Despite its importance to France and Europe as a whole, it was far into my French travel career before I ever visited Strasbourg, partly because I associated it more with the modern European parliament than the much more prominent and delightful half-timbered houses of the old town or the regal architecture of the Neustadt. (2025)
The colorful half-timber buildings, old churches, and bridges and walkways over delightful canals formed by the Ill River are all a central aspect of Strasbourg’s old town. At the start is the Vauban Dam and the ‘covered’ tower bridge that represent this area called Petit France.
Just down the way is the Neustadt or ‘new town’–where new hearkens back to the 1800s when the area was under German rule.
A little bit further up the Ill is the area of European Parliament including the main building seen here.
The gardens of Josephine’s Orangerie highlight the region’s symbol–the black and white stork–many of which can be found wandering around the park.
