We used this link to book our trains (in English). Second class round trips go for around 40 Euros per person. A cheap rental car would cost nearly 100 euros, not to mention gas and parking fees, so the train was economical, comfortable and entertaining. If you would like to drive, there are highways from Stuttgart (indirectly) going north then back south to Strasbourg and estimated travel time is over 2 hours.
The exciting TGV is France’s new (2007) high speed train network. The link will display a list of old and new travel times between various European cities. For example, Stuttgart to Paris used to take 6 hrs and now is only 3:40 minutes. The train ride was the first time that DH and I experienced the ear drum ‘near pop’ you might experience on a jet. Especially in the tunnels just outside of Stuttgart, we were traveling so fast, that our ears had that pressure sensation, but it was not painful; just exciting. Looking out the window, we tried to read the signs at the stations we passed, but they were just a blur. The landscape to Strasbourg was delightful and colorful.
Before we knew it, we were enjoying the vibrant city. There is an extensive tram network that is also affordable and takes you to most corners of the city. We booked a room at the Holiday Inn which is a 3 min walk to the tram network. It was a quick (3 stop) 8 min ride into the city center where we soaked in the ambience of the French and German tourists.
We visited the Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg and were awed by his size and architechure, and historically it was the tallest church in the world until 1874. Inside is the astronomical clock dating back to 1834. Everyday at 12:30pm, it performs a moving entertainment of chimes and blessings. There is a fee to see this, but on sundays after the weekly mass service, you can attend for free. Be prepared for a large crowd. The movements last about 3 minutes.
There are various museums to visits and on the first Sunday of every month, admission is Free. We visited the Palais Rohan. This site has 3 floors of interests, each with its own theme. The basement floor has the archeological section with relics of the region of France, the first floor has artifacts from the tennants of the mansion before it was converted to a museum and the third floor (the fourth is not open to the public) contains art work from around the world. During our boat tour, we were told that Louis XIV lived in this house, but have yet to confirm this on the web. We spent nearly 90 minutes going through the floors and my favorite was the first floor. There were period style furnishing and the ceilings and walls were gold painted type of borders/frames that were probably priceless.
Just outside the Palais Rohan is the boat launch for 1 hour tours. It was 7.40 per person (adult) and an excellent way to see the city by water. The river creates a sort of island city and the bridges to the ‘mainland’ are just as colorful. The boat was glass covered heated/air conditioned and had head phone provided in 8 or so languages. I don’t recommend taking photographs because of the glare from the cover, but it kept you warm or cool depending on the climate.
Also, you must visit the Petite France section of the city as it is the most photogenic and scenic areas of town loaded with shops and parks. We speculated that it was called Petite France because of the former German occupation of the city. Lots of shops, tourists traps, colorful restaurants and photo opportunities there. Shopping prices were on the higher end of the scale all around town. Some of the same sourvenior items can be found cheaper in less traveled areas away from the Cathedral center.
Strasbourg is the seat of the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights and it hosts a seat of the European Parliament, together with Brussels. It is also surrounded by the river Ill which flows into the Rhine and creates a natural border between Germany and France. The culture is a mix of French and German and the region is called Alsace. There are half timbered buildings that remind me of typical German construction.
Food was typically priced for Europe and a meal with a bottle of wine was around 40 euros. There were typical Alsacian dishes of meat and sauerkraut, typical types of pasta, and crepe thin pizzas called Flambees, which were all delicious. The area is known for its wine, so if you enjoy some, there are several types of bordeaux’s and Pinors to select from. Some of the reviews I read were from disgruntled vegetarians that had trouble finding meatless dishes and after checking the menus, I did see the problem. Most of the food is based around meat and creme sauces, but we found them delicious anyway.
If your planning a Christmas Market day trip; here’s your destination. It has one of the most notable Christmas markets in the region and is also the highest tourist month, so it must be spectacular. I think you’ll be as fasinated by the city as we were. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to leave a comment.
Sounds like you had a great trip! Strasbourg is also quite nice for a day trip. I go between Christmas and Jan 6 to buy a Galette du Rois, a yummy almond cake.
We have a favorite restaurant there, not far away from the cathedral, Chex Yvonne. http://www.chez-yvonne.net/francais/accueil.php