Strasbourg

This past weekend we took a short trip to Strasbourg, France.  Strasbourg is a city of around 275,000 people near the border between France and Germany.  It has been part of both countries at different points in time and the city is a blend of French and German culture.  

We have had fairly cool and rainy weather in Paris this summer but arrived in Strasbourg to find it very warm and sunny.  Strasbourg is not south of Paris — it is almost directly east — but the weather that we enjoyed all weekend made it feel like a tropical vacation.  

We were staying a short tram ride (or pleasant walk) away from the city center.  

It was interesting to be able to walk from the more modern area where our hotel was located, through an area of 19th century buildings, into the narrow winding streets and medieval buildings of the city center all in the space of a mile or so.

Strasbourg is home to a gorgeous Gothic cathedral that was constructed between the 12th and 15th centuries out of rose-colored stone.  

As we were inspecting the outside of the cathedral, we noticed that the stairs taking visitors up to a viewing platform appeared to have more windows and be less claustrophobic than most, so I was able to join J in admiring Strasbourg from the top of the cathedral.  We loved the peaked roofs of the older buildings in the center of the city.  

The Ill River winds around the city creating a few islands.  We spent one afternoon sitting outside at a café next to the river.  It was a perfect break in our day.

Strasbourg is located in the Alsace region of France, which is known for its white wines.  We tried some sweet and dry rieslings and gewurztraminers while we were there.  We’ve had these wines before, but usually pair them with spicy food rather than the milder Alsatian cuisine.  It was interesting to see how the flavors of the wine went with Alsatian specialties like coq au riesling and tarte flambée.

France is roughly the size of the state of Texas, but there is a lot of variety in the cuisine, architecture, and topography across the different regions.  After spending a weekend in Normandy this spring and this visit to Strasbourg, I’m looking forward to seeing even more of France while we are living in Paris.