36 hours in Strasbourg, France
seven. Surrogate grandmother | 1:00 p.m.
If you don’t have an Alsatian grandmother to cook you boiled beef with horseradish or braised chicken with Riesling, Fink’Stuebel is a hot substitute for wooden beams. You can start with the delicious onion and ham pie before trying a classic garnished sauerkraut: mounds of tangy sauerkraut topped with a plethora of pork: a big thigh, boiled and grilled sausage, and multiple slices of meat. Dessert can be waffles in chocolate sauce or cherry plum crumble with schnapps syrup and whipped cream. If an eating coma sets in, the restaurant upstairs rents guest rooms. A three-course meal for two, without drinks, costs around 75 euros.
8. Three museums in one | 3 p.m.
Designed by a royal architect, the 18th century Palais Rohan is a masterpiece. But the real gems are inside the majestic edifice, which houses museums devoted to archeology, decorative arts and fine arts. The latter is the renowned attraction, thanks to the stellar assortment of paintings from the Italian Renaissance, which includes the bewitching and surreal “Judith and the Handmaid” of Correggio and the richly colored and finely colored “Portrait of a Young Woman” detailed by Raphael. Dutch and Flemish painters also make a strong presence, from the plump cherubs of Rubens to scenes from the social life of Pieter de Hooch. Entrance 6.50 euros.
9. The home team | 5:00 p.m.
Whether your interior is chic, quirky or retro, a designer boutique awaits you in the rue des Juifs district. Fou du Roi is full of classic Verner Panton chairs and Tom Dixon lighting, as well as French products like Gilles Dewavrin’s spice scented candles. Samurai sword-shaped umbrellas, Napoleon’s face stamped serving dishes, and solar-powered mini-statues of the Pope are part of Tadzio’s kitsch collection. In Polychrome, a mishmash of shiny plastic furniture, vinyl records and funky glassware is reminiscent of the 60s and 70s.
ten. Climbing the stairs, rising star | 8 p.m.
What floor, please? Opened in 2012 and awarded its first Michelin star this year, the rapidly growing 1741 restaurant occupies an early 19th-century mansion whose stairwell elevates guests through four levels of small lounges decorated in baroque boudoir style. . The cuisine is also spicy, from table butter with foie gras to desserts such as mashed figs with honey with panna cotta and honey ice cream. In between, you can find a trifecta of foie gras (in frozen form, like nougat and mixed with parmesan powder) or slices of rare venison with tiny mushrooms, raspberries and beets. Four lessons cost 89 euros per person.
11. Tubs and barrels | 10:30 p.m.
If you fancy a drink in the bathroom, step into Wawa, one of the new trendy spots around Place Saint-Nicolas-aux-Ondes. A clawfoot tub and disconnected, disused dresser are among the seating options at this trash-chic design haven. It is clear that someone had some absinthes (5 euros) when making the plans. More rustic and refined, Le XX, wine bar, opened this year with tables in barrels, a cozy lounge area and a menu of Gallic vintages including a dense and honeyed Grand Cru Gewürztraminer by Kaefferkopf Simonis (6.50 euros per glass ).
Sunday
12. Modern Arpe | 11:00
“Art is a fruit that grows in man” begins a quote from the artist Jean Arp – originally from Strasbourg – stenciled inside the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. If so, then the museum is truly an orchard in bloom. The modern art collection is stronger than contemporary collections (one flight up), so start with Rodin’s iconic “Le Penseur” (1904), then marvel at the strong lines and bold blocks of color of ” Picasso’s Nude Gathering Flowers ”(1958) before threading through the rooms of works by Sisley, Gauguin, Juan Gris, Magritte, Kandinsky, Max Ernst and other heavyweights. Local talents like Arp and illustrator Gustave Doré have their own rooms, showcased by Doré’s massive, dynamic and mystical “Christ coming out of the praetorium” (1867-1872). Before you take your leave, take a last look at Strasbourg from the rooftop terrace of the museum’s Art Café. Then say goodbye to the city – or, as we say in German, auf Wiedersehen. Entrance € 7.
ACCOMMODATION
Graffalgar (17, rue Déserte, 33-3-88-24-98-40; graffalgar.com) opened this year near the main station with 19 single rooms painted in various colorful styles by 19 street artists. Double from 90 euros.
For a majestic and aristocratic atmosphere in the historic district of Petite France, Hotel Le Bouclier d’Or & Spa (1, rue du Bouclier, 33-3-88-13-73-55; lebouclierdor.com) is a two-year addition. Most of the 22 rooms feature wooden beams, parquet floors and antique-style furnishings. Double from 194 euros.