The 10 addresses that make Strasbourg

A French, German and European city, medieval, renaissance and futuristic... Strasbourg is all these things at once, blending this diversity into a harmonious whole. This is undoubtedly where its greatest charm lies, as you'll discover as you stroll through the old town with its cathedral and half-timbered houses before crossing one of the bridges over the Ill to reach the Neustadt and its Jugenstil buildings, a legacy of its years under German rule. All this just a stone's throw from the European Quarter, with its futuristic architecture by Zaha Hadid and Kengo Kuma. These worlds coexist in perfect serenity, much to the delight of the residents, who enjoy a gentle pace of life where all pleasures come together: cultural, with a dozen museums, an opera house and a national theater, art and architecture schools, gastronomic, with winstubs where young chefs play host to Alsace's heritage, and natural, with numerous parks and some 600km of bicycle paths. And let's not forget the beauty of this Venice of the East, which has managed to preserve its treasures intact, without ever remaining static.

Where to stay in Strasbourg?

Hôtel du Dragon

A cosy, intimate refuge nestled in the heart of the Petite France district, just a stone's throw from the cathedral. Housed in an 18th-century residence, the hotel boasts 44 charming rooms (white beams, shades of beige and gray, mezzanines), not to mention beautiful views over the rooftops of Strasbourg. And for an "organic and gourmet" breakfast, head to the veranda extended by an interior patio, a perfect oasis of calm in the heart of the city.

• Double room from 179 euros, breakfast included.
• 12 rue du Dragon 67000 Strasbourg. Tel: 03 88 35 79 80
• Further information on Hôtel du Dragon

Jérémie Reuiller, ©NicolasMatheus

Hôtel Les Haras

One of Strasbourg's most attractive hotels! Housed in the 17th-century stud farm of the city's riding academy, it has been rethought by designers Jouin & Manku, who have successfully completed its extension to include a former hospital run by nuns. Fluidly and coherently linked, the two buildings house 115 rooms and suites decorated with natural materials - wood, linen and leather in homage to saddlery. Equally successful, the spa immerses guests in a relaxing, uncluttered universe of oak and Vosges sandstone, the perfect setting to showcase the high-flying equipment - 18m swimming pool, experiential shower, sauna, hammam and Codage treatment cabins. Also not to be missed, the bar opening onto an inner courtyard and the brasserie, led by chef Marc Haeberlin.

• Double room from 171 euros, breakfast included.
• 23 rue des Glacières 67000 Strasbourg. Tel: 03 90 20 50 00
• Further information on Hôtel les Haras

Where to eat, drink and dine in Strasbourg?

Au Crocodile

With its three toques, it's impossible not to suggest lunch or dinner at Au Crocodile. Chef Romain Brillat perpetuates the heritage of this old house with dishes full of history. Vinophiles will be delighted with a wine list featuring over two thousand references from the region and the rest of France.

• 10 Rue de l'Outre, 67000 Strasbourg
• 3 toques, 15,5/20
• www.au-crocodile.com

Ondine

At Ondine, Noémie D'hooge and de Marin Rémy offer neoclassical cuisine with modern touches. Gentle cooking, a blend of the old and the new, and creativity to surprise the taste buds of your guests. An address that Gault&Millau describes as "a nugget for lovers of the best value for money."

• 10 Petite Rue des Dentelles, 67000 Strasbourg
• 2 toques, 14.5/20
• www.ondine-strasbourg.fr

©Clémence Sahuc

Things to see and do in Strasbourg

Notre-Dame Cathedral

The symbol of the city, Notre-Dame Cathedral is one of the oldest and most beautiful cathedrals in France, with its medieval spire and delicate pink sandstone lacework, its immense rose window and the profusion of sculptures on its façade. The interior is just as sumptuous, with its 12th-century stained glass windows, but people also come here to admire the astronomical clock with its figures: every 15 minutes, an angel strikes a bell; at 12:30, the apostles parade one by one before Christ, while a rooster crows. If this visit has fascinated you, head off to the Musée de l'œuvre Notre-Dame -Arts du Moyen-âge to continue your discovery with the building's original masterpieces: 12th-century stained glass windows, a collection of sculptures such as the Mad Virgins with their backs covered in toads and snakes.. .

• Place de la Cathédrale. 67000 Strasbourg.
• Museum: 3 Place du Château. 67000 Strasbourg. Tel: 03 68 98 50 50

©campanavalentin, ©Southtownboy Studio

From the Grande Ile to Petite France

Strasbourg's old town, a World Heritage site, is a magical place, a plunge into the very origins of the Middle Ages. Our favorite itinerary starts at Place aux cochons de lait, with its half-timbered houses, and continues through Rue du Maroquin, with its craftsmen's houses, Rue des Juifs and Rue de la Petite France.Place Broglie, where the 1441 granary stands next to the 1821 Opéra National du Rhin. Far from being an open-air museum, the district is also one of the city's liveliest. Our favorite shopping spots? The Curieuse boutique with Alsatian brands Blotter Atelier From Metz or La Cerise sur le gâteau (don't miss its tea towel with the silhouette of the cathedral), the bookshop Quai des Brumes and its remarkable selections or the Galerie Delphine Courtray, head researcher of emerging artists. A few more steps and we reach Petite France, the marvellous Venice of the East, with its locks, weeping willows and secret alleyways. And here again, a nugget: the boutique of Mireille Oster, undisputed queen of gingerbread .

• Curieuse, 4 quai des Bateliers 67000 Strasbourg
• Quai des Brumes bookshop 120 Grand Rue 67000 Strasbourg
• Galerie Delphine Courtay 120 Grand Rue 67000 Strasbourg
• Pain d'Epices Mireille Oster. 14 rue des Dentelles 67000 Strasbourg.

Les Bains municipaux

Built in the 1900s in the spirit of the German thermal baths, this fantastic Jugenstil-style swimming pool was restored in 2019 and once again offers the pleasure of swimming laps in a unique setting. A large pool topped by a cathedral-like vault, all flanked by cabins with delicate original ceramics and ancient Roman baths (with hot and cold baths and hammam). Depending on your mood, you can also opt for the new areas, outdoor pool and treatment & fitness rooms with sauna, Jacuzzi and salt grotto....

• 10 Boulevard de la Victoire 67000 Strasbourg. Tel: 03 68 71 93 93
• www.bainsmunicipauxdestrasbourg.fr

©nikitamaykov, ©Bains Municipaux de Strasbourg

European quarters

Since the establishment of the Council of Europe in 1977, the city has taken on an international dimension, as evidenced by this futuristic-looking district. Not to be missed? The European Parliament, housed in a glass-and-steel tower that houses the Hemicycle Gallery and, on the ground floor, a remarkable exhibition on the history of Europe.The Palais des Droits de l'Homme, set against a canal, and the Palais de l'Europe, with its incredible dome. After this tour, don't miss the Roberstau alley, home to some real Art Nouveau treasures: at no. 56, a pure Jugenstil building with sublime floral mosaics, and at no. 76, the Schutzenberger villa and its plant decor.

• Palais des Droits de l'Homme, 1 quai Ernest Bevin 67000 Strasbourg
• Palais de l'Europe, avenue de l'Europe 67000 Strasbourg
• European Parliament, Louise Weiss building, 1 allée du Printemps. 67000 Strasbourg
• The Tomi Ungerer Museum and German Strasbourg

Many people still remember the album Les Trois Brigands(The Three Brigands) or Le Géant de Zeralda ( The Giant of Zeralda). In 2007, the city inaugurated a museum to pay tribute to Strasbourg illustrator Tomi Ungerer, whose works are veritable masterpieces of children's literature. Nestled in a beautiful villa, ii houses a collection of 3,500 toys bequeathed to the city by the artist, as well as drawings, political posters and even erotic series. On your way out of the museum, take time to stroll through the district laid out by the Germans after the defeat of 1870. Known as the Neustadt, it's full of neo-classical and Jugenstil nuggets, to the point of being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Another Strasbourg escape

Strasbourg City Museums-M. Bertola, ©Jonathan Stutz

Three parks to enjoy nature in the city.

A historic city, Strasbourg is also a city of the future, with a host of green spaces that make a significant contribution to the local quality of life. Our favorites? The Ill-Rhin urban nature park, which plays leapfrog between France and Germany and is home to Highland cows in its meadows; the Neustadt Botanical Garden and its fantastic tropical greenhouse with some 15,000 plants; or the Strasbourg Neuhof-Illkirsch Nature Reserve with its wooden huts and riverside forest trails.
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