Strasbourg is different

A few months ago I had the opportunity to visit Strasbourg in Eastern France. It is near the German border and has been fought over between Germany and France for such a long time. Since WW2 and its liberation from the Germans, by General Leclerc and the 2nd French Armoured division, it has been part of France (again). It's the different history, culture and even language that has always interested me in a visit. I was not disappointed.

Strasbourg is a major hub for European institutions, particularly the European Parliament. The centre of the city is a lively and historic place. Take a guided tour - you won't be disappointed. It has many hisyoric links to events and people I had not been aware of, such as Albert Schweitzer, Louis XIV, Mozart.

Strasbourg is located in North Eastern France and is a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its architecture and pretty canals. It's also known as the Capital of Christmas because the festive markets are quite a drawcard, as are the decorations around town. There's a vibrant feel to the place, plenty of commerce, food, culture and I enjoyed wandering around 

 It became a French city in 1681, after the conquest of Alsace by the armies of Louis XIV.  In 2016, Strasbourg was promoted from capital of Alsace to capital of Grand Est.

I really loved everything about this city.

The city has about three hundred thousand inhabitants  the eighth-largest metro area in France and is  home to 14% of the Grand Est region's inhabitants. Strasbourg is an important centre of manufacturing and engineering, as well as a hub of road, rail, and river transportation.The architecture is special to this area, showing the German influence and the old canals, well maintained, are very picturesque. I tried a local dish, the name of which escapes me but basically it was like a large torilla covered in cream, bacon and onion. There may have been cheese in it but whatever, it was yummy. 

Of course there are plenty of important churches and the cathedral to visit. The cathedral is in need of restoration. The outside is very blackened but cannot be cleaned because the staining eminates from the actual stone - some sort of metal leaching through. Strucural repairs will be carried out.

There's also the part-Romanesque, part-Gothic, very large Église Saint-Thomas with its Silbermann organ on which both Wolgang Amadeus Mozart and Albert Schweitzer played .

 

 Strasbourg is considered the legislative and democratic capital of the European Union (more on this in a future bogpost), while Brussels is considered the executive and administrative capital and Luxembourg the judiciary and financial capital.

The University of Strasbourg is currently the second-largest in France.  Climate can be hot in summer and nippy in winter. The TGV serves Strasbourg- Paris - Germany and Switzerland. A trip by car from Chartres took  a good 6 hours but the traffic jams near Paris accounted for rather too many of those hours.

 In chronological order, notable residents of Strasbourg include these famous names: 

 

• Johannes Gutenberg
• John Calvin
• Johann Wolfgang Goethe
• Klemens von Metternich
• Louis Pasteur
• Georg Simmel
• Albert Schweitzer 
• Otto Klemperer

This is not a cheap city to live in but if you are feeling affluent the shopping is good with quirky places to visit. Take a guided tour of the city. I would have liked more time to explore the brocant market under the trees, alas, not possible when on a walking tour.

This city often gets overlooked by tourists who only know of Paris, Bordeaux, Marseilles or Lyon but its very differences stand out. One day I would like to revisit it for a longer stay.