STRASBOURG
Area: Cities
Country: France


Location:
NE France, across the Rhine from Germany. 90 miles E of Nancy, 300 miles E of Paris. 7» miles NE of Strasbourg International Airport.

Telephone code from UK:
33

Website:
http://www.strasbourg.com/otsr

Position:
On the River Rhine, in a broad valley of cultivated fields, orchards and vineyards bordered by the Vosges Mountains and the Black Forest.

Description:
For centuries, Strasbourg was a bone of contention between France and Germany, and it is to this fact that Strasbourg owes its distinctive Franco-German identity. It is a cultured city, and home to a large student population. A major administrative centre for the European Union, Strasbourg is the seat of the Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights and the European Parliament. Most things of interest to the tourist, however, are situated on Grande Ile, a roughly oval island bounded by the fast-flowing River Ill on one side and a canal on the other. This island is the location of many of Strasbourg's finest sights: the magnificent pink sandstone Gothic cathedral, Place Kleber (a vast animated central square), handsome churches, attractive shops, cafes, restaurants and various public buildings. Strasbourg's fine medieval buildings are in La Petite France, in Grand Ile's SW corner. Classed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, this charming quarter contains timber-framed dwellings with unusual gables and bay windows, narrow streets and cobbled and grassy quays with a dozen or so lovely little bridges, iron railings, weeping willows and gliding swans. Strasbourg enjoys a relatively moderate climate, with temperatures ranging from an average of 66? F (19? C) in summer to an average of 34? F (1? C) in winter.

Suitability:
Lovers of culture, history and fine food.

Accommodation:
A broad range of 2- and 3-star hotels with a few 4-stars; for modest purses there are at least half-a-dozen cheapies.

Shopping:
Several department stores (even a Marks & Spencer), myriad boutiques, all the fashionable names. Splendid epicurean products (pate de foie gras was invented in Strasbourg), glassware, pottery, carved wood, dolls, printed materials, artificial flowers. Fleamarkets on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Entertainments:
Daytime: strolls around the Grand Ile; the cathedral with its astronomic clock; Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. The museums of the Rohan Palace include a fine arts museum, a museum of decorative arts and an archaeological museum. The Old Butcher's Hall houses a folk-art museum; European institutions; planetarium. Exploration by bicycle, with numerous hire opportunities and nearly 200 miles of cycle paths throughout the city. Free Alsatian folk-music performances (summer). Nightlife: active opera and theatre companies, more than 30 cinemas showing films with French subtitles. Discos and bars can be easily sniffed out by a devotees.

Eating:
A wide assortment of good restaurants, including ethnic. Regional specialities include sauerkraut, sausages, hams, 42 different kinds of pate and kidney, chicken, trout and salmon dishes. "Kougelhof" _ a confection of flour, butter, eggs, sweetened milk, sultanas and almonds. It is difficult to pass by a merry "Winstub" or "Birstub" (wine or beer cellar) without entering: the wines and the beer are superb.

Public-transport:
Good public bus service. Hi-tech trams.

Local-excursions:
Boat trips on the narrow River Ill; further afield, a day on the Rhine. A visit to a brewery. A little train ride around the old city; guided visits on foot.