Strasbourg for £100 a night
WE POUND THE STREETS ... YOU REAP THE REWARDS!
Mozart played here, Goethe lived here, Gutenberg invented the printing press here and justice, in the form of the European Court of Human rights, is still meted out here. Strasbourg makes regular political waves as the home to the European Parliament, but you’d never know it from the quiet, cobbled lanes of the old town, nor from the viewing platform on the roof of the gargantuan Notre Dame cathedral. Squabbled over by the Germans and the French for centuries until the end of World War II, Strasbourg now deftly balances both cultures; a cosmopolitan city with a modern temperament, but an age-old soul.
Where to stay Hotel Suisse
APPROXIMATELY 30 paces from the door of the cathedral, and with fine views of the steeple from the upper floors (try to book room 29), this is an adorable bolthole with a tranquil front terrace filled with deckchairs and cushioned seats. in the morning, you can take your buffet breakfast here, with generous supplies of saucisson and cheeses. B&B doubles from £85, hotel-suisse.com
Hotel Diana Dauphine
With easy access to the petiteFrance historic neighbourhood, the rooms here exude a somewhat ascetic vibe, with their stern, grey, muted tones.
Breakfast is more colourful, however, with the buffet counter fair groaning with cheese boards and pastries. B&B doubles from £86.66, hotel-diana-dauphine.com
Logis Hotel Au Cerf d’Or
Just off a miniscule square, this is a typical Alsace townhouse with a chocolate and sand- coloured frontage, frothy window boxes and lashings of local charm. the rooms are all individually decorated in myriad styles, from floral and lacy to sleek and modern. B&B doubles from £86, logishotels.com Hotel Gutenberg Aim for rooms on the upper floors of this regal-looking corner building; the lofts have timbered ceilings and offer views over the jumble of rooftops to the cathedral steeple.
Despite its ample size, there’s a cosy, family vibe to the place — though the breakfast room is small, so you should try to have your petit
dejeuner early if you don’t want to share tables. Doubles (room only) from £97, hotel-gutenberg.com
Where to eat Patisserie Christian
this tea room in the Aldstadt (old town) looks a little chintzy from the outside, but the chocolates and cakes served here are the best in town.
run by the meyer family for half a century, the upstairs restaurant is a bargain lunch spot, with hearty mains such as duck brochettes and chicken cordon bleu priced around £9. christian.fr
Les Chauvins
here’s a new thing: the famously rich Alsace cuisine served in bitesized, tapas-esque portions.
A father-and-son-run operation, the vast majority of the dishes are around the £7 mark and sharing four between two is easily enough for a light meal.
try the sublimely fresh, locally sourced herring, or the delicious board of cured meats. restaurant-les-chauvins.fr
Bistrot et Chocolat
Next door to hotel suisse, ordering lunch here requires letting a friendly waitress haul a blackboard up on to the seat next to you before you choose one of the robust and hearty daily specials (£8.70). these could include blinis served with vegetables, peppers and salsa, or quiche with mushrooms and vegetable sausages. bistrotetchocolat.net
La Corde a Linge
ONE of the great Alsace culinary contributions is the spaetzle, a type of pasta that’s elevated to an art form at this humble restaurant in the petite-France quarter.
take one of the tables that overlooks the waters of the river ill and attempt (in vain) to complete a plate of kelsch, immensely rich
spaetzle covered with munster cheese, pickles, bacon and slabs of boiled ham. lacordealinge.com How to get there RYANAIR flies from stansted to strasbourg from £28.69 return ( ryanair.com). travelodge offers rooms from £29 at stansted Airport ( travelodge. co. uk). For more details, go to otstrasbourg.fr/en