Western Europe: France - Strasbourg on a Sunday

From Strasbourg with love

I arrived in Colmar on a Friday and stayed for 3 nights. Friday was spent in Colmar. On Saturday I did a day trip to the Route des Vins d'Alsace. Strasbourg is the biggest city amongst all of the stops I made so I reserved it for a Sunday.

After having a breakfast in my room on Maison Martin Jund, I made my way to Gare de Colmar.

I felt like a good stroll so I made my way to the Old Town by foot.

Check out the colourful road

Top sight in Strasbourg was the Cathedrale Notre-Dame. Sunday was proved a busy day in Strasbourg. I definitely didn't have to worry about shops or restaurant being closed.

Standing next to the grand cathedral is an equally amazing Maison Kammerzell. It was one of the most well preserved medieval building, built in the 15th century. It now houses a restaurant.

I didn't dine here but not far behind the cathedral. I decided to give myself a treat and hunt down La Table du Gayot recommended by Paul. It was an early lunch so there were plenty of seats.

I skipped entree and got myself magret de canard aux fruits de saison, €19 (duck breast with seasonal fruits) for main. I was asked if I want the ducks to be cooked through or pink. I went with the latter, it was sensational.

After having a very, very, very good mains I was tempted for a dessert to finish. The friendly waiter highly recommended profiteroles au chocolat (€7). I was a bit apprehensive as I was told that the profiteroles were big. My glutton brain decided that my tummy space would be enough even though I just polished off everything on my plate. Well, they were big and there was a scoop of vanilla ice-cream in the middle of each profiteroles and drizzled with chocolate sauce. I finished all of them.

My lunch at La Table du Gayot was the best meal I had the whole trip. I was so contented that I was ready to travel back to Colmar! If I was staying in Strasbourg, I would've just go back to my hotel room and take a nap. As I wasn't, so it was time for to get a glimpse into Alsatian life.

Musée alsacien is a simple museum with explanation in different languages printed on A4 papers and held together with comb binding. Pick the one with a language of your choice and bring it along when you see the exhibits. I love it that it is housed across three typical houses from the 1500s to 1600s.

There is a Petite Venise in Colmar and there is a Petite France in Strasbourg.

Petite France is criss-crossed by narrow lanes, canals and locks and is where artisans traded in the Middle Ages. I get why the one in Colmar was known as Petite Venise but am a little confused as to why this area is known as Petite France though.

Strasbourg was my last stop in France before I took a train out to Luzern the next morning.

Apparently this is a symbol of welcome and renewal as well as to ward of evil spirits

Side note: Ha! We shall see if my French will have any improvement the next round I visit France again :P