Strasbourg: Cathedral

The beautiful Strasbourg Cathedral is the city’s most famous landmark. With a height of 142.11 metres, it stood as the world’s tallest building for over two centuries, from 1647 to 1874.  Cut from the red-brown sandstone of the Vosges mountains, the front facade is extremely ornate and yet imposing. It’s difficult to take it all in.

Entering through the door and into the church, I was surprised by the lightness of space inside. Home to treasures such as one of the early astronomical clocks, with its animatronics that make an appearance each midday, the hushed interior of the cathedral gave us a moment’s peace, away from the bustle of the street.

I love the  way the Gothic architecture of the cathedral is described in the quote below:

 …un prodige du gigantesque et du délicat…

-Victor Hugo-

A wonder of the huge and the delicate, a monstrous and fragile miracle. This is what the cathedral was to me: an immense structure of power and might, mingled with a delicate touch of spirituality.

Strasbourg: Tomi Ungerer and Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art

Tomi Ungerer is a French illustrator and writer born and bred in Strasbourg. He’s published over 140 books, from picture books, to more controversial adult work, as well work as political cartoonist. We went to visit the museum dedicated to his work and that of his contemporaries.

I enjoyed seeing his cartoons which included the Cathedral of Strasbourg as a motif. It made me think about the importance we place on symbols of the places to which we belong, and about the way culture is incorporated into society.

After lunch, we visited the Modern and Contemporary Art Gallery at the other end of town, not to far from the station. We were well impressed with the large and diverse collection, ranging from early impressionism through to interactive works from 2014. So much so that we lost track of time and had to hurry to catch our train.

The Modern and Contemporary Art Museum peaks out over Le Barrage Vauban

Strasbourg: En famille

Whilst in Strasbourg, Chloe and I stayed with her cousin, his partner and their two gorgeous girls. The older of the two, three year old C, was very excited to have some friends to play with and promptly took us on a tour of her toy box. Little L, around 8 months, was not so happy to have strangers invade… although she warmed up once she got to know us better.

It was wonderful to stay with the next generation of the family, to talk around the dinner table and to hear about the hectic lives of young parents. We were treated to a lovely lasagna, followed by cheese and dessert. Strasbourg is known for a particularly well matured cheese… the stink is not appealing. I braved it though, to take a taste… and surprisingly was not horribly offended, although my tongue felt strange and tingly  for a while afterward. Chloe’s family remain divided on this one: some adore Munster, whilst others absolutely detest it. As for me, I can’t say that I hate it, but I’m not hanging out to try it again.

The cakes for dessert were sublime, as were the pastries for breakfast the next day. Perfect with a tisane (herbal tea) to wash it all down.

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We went out to visit a museum and came back to spend lunch together with the family. We were treated to delicious salmon and broccoli pasta, along with a special suprise. With the help of mum, C had baked us her first cake: a delicious chocolate cake that we all enjoyed… especially the cook herself!

It was refreshing to spend time with the kids, and it was amazing how much new vocabulary they taught me (whilst L doesn’t talk yet, C was a little chatterbox) . With children, you can have conversations on everything around you- all questions are accepted. It’s amazing seeing someone in the progress of learning French as a first language, and this experience reminds me that learning should be about exploring, about using what you have to find out more, being curious enough to play with words until you discover what works best.

Strasbourg: Musée Alsacien

Having arrived in Strasbourg in the afternoon, we decided to spend some time visiting a museum. There were many to choose from, but in the end, we opted for the Alsatian Museum, in the hope of completing our crash course in the history and traditions of the region. Of course, we  still remain very naïve- but now at least we are conscious of the richness of the culture embedded in this place, even if so much of it still escapes us.

The museum is very comprehensive, covering many aspects of everyday life, such as clothing, furniture, housing, cooking and religious practices, as well as exploring the traditions associated with birth, childhood, marriage and death. Below are some examples of the detailed craftsmanship particular to this region.

Different varnishing techniques used to decorate Alsatian wardrobes

Une armoire- A wardrobe

Workman’s clogs

A jewellery box, complete with artfully painted, silk lined drawers

Sculpted chair backs, often paired with a three legged stool as a base

I was also amazed at the number of tools for use in the kitchen. The musuem houses a great collection of elaborate molds, many used as cake tins or to make dishes for special occasions, especially the famous Christmas treats for which Alsace is well known.

The impact of the change in power between German and French governements,  can be seen in the change in language. Many of the many documents of the museum were written in Alsatian or old German, with explanations in French and Alsatian to accompanythem.

Le Musée Alsacien is made up of a number of small houses that have been modified so that you can walk between them, each room filled with a different display. It gave the museum a great atmosphere- it was almost as if you could imagine yourself transported back in time.

This detailed dollhouse would have belonged to a child with very wealthy parents

Baby and stork

View of the cathedral from a window of the museum

The sun sets behind a bridge crossing the canal

In fact, one room even left us with dress ups for that very purpose. Despite the appropriate clothing, I think I’m a long way from passing for an Alsatian. I think I’ll stick to Australian instead- that’s what I am, after all.

Strasbourg: Barrage Vauban et La Petite France

Coming into Strasbourg, we followed the canal around to les ponts couverts, the covered bridges. Having heard the name, I was surprised to discover that the bridges were in fact open to the air- with only a low railing suggesting any form of cover! The name came from the middle ages, when the bridges were passageways covered in wood. Many centuries later, the bridges’ wooden coverings are long gone, but the stone pathways remain. The bridges are punctuated by four fortified towers, vestiges of the previous defensive borders of the town.

One of ‘les ponts couverts’ (the covered bridges) – no longer covered, yet still with their old name- with the cathedral towering in the background.

View of la petite France, les ponts couverts and the cathedral from le barrage Vauban.

A seagull flies over one of the towers

Les ponts couverts

From the other side of the canal, we took a walk along le barrage de Vauban , the Vauban weir. Unlike the ‘covered bridges’, this weir is actually a covered bridge! Previously important for loading and unloading shipping cargo, the passage across one of the larger canals contains a series of information displays (in French) on the history of Strasbourg and the development of the city throughout time. We also stumbled on some very interesting statues that once decorated the Cathedral. We then climbed the stairs to the open terrace on the top of the passageway. From here we had a stunning view of the ‘covered bridges’ , the city centre and the cathedral.

Sad lion

Mother and child

Blame it on the others

Grumpy lion

We then retraced our steps to explore the little islands of La Petite France,  the medieval neighborhood. Much less colourful than Colmar, but just as intriguing, we were content to take our time to enjoy exploring the little alleyways that wound through this part of the town.

View of La Petite France

Courtyard leading to a fancy restaurant (out of our budget for sure!)

The fisherman’s quarter

Touristy as ever, little shops such as this one can be found dotted throughout the city centre. In the reflection, you can see a man selling portraits and the iconic medieval half-timbered houses.

“The tanning house”.

Click on the images to see them full size with captions

Strasbourg

A few years ago, I had a ‘French correspondent’ or, as I called her, a pen-pal, who lived in Strasbourg. We exchanged lots of emails about our lives, and I built up an imaginary picture of her city in my mind. Unfortunately she and I lost contact about two years ago, and so although I had the opportunity to explore the places she told me so much about, I never got to meet her.

It was amazing how different Strasbourg was to the imaginary picture I’d created- however I can’t say it was a disappointment- the opposite in fact! Two days in Strasbourg made the perfect end to our Alsatian adventure: although I would happily stop by again if given the chance!

Catching the train from Colmar was simple and easy- although the station is much larger than Tours or Colmar- and easy to get lost in!

Flower boxes lined some of the prettier bridges crossing the canals.

Couple walking by the canal.

Strasbourg is a key meeting point: the European Parliament is housed in the city, as are many foreign embassies.

Paris-inspired architecture

Still no leaves on the trees- but makes for an interesting composition against this factory-like building.

An interesting corner

Sunday flea market- so many trinkets I’d love to own, if only my budget (and my small suitcase!) would let me.

Church spire and flower boxes

Flowers looking out over the canal encircling the ‘Grand Isle’

Haut-Koenigsbourg

An afternoon visit to the Château du Haut–Koenigsbourg (Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle) was well worth the short drive from Colmar. Situated on a large hill, the castle was restored at the turn of the twentieth century by order of Kaiser Wilhelm II, who saw this enterprise as a symbol of his power in the region. As a result the castle is an interesting mix of ancient walls adorned with semi-modern fixtures and finishings.

 

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Within the castle were many treasures: some authentic, others not so much. I really enjoyed seeing some of the Alsatian style furniture, as well as the iconic green tiled pôeles (a central heating apparatus that served as a stove but also helped to warm up various rooms of the house).

Buckets for drawing water

62 metres deep, this well is dug deep into the mountain

Stamps used to print insigna into wax seals

This ornately decorated room goes above and beyond the original decor, reimagining the room with early 20 C influences

The pôele (stove) is a feature of many Alsatian dwellings and was more effective at heating a room than a traditional fireplace

The green tiles are typica lof Alsatian pôeles

An Alsatian armoire (wardrobe)

Traditional furniture

The tiles used to build the pôele are often based on intricate motifs based on flowers or symbols of heraldry

What castle would be complete without a knight in shining armour?

Click on the images above to see their explanation

The tour of the castle finished in a tower at the back of the castle, from which we had a stunning view of the mountains, the valleys below and the castle itself. Fresh air, and a fresh view on the world!

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Ribeauvillé

Our final little village destination was Ribeauvillé. When leaving Riquewhir, we were delighted with a double rainbow, an arc that swept over the road from one vineyard to another. Thanks to our hosts I discovered that the myth of gold at the end of the rainbow is just as valid here as it is back at home. We decided not to test our luck though, and continued on our drive to Ribeauvillé.

Like Kaysersberg, Ribeauvillé is dominated by the ruins of a castle- only this time more impressive. Like many of the other villages, Ribeauvillé was developped in the early middle-ages, and as a result has many winding streets. Dédé pointed out to me that at the many of the street corners, there are small granite posts, that were placed there to prevent horse drawn carts from buffering houses. By placing a stone at the corner, the wheels of the cart were prevented from hitting the wall, and it was the stone pillars that were gradually worn down, rather than the sides of the houses.

The stone at the street corner protects the house behind

The castle looking down on the town

Yes, there are cars here.

A lot of wood makes a tiny balcony- building methods at the time were not always effecient

The streets glistened after the light rain

Map of the town from 1664

Village fountain

Click on images to view with captions

There were many lovely shops lining the main street of Ribeauvillé, including one selling cuckoo clocks. I was impressed by their detail and their cuteness, although I agreed with Dédé and Priska- such a clock is not on my Christmas wishlist. Firstly, these time machines demand a lot more space than the usual wall clock. Secondly, who wants to be jolted out of their daydreams every fifteen minutes by a high pitched, repetitive, two-syllable bird call? Not me. I admire these clocks as a novelty, but I don’t think they’ll ever make up part of my household.

Cuckoo!

284 Euro is the starting price for the smallest clocks. It escalates quickly.

Ribeauvillé, like most of these villages of the Haut-Rhin, is a wine producing town

These clocks are cuckoo free, but just as intruiguing

A sewing store

The pharmacy makes its service known with a pattern of green roof tiles

A tiny little bookshop

Ribeauvillé also seems to have a very strong connection with the legend of the pied piper. The young man playing his flute to lead the rats, and the plague, out of the city, can be seen adorning many signs and is a motif for the village.

Statue at the office of Tourism

Piper outside a bar

“The Piper of the Year 1300”

A series of pipers walk behind the village emblem at this local café

It was lovely to take a few car trips to visit the villages around Colmar, and I’m so thankful to our hosts for showing us around, enabling us to see places we couldn’t have by foot or by train, and for sharing so much of their insider knowledge with us.

Kaysersberg

Kaysersberg is a picturesque village which lies nestled on the eastern slopes of the Vosges mountains, a short drive north-west from Colmar. The name means ‘Emperor’s Mountain’ in German, and was changed for a short time after the French Revolution to Mont-Libre, in the hope of showing support for the new regime. The village is dominated by the ruins of a castle, built around 1200 for an important representative of the Roman Empire and lived in by various lords of the fiefdom. The castle was abandoned toward the end of the 1500s, yet it remains a dominating feature of the village landsacpe. The town is built around La Weiss, a lively stream which adds to the charm of the village. I’m told by one of my local Alsatians that Kaysersberg hosts one of the best Marchés de Noël, ‘Christmas Markets’, of the region and that cars can line the road leading to the village for several kilometers during mid-December. “We come here anyway,” she explains, “it’s worth the crowd.”

Castle ruins and an ornately decorated house, built by a person of affluence

Houses of different styles built into one another

Riverside dwelling

Typical houses

Alsatian Pottery: Peek-a-boo from the Black Forest

The stream that runs through the town was used to power water mills, as well as for washing and cleaning

An extravagant house, complete with ornamental carvings and a decorative tower

This house dates from 1594

Beautiful shutters

Another beautiful house

Small plaque adorning a doorway

Vines are everwhere- ivy as well as grapes.

Paint on a wooden door has flaked off along the grain, creating a subtle pattern.

The window box which just out from the rest of the wall was created expressly for the use of spying on the happenings in the street.

Click on images to view accompanying captions

The mayor of Kaysersberg, Henri Stoll,  is considered a little radical in his thinking – or at least not particularly conservative. He’s a member of Europe Écologie Les Verts, ‘The European Ecology Greens’, a small French political party with strong links to Les Verts, ‘The Greens’, and seems to be very engaged in the fight against injustice, at least symbolically. A public display of support for the victims of the January attacks in Paris can be seen on a sign erected in the village square, and the flag of Tibet hangs illegally (it is forbidden to fly any flag other than that of the French state from a public building) from the town hall in a sign of solidarity with Tibet and as a request for recognition of the independence of the Tibetan people and their nation. In a newsletter I found from 2008, he explains his fight for a ‘Better World’ with this challenging citation from Albert Einstein: “The world is dangerous, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who stand by and let them get away with it”. I’m not sure how effective his politics are, or how he makes judgments on what constitutes political evil with so much corruption in this world, but I admire his quest for justice nonetheless.

The flag of Tibet

“We are all Charlie”

My local guides also tell me that Kaysersberg is home to one of the largest crucifixes in France. “It sure is one of the largest,” says Dédé, “but I wouldn’t say it’s one of the most beautiful.” The medieval church housing the crucifix is a simple stone structure, much less showy than the big churches of Colmar, although the roman inspired door and floor mosaique which marks the entry is quite impressive.  Inside, the sequential lighting leads us through the sacred space. As much as the sculpture is not outstanding as an artistic masterpiece, I think we are touched by the consecration of the space which it inhabits, the quiet solace of a place dedicated to tradition and faith.

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We finish our tour with a walk past the ‘Kessler Tower’ , also known as La tour de la haute porte, ‘Tower of the High Door’. Constructed in 1371, the door to this prison tower was built high within the wall and was accessed by a ladder which was then taken away to prevent contact with the offenders. Our guides explain that the tower was used in the war of 1939-1945 as a storage chamber for those resisting the Hitler regime. A plaque on the side of the tower stands ‘..in memory of the 79 prisoners deported and interned, victims of the brutality of the Hitler regime. On the 15 of Febraury, 1943 …violent demonstrations took place and 30 people were arrested. Twenty resisters were imprisoned in this tower whilst awaiting their tragic fate. The patriot Henri Jaegle, taken to camp Struthof and shot.’

The image of twenty people crammed on top of one another in the tiny tower and being left there to die is a shocking reminder of the horrors that can be committed in the name of power. It gives a new dimension to the Alfred Einstein quote.  The city came under seige in early December 1944 and on the 17 December 1944, was liberated by the French army along with American aid. The village was damaged by fire from artillery and battles in the streets.

Today, the horrors of the tower’s past are hidden ghosts that are barely visible. A family of storks have built their nest on the peak of its roof, and we stood watching as one came in to land, timing the angles of its descent to match with the wind. Lower and lower, round and around, until with a sudden swoop she landed by her nest. As much as the past can be painful, life, in all its beauty, continues.

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Colmar

Colmar, a small town of the Upper Rhine in the French region of Alsace is intruiging. I spent a week there staying with Chloe, an Australian friend, and Priska and Dédé, her Alsatian aunt and uncle. Not only does Colmar have an interesting variety of traditional Alsatian cottages lining the canals and square of the city centre, it also has many impressive constructions from the 19th century which are influenced both by regional and Parisian styles. The colourful houses make for a cheery atmosphere, even on sleepy Monday mornings.

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Coming back through the city centre after visiting La Petite Venise, my friend Chloe and I were met with the distinct sounds of an accordian. Well recognised as the typical instrument of the region, according to Dédé it is well loved by some and hated by others.

Colmar and the Alsace region is well known for the storks that nest on the roofs of it’s houses. The old tax quarters, with its trompe d’oeil gates, has a cute mural of a pair of storks attending to their nests. Assuming this was a touristy gimmik, I was very suprised to find, a few moments later a pair of storks nesting on the peak of cathedral!

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Colmar is a lovely town and I was glad to go in the ‘quiet’ season- after the queues of people hoping to buy treats at the famous Christmas markets and well before the summer and the grape harvest.