A Slow Start and a Surprise in the Lobby

We had a leisurely start to the day – Craig got up early and went for a run along the Seine, and took some nice photos along the say, and did a bit of parkour too. With nothing being open before 11am, and our train not leaving until 12:46, we slowly packed, got ready, called Jessie, went to breakfast, and chilled out a bit longer until our driver arrived.

He walked in just as we were kneeling down, tying bag tags onto our luggage. We watched him make his way toward the absolutely stunning lady at the front desk – and honestly, who could blame him? Craig called out to get his attention, and the guy’s bottom lip nearly hit the ground.

Bye, Paris

We waved goodbye to the streets of Paris and arrived at Gare de l’Est for our train to Strasbourg. We’d bought premium rail passes, which gave us access to the lounge – a lucky bonus, since we were over an hour early. As it turns out, you really don’t need to be that early. The platform number only pops up 15 minutes (or less, in our case) before departure, and then you just stroll through and hop on. Ah well, you live and learn.

Train Vents and Blog Blunders

The train was comfy enough – decent-sized seats with footrests and all that. Not much happening in the way of air conditioning though. Craig thought I was gazing wistfully out the window, but I was actually hovering my face over the tiniest trickle of cool air from the vent.

It was during this extra warm ride that I accidentally hit “publish” on two of my blog posts, instead of scheduling one for the next day… and they went out in the wrong order. D’oh! Apologies to anyone who got double-blogged by email!

Welcome to Strasbourg (Where the Toilets Are Confusing)

We arrived in Strasbourg at 2:50pm – perfect timing to check into our accommodation. First though: a toilet stop. It was €2 to use the toilet, and you had to pay at a gate to get in. Afterward, I could not, for the life of me, figure out how to get out. The turnstile was for entry only, and the push gate wasn’t working. A tourist in front of me gave up and crawled under it. Eventually I figured out you’re meant to just go back out through the turnstile. So strange! Glad I didn’t crawl underneath though… for all the signs that say you’re paying for cleanliness, it was the opposite!

Half-Timbered Heaven

The 20-minute walk to our hotel was hot, and tough for Craig who was carrying and dragging bags along the cobbled streets. But it wasn’t long before we were in the heart of Strasbourg, surrounded by iconic half-timbered houses, colourful flowers on the bridges (ponts), and the sparkling river. Total fairytale stuff.

Our hotel is a half-timbered beauty too – 500 years old. It was originally built as an inn and has had many lives, but it’s back to being a hotel now. Very on-theme.

Climbing Cathedrals and Fortress Views

After dropping our bags, we headed out to explore. We visited Strasbourg’s Notre Dame Cathedral, where we climbed hundreds of stairs up a tight, spiralling staircase to the old guardhouse and viewing platform. It was a heart-pounder – I had to stop a few times and it was dizzying going around and around – but the panoramic view was worth every step.

Strasbourg was once a fortress town, and remnants of the old fortifications still stand. We climbed up part of the structure for another gorgeous view. The city is just stunning.

Bretzels, Beers, and Flammekueche

We stopped at a local winstub (traditional Alsatian tavern) for a Bretzel (pretzel), a beer, and some excellent people-watching – always one of our favourite travel pastimes.

For dinner, we went to Binchstub, a little spot known for a local Alsace specialty called Flammekueche (or Tarte Flambée). It’s kind of like a really thin-crust pizza with a cream base and various toppings. Craig reckoned the base was more like a poppadom. Mine was topped with gratin and ham, and it was delicious.

Ready for the Villages!

After nearly six hours of exploring, we made our way back to the hotel and collapsed into bed – ready for tomorrow’s Alsace villages tour.

I’ve been SO excited for this, so stay tuned – we’re talking half-timbered villages, castles on hills, flower boxes in every window, and wine. I can’t wait.

❤️ Laus