Criss-crossed by narrow lanes, canals and locks, Petite France is where artisans plied their trades in the Middle Ages. The half-timbered houses, sprouting veritable thickets of scarlet geraniums in summer, and the riverside parks attract the masses, but the area still manages to retain its Alsatian charm, especially in the early morning and late evening. Drink in views of the River Ill and the Barrage Vauban from the much-photographed Ponts Couverts and their trio of 13th-century towers.
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Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
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Nothing prepares you for your first glimpse of Strasbourg's Cathédrale Notre-Dame, completed in all its Gothic grandeur in 1439. The lace-fine facade…
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0.54 MILES
Hailed as a ‘Versailles in miniature’, this opulent 18th-century residence is loaded with treasures. The basement Musée Archéologique takes you from the…
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0.3 MILES
History seeps through the twisting lanes and cafe-rimmed plazas of Grande Île, Strasbourg's Unesco World Heritage–listed island bordered by the River Ill…
25.84 MILES
A Joan Miró sculpture guards the front of this architecturally innovative gallery, designed by Richard Meier. The star-studded collection of modern and…
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23.35 MILES
An outdoor wonderland of heather-speckled moors, glacial cirque lakes, deep valleys, mountains and near-untouched coniferous forest, the Black Forest…
29.28 MILES
On its fairy-tale perch above vineyards and hills, the turreted red-sandstone Château du Haut Kœnigsbourg is worth a detour for the wraparound panorama…
0.49 MILES
Occupying a cluster of sublime 14th- and 16th-century buildings, this museum harbours one of Europe’s premier collections of Romanesque, Gothic and…
Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain
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This striking glass-and-steel cube showcases an outstanding fine-art, graphic-art and photography collection. Besides modern and contemporary works of the…
Nearby Strasbourg attractions
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The much-photographed Ponts Couverts (Covered Bridges) have a trio of 13th-century towers.
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A triumph of 17th-century engineering, the Barrage Vauban bears the architectural imprint of the leading French military engineer of the age – Sébastien…
3. Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain
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This striking glass-and-steel cube showcases an outstanding fine-art, graphic-art and photography collection. Besides modern and contemporary works of the…
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History seeps through the twisting lanes and cafe-rimmed plazas of Grande Île, Strasbourg's Unesco World Heritage–listed island bordered by the River Ill…
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The leafy paths that shadow the River Ill and its canalised branch, the Fossé du Faux-Rempart, are great for an impromptu picnic or a romantic stroll.
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This square is dominated by the Renaissance-style Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of Commerce).
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The gingerbready 15th-century Maison Kammerzell has ornate carvings and leaded windows.
8. Cave des Hospices de Strasbourg
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Founded in 1395, this brick-vaulted wine cellar nestles deep in the bowels of Strasbourg’s hospital. A hospice back in the days when wine was considered a…