Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

Welcome to the Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

Destination Guides

bthere! Destination guides

Previous issues for Strasbourg

Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy,
please confirm event/venue details in advance.

France : Strasbourg - April 2009

Country Code: Dial for France

Few cities look as good as in spring as Strasbourg, whose medieval buildings take on a chocolate-box prettiness in the sunshine. Meanwhile, there’s nothing medieval about this month’s Festival des Artefacts (14-26 April, festival.artefact.org), which will be playing host to the likes of Toots and the Maytals and Erik Truff az. Anthea Gerrie heads down there

Getting around

Strasbourg International

Bus: A bus to Baggersee Station, which has an A-line tram connection to the city centre, leaves every 20 minutes. It takes about 30 minutes and costs €5,10.
Train: Trains leave Entzheim Station every 30 minutes from 5.30am to 8.30pm. The journey to the centre takes 12 minutes and costs €2,10.
Taxi: A taxi from the airport to the city centre costs around €35 and takes about 20 minutes.
Tourist information: The central tourist office is at 17 Place de la Cathédrale (tel. , otstrasbourg.fr)

STATION AREA

Not normally on the tourist map, this area comes into its own during the Festival des Artefacts.

Culture vultures – From 14-18 April, former dairy La Laiterie (13 Rue de Hohwald) will jump to the sound of indie rock, hip-hop and electro.

Must drink – Join the musos who hang out at the Bar-Laiterie (13 Rue du Hohwald) for post-gig beer and billiards.

GRAND ILE

Essential for the first-time visitor, Grand Ile encompasses a large swathe of the old town and most of the shops.

Sleep soundly – Strasbourg’s newest hotel Cour du Corbeau (6-8 Rue des Couples, tel. , courcorbeau. com, rooms from €215) is a beautiful inn dating from 1580. Mozart and Frederic the Great once slept here.

Culture vultures – The Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg (Place de la Cathédrale) is an unmissable hunk of carved pink sandstone, and the Musée de l’Oeuvre Notre Dame at one end showcases a fabulous stash of medieval religious art.

Must eat – Le Clou (3 Rue du Chaudron, tel. ) is one of the city’s cosiest winstubs (pubby, highly decorated restaurants serving traditional food). Be prepared to rub elbows with total strangers, though.

Must drink – Jeanette et les Cycleux (30 Rue Tonnellers) serves up cheese and sausage platters and mojitos to a retrospective soundtrack.

Shop til you drop – Arts et Collections d’Alsace (4 Place du Marché aux Poissons, near the tourist boat pier) should be your first port of call for local crafts: lovely linens, carved wood and painted pottery. In the old town, Jean Lutz (5 Rue du Chaudron) is the place to stock up on local foie gras.

PETITE FRANCE

The romantic heart of Strasbourg. Gaze at the famous covered bridges, explore eclectic little shops and enjoy riverbank dining.

Sleep soundly – It would be hard to beat the Régent Petite France (5 Rue des Moulins, tel. , regent-petite-france.com, rooms from €169) for special occasion elegance. Ask for a room with a river view.

Must eat – L’Ami Schutz (1 Rue des Ponts Couverts, tel. ) is a winstub as picturesque as the neighbourhood it’s in. Sit outside on a nice day or cosy up in the beamed interior.

RIGHT BANK

Still just a stroll from the cathedral and the major museums, the far side of the river is a good bet for quieter, good value accommodation.

Sleep soundly – The Hotel de l’Ill (8 Rue des Bateliers, tel. , hotel-ill.com, rooms from €57) is a comfortable two-star with a choice of traditional or modern decor.

Must eat – Set in a 19th-century mansion, L’Arsenal (11 Rue de l’Abreuvoir, tel. ) is better-known to MEPs than tourists. Come here for new takes on traditional dishes – try pastry stuffed with mushrooms and escargots.

Must drink – Illvino (Quai des Pecheurs) serves up a huge choice of wine in a sleek riverboat setting.

Shop til you drop – Browse for genuine Alsatian antiques at Ville et Campagne (23 Quai des Bateliers).

Compiled by Anthea Gerrie