In August 2022 I attended a workshop for a startup founded by a couple that have become very good friends of mine (check it out, especially if you have young kids trying to learn reading: https://alphaben.app/de/) in the south western corner of Germany. Of course, I had to take the opportunity to jump over into the nearby Alsace region and visit Strasbourg and Colmar, two of the more famous cities in the area.

The Grande Île of Strasbourg

The most famous district is its Unesco World Heritage site area; in fact Strasbourg was the first city to have its entire city center be listed as a World Heritage Site. The city is over 2000 years old and was first mentioned in Roman times. Its position on the banks of the Rhine and on the borders of what is now France and Germany meant it was heavily disputed during its existence.

Old Town Views

A panoramic view from Barrage Vauban, the 17th century defensive weir.

A Sunny August Weekend Afternoon

... is most probably the worst time to visit the city when it comes to tourism crowds, as evident here. Nevertheless, with good timing and angles you can still feel the peaceful vibes I imagine during calmer months.

City Streets

Golden hour hitting one of the many small streets on the island, leading towards the Saint-Pierre le Vieux church.

Strasbourg Nights

Even during a busy summer holiday weekend the nights are often quiet, such as here at the Maison des tanneurs building and its surroundings.

Street Scenes

The Strasbourg Cathedral

Unknowingly I happened to stay in one of the city’s most famous buildings - Maison Kammerzell - directly on the main square and one of the best preserved medieval gothic housings in existence. It also had the benefit of being able to visit the cathedral early morning before the crowds rolled in.

A Long Process

The gothic cathedral is the city’s landmark, and was built between 1015 and 1439.

The Nave

Looking towards the rose window above the western entrance.

Upwards

Showing the upper windows of the nave.

The Astronomical Clock

The current astronomical clock was built in 1843, but two others have stood in its spot before then. It's 18m high and aside from the time features indications of moon phase, solar time, day of the week, earth rotation, and planet locations. Amazing.

Demons

Stained-glass demons can be spotted in the windows of the northern transept of the cathedral, and represent the dark sides of life during medieval times, in the hope they would encourage people to be good (and religious) citizens.

Views from Above

The views from the viewing platform of the cathedral provide a special look at the gothic architecture in the city, and its tilted roofs. On completion, the church was the tallest building in the world for a while, at 142m. In fact, it was meant to have a second identical tower, the preparations for which can be spotted on the empty roof foundation and by the fact the church has the same massive pillars inside to support it. Either way, it made the ascent quite a stair climbing marathon at 332 stairs.

Antique Graffiti

Visitors dating back to the 1600s carved their marks in the stones of the iconic tower - no longer allowed nowadays, of course.

Light

The evening happened to be one the nights of RéfleXion(s), an audiovisual show using projection mapping.

& Sound

With a live band playing percussive music.

Illuminated

The western rose window, or a portal to another world?

Colmar - The Little Venice

There was definitely a lot more to see in Strasbourg, for example the largest mosque in France, and the seat of the European Parliament, but I took a train to Colmar for a few hours instead, before having to leave the Alsace region for my trip to Iceland. It was worth it to catch a glimpse of one of the regions most picturesque villages with its well-preserved old town.

La Petite Venise

The city's many little canals with boats and timbered houses are its signature feature.

Transport

You can navigate the channels using these wooden boots - not quite a Venetian gondola, but close enough I suppose.

Famous Residents

However, Colmar is also famous for being the hometown of Auguste Bartholdi, the designer of the Statue of Liberty. In fact, there's a roundabout outside the city with a replica.

Could Not Skip

Of course I couldn't skip this museum - definitely a few interesting tidbits if you're into chocolate.

Look Closely

A view towards St Martin's Church with a stork nest on top.

St Martin's Church

The nave of the church looking towards the choir.

And that was a little excursion to a small corner of south eastern France! As usual, follow along on my Instagram, where I also have a story highlight with some clips from this trip.

A Taste of Alsace - 36h in Strasbourg and Colmar