We're nearly Strasbourgeois

The Ill River encircles Strasbourg's Grand Île where the historical district is located.

Located near the tip of the northeast point of France's hexagone, Strasbourg is many things: the country's seventh largest city, capital of the Grand Est region, home to the European Union headquarters, industrial and cultural center, university town and traditional center of the Alsace region.

Strasbourg's Palais Rohan was built in the first half of the 18th century.
Once the residence of Napoléon, it now houses three museums.

Children seem to conquer this collection of relics in the plaza next to
Strasbourg's cathedral.

We received a lot of advice before our recent visit: "Don't miss the cathedral! You absolutely have to be there at 12:30 when the astronomical clock chimes!" "You must take a boat tour around the city!" "Eat in the Petite France neighborhood!" "Don't miss seeing the city lights at night!" "Eat choucroute, drink sweet Alsatian wine!"

Ken poses along one of the bridges in Strasbourg.

This accordion player in Strasbourg seems content with the
day's fine weather.

As is our wont, we end up doing only a fraction of what Strasbourg natives, guidebooks and tourism websites suggest. But during our week here we do a pretty thorough job of exploring, discovering and beginning to feel a bit like a couple of Strasbourgeois.

Strasbourg's 'wall bridge' and towers were built in the Middle Ages.
Originally, the bridges had tiled roofs; they are still called les ponts couverts. 

A small raft floats on the river in Strasbourg.

Kayakers paddle the Ill River near le Barrage Vauban (the Vauban Dam)
in Strasbourg.

We are up bright and early on Day 1 and I consult with Google Maps on how to find the Tourism Office. First up, we must master Strasbourg's transit system, a task that turns out to be pretty simple. A tram stop is close to our apartment, and our host had told us to buy our tickets by machine. Happily we can choose English instructions and the machine even accepts our credit card — something we can't always take for granted.

We find a pretty view along one of the five 'fingers' of the Ill River in Strasbourg.

The mausoleum of the Marshall of Saxony in Strasbourg's Église Saint-Thomas
was sculpted by Parisian artist Jean-Baptiste Pigalle in 1777.

Barrage Vauban was constructed as part of Strasbourg's
defenses. Along the corridor, we pass relics from the cathedral
and Palais Rohan.

A rooftop terrace atop Barrage Vauban in Strasbourg provides great photo ops. 

Once we're at the historic center of the Grande Île, we spend a couple of hours on a self-guided walking tour. On another day, we take that cruise on the Ill river, where it rains the moment we set out and stops as we disembark. On other days we eschew the crowds and find ourselves in gardens that we seem to share only with stroller-pushing mamans, and in the city of Kehl, where our bonne journeés and mercis are met with blank stares because we are in Germany. And although we try some Alsatian specialties, we prefer to take advantage of being in a big city and indulge our craving for good Indian food.

Family and friends in California will understand why we are tickled to
come across this bar in Strasbourg that serves Lagunitas Indian Pale Ale.

We find another California icon, a giant sequoia, in
Strasbourg's Jardin Botanique. 

We lose the crowds and find tranquility in Strasbourg's
Jardin Botanique.

L'Église Saint-Paul was built for the Lutheran members of the
German garrison stationed in Strasbourg in the late 19th century.

We aren't sure what to make of this fountain located in Strasbourg's
Imperial district.

A barrel of wine from 1472 can be found in the wine cellar of Hospices de
Strasbourg. The wine has been served only three times: in 1576 to a Swiss
delegation; in 1716 to celebrate the hospital's renovation; and in 1944 to toast
 the liberators of Strasbourg led by Gen. Leclerc.

Musée des Beaux-Arts is one of three museums located in
Palais Rohan in Strasbourg.

Musée des Arts Décoratifs is one of three museums located
in Palais Rohan in Strasbourg.

Musée Archéologique is one of three museums located
in Palais Rohan in Strasbourg.

Strasbourg was chosen as headquarters of the European Union in part because
of its history of being torn between France and Germany.

After a tram ride to Jardin des Deux Rives, we cross a
footbridge to Germany.

Who knew Woolworths were still around?  — at least this one in Kehl,
Germany, is.

En route to the Grand Est: Moulins, Dijon and Nancy

Our recent spring road trip took us up and across France to the Alsace region. On the way, we stopped in three delightful cities, each with its own character, history and flavors.

Moulins

The Château des Ducs de Bourbon in Moulins was built in the 14th century,
served as a French prison for 200 years, and was a German prison during WWII. 

Located in the center of France on the northern edge of the Massif Central region, Moulins was once the seat of government for the Dukes of Bourbon. The city owes its name to the many windmills and watermills along the Allier river; today, sadly, all the windmills are gone.

The bells of the Jacquemart tower in Moulins are struck
by the figures on top. 

The social life of residents and visitors to Moulins centers around a pleasant plaza, where we find lots of options for dining. Our budget doesn't allow us to eat at Le Grand Café, but I peek inside at the beautiful Art Nouveau decor. After lunch we find the tourism office and then take a self-guided tour of the historical district.

Joan of Arc is honored in marble inside Cathédrale
Notre-Dame in Moulins.

Then we head to the Centre National du Costume de Scène (CNCS). This costume museum, located in a sprawling former cavalry barracks, houses a permanent collection of costumes worn by Rudolf Nureyev. The amazing temporary exhibition of Fairy Tale costumes runs through mid-September. We wander through dozens of rooms displaying scenes from Sleeping Beauty, Alice in Wonderland,  Hansel and Gretel and more. Some of the rooms have videos showing the original production in which the costumes were worn.

A display of costumes worn by virtuous fairy tale characters are on display
at the Centre National du Costume de Scéne (CNCS) in Moulins.

Costumes from Alice in Wonderland are on display at CNCS in Moulins.

Can you find me among the colorful costumes on display at CNCS in Moulins?

Moulins Trivia
Fashion designer Coco Chanel attended school and was a cabaret singer here before moving to Paris.

Dijon

The Moutarde Maille store in Dijon encourages tasting — and I oblige!

Think "Dijon" and think "mustard." A tasting at the Moutarde Maille shop is a must, and I try two that are over-the-top delicious: a saffron and a Thai. But I'm only browsing as les petits pots sont trop chers. The flavors are as surprisingly delightful as the city itself.

The Dijonaise are out and about on the Saturday of our visit to Dijon.

This capital of the Bourgogne region was home to the Dukes of Burgundy from the 11th through the 15th centuries. The city is rich in architecture with excellent examples of medieval, Gothic and Renaissance all represented. Colorful tiled roofs, toits bourguignons, are a Dijon specialty.

The Declaration of the Rights of Dijon citizens is displayed at the Hôtel de Ville.

We manage to visit two museums during our day in Dijon. Musée des Beaux-Arts is one of France's oldest museums. Its vast collection is housed in the magnificent Palais des Ducs and spans the millenniums. On the edge of the historical district, Musée de la Vie Bourguignonne provided a quaint glimpse into what rural life was like in the past three centuries.

Past Dukes of Dijon are laid to rest in style at the Musée des Beaux-Arts.

A visit to Musée de la Vie Bourguignonne recreates scenes of rural life in
Burgundy in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.

Dijon Trivia
Husks from the mustard seeds at Maille Moutarde are used for animal feed or are sold to other industries as ingredients.

Nancy

Nancy's Arc de Triomphe is a copy of Septimus Severus' triumphal arch
in Rome. The decoration glorifies King Louis XV.

Since we'll be spending the next week in Alsace, it's only fair to stop in Lorraine on the way. Though forever paired in the history books, the two regions are distinct from each other. At least this is what we are told by some Strasbourg residents shortly before our trip. ("Don't bother with Lorraine," they advise. "Alsace is the best.") I would not attempt to deem either area better than the other, but I notice some physical differences during our brief passage through Lorraine. It's more French than Alsace, and of course, there's the quiche.

An impressive example of French classicism, Place Stanislas in Nancy is a
Unesco World Heritage site. 

We've chosen to stop for a half-day in Nancy, the historic capital of Lorraine. I am eager to see the spectacular Place Stanislas. The square was built in the 1750s in honor of Stanislaw Leczinki, briefly the King of Poland and, as Duke of Lorraine, attentive administrator of the region. The square is enclosed by ornate gilded wrought-iron gates and railings, which were restored in 2005. In the summer, the five buildings surrounding Place Stan (as the locals call it) are illuminated in a spectacular light show each evening.

Just after we pass through Nancy's Arc de Triomphe, we are surprised to come across an unusual event. Groups of young people, perhaps university students or club members, have pimped out and decorated motorless cars and then push them around  Place de la Carrière for 24 hours. We stop to cheer them on, and then stroll through their staging areas where we are blasted with music, laughter, dancing and whiffs of herbal smoke from all sides.

We're not quite sure of the purpose of this car-pushing marathon in Nancy,

 but it sure looks fun.

Nancy is known for its École de Nancy, a forerunner of France's Art Nouveau movement. Many fine buildings of this architectural style are found throughout the city, and we opt to follow one of the three walking Art Nouveau itineraries suggested by the tourism office. Unfortunately we have to get back on the road before we have a chance to visit the Musée de l'École de Nancy or any of the five other museums here.

Figures seem to be scaling the roof of this Art Nouveau
roof in Nancy.

Local artists in Nancy have been asked to paint the streets.

Nancy Trivia
When Alsace-Lorraine was annexed by Germany in 1871, the city remained French. The resulting inflow of refugees doubled Nancy's population.

We're exhausted, and this is only the end Day 2! However, we'll be hunkering down for a week in Strasbourg, giving our car (and us) a break from the road.

Bourdeilles: Two castles in one

This post originally appeared on the Places & Faces blog for The Local Buzz.

Château de Bourdeilles is comprised of two castles: one from the Middle Ages
and another from the Renaissance period.

How do you prefer your castles —  medieval or Renaissance? Visitors to Bourdeilles in the Dordogne (24) don't have to choose. This château complex overlooking the Dronne river includes a feudal fortress built between the 13th and 14th centuries alongside a fancier Renaissance palace built 200 years later. The palace was commissioned by Jacquette de Montbron, a lady-in-waiting to Catherine de Médicis and wife of André de Bourdeille. The Italian-inspired design of the château is due to Montbron's tastes.

We have no trouble finding a shady parking spot near the church in Bourdeilles. We have a coffee while waiting for the château to re-open after lunch. After we buy our tickets in the gift shop, we cross through a stately outer courtyard and into the cour de château comtal — the inner fortress surrounded by high walls. Just beyond, the spacious and bright Salle d'honneur contains a couple of  fireplaces large enough to stand in.

Visitors to Château de Bourdeilles can climb to the top of
the octagonal tower.

Fireplaces in the Salle d'honneur at Château de Bourdeilles are large
enough to stand in.

We're feeling fit, so we tackle the steep winding steps to the terrace at the top of the octogonal donjon tower where we are rewarded with superb views of the village and beyond. 

The palace garden and village church are seen from the top
of the tower at Château de Bourdeilles.

Next up is the Renaissance château which encompasses three floors with several furnished rooms and lovely pieces of furniture, many of which are Spanish, lining the corridors. Most notable is the gilt "Paradise Bed" once slept in by Charles V. 

Charles V slept here in this fancy bed at Château de Bourdeilles.

This large funeral monument is located in the chapel at Château de Bourdeilles.

Armor and weaponry are the themes in this room at Château de Bourdeilles.

Intricate inlaid decorations adorn the ceiling and walls in this room
at Château de Bourdeilles.

On the day of our visit, gardeners are just starting the spring planting in the two modest-sized palace gardens. I'm sure they will be lovely in a few weeks, but we don't have to wait to admire the views from the château walls.

One of the gardens at Château de Bourdeilles is seen from
an upstairs window.

Château de Bourdeilles is open all year round, except January, and every day except Mondays. In July and August, hours and days are expanded, so check the website here for current hours and special events including children's activities, night visits and a new virtual reality escape game.

The village nestled along the Dronne river is seen from a window
at Château de Bourdeilles.

The gardens at Château de Bourdeilles enjoy one of their first sunny spring days.