Snaps from a springtime stay in a special corner of France

STRASBOURG STAY

WHERE

Strasbourg, the capital of France’s Grand Est region a stone’s throw from the German border.

WHEN

I spent two days in Strasbourg during idyllic blue-sky days in March, breaking the rail journey between Frankfurt Airport and Lyon where I was bound to board a riverboat and cruise the Rhone.

WHAT

This was my second visit to Strasbourg, and I returned because I had such a lovely time when I visited with my parents a few years ago.

That jaunt was made during winter, this time I was there during springtime when the magnolia trees were blooming and delicate pink blossom covered the fruit trees lining the footpaths.

This visit I dawdled, returning to some of the places I saw last time and wandering along some of the Old Town streets I missed during that stop.

Strasbourg is a fascinating place, compact enough to explore on foot and well connected to other corners of the Continent making arrivals and departures a cinch, and it’s easy to see a history that stretches back to gothic times with the Petite France quarter home to dwellings that have been standing for centuries.