Things to do in Strasbourg?

August 4, 2005 7:57 AM

I'm going to be in Strasbourg (exclusively) for four days next week - any recommendations on things to do and/or see?

I speak next to no French and will be travelling with a friend, hope me mefi!

posted by hugsnkisses to Travel & Transportation around Strasbourg, France (16 answers total)

Strasbourg?
posted by raedyn at 8:02 AM on August 4, 2005

I had a day or two in Strasbourg last year. There's an excellent art gallery / museum in the middle of town as I recall.

I was out there working for a band. They played at a place called "Laiterie" (Dairy), which was just a few minutes walk from the centre of town, which was a fantastic venue. It had a bunch of different rooms, and a wide ranging programme. Worth checking out I'd say.

Sorry I can't be more specific.
posted by coach_mcguirk at 8:11 AM on August 4, 2005

Le Crocodile restaurant. Take bags of money. Michel Jacob, of Le Crocodile in Vancouver, learned from Emile Jung here, thus the twin names. It was rated three Michelin stars when I was there (many years ago) and Emile Jung had just won an award as the best chef in France. Very formal. No prices on my wife's menu. Sublime food. Amazing service. Reserve ahead.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 8:27 AM on August 4, 2005

Painfully obvious answer: the Cathedrale Notre-Dame. (This is sort of like telling a visitor to Paris to check out the Eiffel Tower.)
posted by Zed_Lopez at 8:54 AM on August 4, 2005

Other than eating (fabulous food) I remember walking around commercial district along the river???? Beautiful town perfect for wandering around. I loved the grafitti (sophisticated, multicolored stencils). Yes, cathedral was nice too.
posted by johngumbo at 8:57 AM on August 4, 2005

wgp meant Au Crocodile of course, Beurehiesel also has 3 stars. If you are a foodie you're in luck, Strasbourg is stuffed with decent restaurants, (they are the troughs at which our European political masters eat).
posted by biffa at 9:03 AM on August 4, 2005

Have some choucroute garni and some fois gras--both local specialities. Just kick around the city center (the island) and soak it in. When we were there last year, my wife and I had fun listening to a pair of street musicians sing "Something" by the Beatles in a thick Alsatian accent over and over and over. See if you can find them.
posted by thejimp at 9:20 AM on August 4, 2005

Up in the Cathedral's tower, there is some neat "graffiti" as well. Mostly carving done by visitors in the 1800's. Some interesting one's. I think I remember some Polish Hussar Officer from 1780 or something.
posted by smcniven at 12:02 PM on August 4, 2005

Visit the district called the "Petite France" on the river. Beautiful XVI, XVIIe century houses above the canals. You can also take the flyboat for a city tour: it goes around the city and up to the European parliament.
posted by elgilito at 12:57 PM on August 4, 2005

There is a fantastic restaurant called Cloche de Fromage, which quite appropriately specializes in cheese. It's not the cheapest restaurant in town, but you deserve to treat yourself to it.

A nice kir cassis for an apertif, cheese board to start with, fondue au chevre... (The fondue au chevre really is fantastic!) They have something on the order of 150 different kinds of cheese there, and a selection of breads on which to eat them. Try your cheese on lardon!

Choucroute (saurkraut) is one of the region's specialties and is also quite good, as thejimp mentioned above.

The cathedral is breathtaking.
posted by kaseijin at 1:57 PM on August 4, 2005

On preview: Though we were with French friends and my girlfriend speaks fluently as well (I only speak just enough to not starve...and haltingly at that, but I'm learning!), it was nice that our waiter at Cloche de Fromage spoke the best English I heard while abroad. That might be a plus for you, as you speak no French.
posted by kaseijin at 1:59 PM on August 4, 2005

Oh, yeah, schedule your Cathedral trip to include when the automatons of the astronomical clock do their thing, 12:30 according to this site, but double-check the time.
posted by Zed_Lopez at 3:47 PM on August 4, 2005

It was 12:30 when I was there last fall, and it was pretty much worth the trip.
posted by fixedgear at 4:45 PM on August 4, 2005

It's been a while since I've visited but the Modern Art Museum is a must. Fantastic collection and astonishing architecture.
posted by blag at 6:42 PM on August 4, 2005

Best answer: I'd strongly suggest you rent some bikes. Stras is a biking town: public transport is not the best imaginable, the streets are often cul-de-sacs, one-ways and pedestrianised.
Here's some more info. (scroll to bottem)

You could head up to the E.U. institutions, get a tour of the E.U. Parliament and cross the street to delve into a huge park complete with a free zoo, ponds and of course, the star-spangled Beurehiesel restaurant that boasts of their own live swans. (reservations are a few weeks in advance, about $1000 for a three course dinner for two with only one wine. *shrug* I'd only recommend it if you're paying with the company card.)

Stroll around the Petite France, pop into little taverns to eat in authentic settings (much much cheaper). La cloche a fromage is a good address, as are plenty of other haunts that you could discover.

The Cathedral is nice at exactly 12:30. Not far away is a llittle neighboorhood called "Le traingle d'Or" filled with high-end designer stores, foie-gras institutions, ancien manuscript shops and bright tea rooms.

I'm a foodie so here's a tip. Locate the famed "Au Crocodile", but go next door to a place called "La Brasserie Kirn". It's cheaper, just as breath-taking and delicious and you'll have insider status.

The Modern Art Museum is nice (and entirely free the first sunday of the month). Next door is l'ENA, the graduate school for future french politicians. A tram stop away is the indy arts venue called "The Laiterie", there's always something going on there.

In general, rent a bike and explore. I swear there are trolls under bridges, hidden passageways and time warps that take you back to the 15th century. Thankfully you're not in town for Christmas which coincides with the annual International Congregation of Pickpockets.

Don't leave before stepping in a Flam's, which is a cheap student restaurant that serves Strasbourg's famed "flammekuche" (a type of super thin onion/bacon pizza) with unlimited beer.

In a soundbite: Rent a bike.
posted by ruelle at 2:35 PM on August 5, 2005

Thanks chaps, we had a great time and this thread was a large part of it. Good job MeFi!
posted by nedrichards at 1:34 PM on August 13, 2005