Something to Declare

Sixième Poste. Strasbourg

Le 7 Septembre, 2023.

We left the car in Colmar today. Walked to the Gare Colmar-Saint-Joseph and took the train to Strasbourg, easy-peasy 30-minute ride. Strasbourg feels like a giant Colmar, but less touristy and more authentic.

There are lots of canals with bridges festooned with flowers:

We walked from the Gare Strasbourg-Ville toward the renowned Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg. Close to the cathedral, we saw an interesting street name:

The Rue des Juifs (Jews’ Street) is located where the older Roman Via Praetoria used to be. The Jewish community settled in this area in the 12th and 13th centuries, but had to leave in the 14th century, perhaps ending up in Poland (see previous series of blog posts, Back in the Shtetl Again). Note the cathedral in the near distance.

The cathedral itself is way impressive.

We would have liked to go inside, but the lines going in and out were incredibly long, and we were hungry. (You have to have your priorities.) So we followed the signs to “La Petite France“neighborhood. Petite France is criss-crossed with canals and bridges, including a dam and sluiceway, the Barrage Vauban, built over the river Ill in 1690.

It was known as the “Great Lock,” as way of defending the city against invaders. Our friend Rick says: “During times of attack, it could flood the land south of the city, mucking up [literally] the enemy’s plans.” They tried this during the Franco-Prussian war of 1870. It bears noting that they won the battle, but France lost that war.

We then came upon La Corde À Linge (“Clothes-Line”).

Cute name, no? Inspired by the world of haberdasheries and laundries of the early 20th Century. Two large salads, one Salade Niçoise (with popcorn!), and a Salade Marinière (loaded with smoked salmon and shrimp, and topped with …….um……. a tuna-salad sandwich?).

(They do have a way with salads here.). Below is the view on the way back to the Strasbourg Train station:

Nice to get back to the Mercure Hotel in Colmar, order a small pitcher of Riesling, edit the photos and prepare this blog post. Looking forward to getting “home” to Zürich tomorrow, with plans to take a leisurely drive back, hitting at least one winery 🍷 on the way.