Strasbourg's Dual Citizenship

Just 2 miles from the Rhine River, Strasbourg is a pleasant mix of the best of France and Germany and nowhere is this more obvious than in the cuisine. Cozy French bistros serve delicate crepes while jovial German winstubs offer huge portions of pork hocks and sauerkraut and bakeries, scented with hearty apple strudel, showcase exquisitely detailed petit fours. Truly, this city has more than its share of gastronomic temptations for visitors.

Modern Strasbourg is a big city, home to the European Parliament and the University of Strasbourg where Goethe, Napoleon and Pasteur studied. With a tight schedule, I limited my explorations to Vieille Ville, the historic Old Town. The area is just made for exploring on foot with its lively outdoor market and pedestrian only streets and alleyways filled with interesting shops and restaurants. Culturally, Old Town is no slouch with numerous museums and picturesque Petite France quarter. You can’t help but be charmed by the 16th century half timbered houses, covered bridges and small canals and waterways.

By far the most well known sight in Strasbourg is the Cathedrale de Notre Dame. Built from red sandstone with an impressive rose window and 142-metre-high spire, this masterpiece of Gothic architecture took over 250 years to build. Although the spire is currently covered in scaffolding, it doesn’t detract from the Cathedral’s impressiveness.

The best part of a visit here is the overall vibe best described as relaxed but energetic, a result of centuries old history happily mingling with modern society’s youthful idealism – joie de vivre at its finest!

Quick Tips:

There is a Tourist Information Centre at the train station and another near the Cathedral. Both are open daily from 9am. Do some advance planning as many of the museums are closed on Tuesdays. The best way to see the old town is on foot and the T.I. has information on its attractions as well as guided walking tours. Wear comfortable shoes because even a planned short stroll has a way of expanding into a major walk as you discover colourful gardens, tree lined waterways or that perfect little gift shop. A more relaxed way to sight-see is via boat. One hour trips along the Ill River leave from the Palais de Rohan year round during the day with additional trips in the evening during the summer.

Be prepared to eat well in Strasbourg – after all, this is where pate de fois gras was created and the Alsace region is well known for its white wines. Strasbourg makes a good base for exploring nearby towns like Nancy and Metz or visiting some of the wineries along the Route du Vin.

Best Way To Get Around:

Trains leave every few hours for Paris Gare de l’Est and the cost is approx. €35. one way for the 3½-hour ride. If you are going to Germany from Strasbourg, take a short ride over the border to Kehl (€3 one way) and then buy a ticket to your German destination from there as there are many budget fares only available if purchased in Germany. I bought a Schones Wochenede ticket for €30 which gave me unlimited Saturday or Sunday travel on non express trains. There is also a Landerticket for €21, good on weekdays after 9am. Check the German rail site - bahn.de or ask at the train station for more information.

Almost every review I’d read of this hostel was extremely complimentary, and I was not disappointed by my stay. CIARUS is located in a residential area, about a 20-minute walk from the cathedral. The French flair for design is evident, as the four-story building has been totally remodeled inside with elevators, lofts overlooking the reception area, and a large glass skylight to take advantage of sunny days. Each room has key-card entry and its own bathroom with a shower and toilet. Beds are typical hostel bunk style with a firm but comfortable mattress, thick duvet, and individual reading light. Unlike most hostels, there is no charge for sheets, but towel rental is 1.50€ each (free on weekends).

German efficiency is obvious, with amenities that include Internet (2.25€ for a 15-minute card), laundry (reasonably priced at 5€ per load), a bar, a restaurant, a locked luggage room, ping-pong tables, a TV room, a basement disco, a games arcade and pool tables. Hotel-like extras include wake-up calls, a mail and message service, a currency exchange, safety-box rental, and a small shop selling souvenirs, stamps, and postcards.

CIARUS tries to cater to all ages and types – baby cots are available for those traveling with children and business executives can take advantage of the meeting rooms available for rent. The hostel is also wheelchair accessible.

> Reception is open from 7am until 10pm; otherwise, a night watchman is present to ensure security and quiet. Check-out is 9am. No alcohol, food, or smoking is permitted in the rooms, and guests are asked to avoid making noise after 10pm. If you’re looking for a party-type environment, this is not the place for you.

A self-serve breakfast, included in the price, is served between 7 and 9am during weekdays and until 10 am on weekends. Compared to other hostels that offer a measly roll and jam, CIARUS makes sure you start the day right with juice, hot drinks, cereals, breads, and yogurt. The restaurant also serves lunch and dinner and will even prepare meals for takeaway – all at an additional charge, of course.

The hostel accepts MasterCard and Visa. Prices range from 16€ per person in a six-bedroom to 39€ for a private room.

Take bus no. 10 (1.20€ one-way) from the train station to Place de Pierre and the hostel is just a few blocks away. During the busy summer months, I’d suggest making a reservation in advance, as this is a popular place.

Located near the cathedral, this restaurant is set back from the street, with an arched entrance covered in the summer by vines and studded with small, clear lights that twinkle invitingly. Two plaster cherubs guard the entrance, although their relaxed pose seems to imply that they’ve stopped by for a drink and a bite to eat. While the exterior is of modern glass and lights, the interior is much more rustic with lots of dark wood and chunky, dark furniture. It reminded me of a German wine cellar, except for the walls where, with typical French flair, just about every square inch is covered in artwork.

The menu is an intriguing mix of German and French specialties. Tarte flambee (similar to quiche), salad Nicoise, beef and béarnaise, sauerkraut, melon and smoked-ham salad, and pork hocks were just some of the entrées listed on the multi-page menu.

I had bouchee, chopped chicken and veal in a delicious cream sauce served in puff pastry and decorated with fresh herbs. Included with the meal was a separate bowl of egg noodles and a basket of rolls. Diners at the next table ordered salad Nicoise and pork and sauerkraut. The salad was served in a huge white pottery bowl, more than enough for two hungry people to share or four to six to sample as an appetizer. The sauerkraut and pork was another huge portion with eight types of pork – wurst, hock, ribs, etc. It was served in a big iron pot over a brazier to keep the meal warm.

Desserts were too tempting to pass up, although it was a difficult choice with offerings like crepes, crème brulee, and apples in pastry with raspberry sauce. I’d highly recommend the apple pastry, as not only was it delicious, but flambéed with Calvados brandy, it was a wonderfully dramatic finish to a very good meal.

Prices for an entrée average about 12€ and my meal, along with a one-fourth pichet of house wine and dessert, came to 20€. On weekdays the restaurant has lots of specially-priced meals including an appetizer and main course or main course and dessert for 13.80€, or an entrée and wine for 15€.

Dauphin is a nice place to stop just for a drink, but the large portions, good prices, and pleasant service make this an even better bet for dinner.

The stately Palais Rohan was built between 1732 and '42 as a residence for the Prince Bishop of Rohan and was home to four successive Rohan cardinals. Auctioned as a National Property in 1791, it was used as a Town Hall during the Revolution. In 1805, it was refurbished and used as an imperial palace by Napoleon. Restored to much of its former glory, the city of Strasbourg now uses it to house three of their top museums, including my favourite, the Decorative Arts Museum.

A main part of the Museum is the Cardinals’ Apartments with entry through the Salle du Synode. This huge entrance hall with its high, gilt edged ceiling and massive paintings really set the scene for the rest of my self guided tour. All the rooms were opulent with gold encrusted ceilings and priceless tapestries from the 1600s. I particularly enjoyed The Bishops’ Sitting Room with its gold and white décor and the busts of eight Roman emperors placed on pedestals around the room; the Emperor’s Bedroom where a panel was carved with Napoleon and Josephine’s initials and the Chapel with the original Corinthian pilasters and paneling still in place.

As well as the apartments, the museum features extensive collections of antique furnishings. The largest was an extensive display of porcelain and ceramics made by Strasbourg’s Hannong factory from 1748 to 1760. There were so many glass cases with sets of dishes that it started to become rather ho hum, although porcelain collectors would be in their glory. I was more interested in the clock room with clocks from 14th to 18th century and another display featuring 20th century mechanical toys – planes, trains, automobiles and everything between.

Of the three museums housed in the Palais Rohan, Decorative Arts is the one that would appeal to the widest age group with toys for the kiddies and lots of history and displays for the adults. Admission is €4 per person and the museum is open daily from 10am until 6pm, except Tuesdays. There are no English pamphlets but if you ask at the entrance, they will lend you an English guide that details some of the main features in each area.

In my opinion, Musee des Arts Decoratifs (see separate entry) is the premier museum in Palais Rohan but there are two other interesting museums that are worth a visit as well. Musee des Beaux Arts and Musee Archeologique have separate admission fees of €4 each but a better deal is the combo ticket that covers all three, including Musee des Arts Decoratifs, for €6. An audio guide is available for an additional charge from the small gift shop/ticket office. The museums are open from 10 am to 6 pm Wednesday through Monday. Flash pictures are not allowed.

Musee des Beaux-Arts - Located on the second floor of the Palais Rohan, the Fine Arts Museum is very understated in terms of advertising or fancy displays. Instead the contents speak for themselves. Room after room is filled with paintings from the 14th to the 19th century including works by Memling, Botticelli, Raphael, Goya and more.

It also hosts temporary exhibits and during my visit I was entertained with Homme animal, a satirical look at the similarities in traits and characteristics between man and animals. Humorous cartoons, political satire and oil paintings were used to get the point across. One of the most interesting displays was a set of drawings by Andre Legrand (1619-90) comparing facial characteristics of man with hawk, cow, donkey and cat.

Musee Archeologique is located in the basement of Palais Rohan, a fitting place since the museum deals with the foundations of Strasbourg and the Alsace. Several million years of Alsacian history, from 600,000 BC to 800 AD are featured in 21 rooms. All the objects on display were discovered in Alsace starting with primitive tools dating from 600,000 BC. Large poster boards in English and French provide an overview of displays in each room but the individual objects are only labeled in French. Most of the rooms dealt with the Gallo Roman period from the 1st to 5th century AD. During this time, the Romans constructed roads along the Rhine, the River Ill and the foothills of the Vosges. Finds from the Roman camps included pottery, glasswork, tools and horns. Jewellery from The Donon, a large sanctuary to the solar god Mithra was displayed as well as sculptures and funerary chariots. One of the more interesting displays was the skeletal remains in clear glass cases embedded in the museum floor – macabre but effective!